Wanzek Construction's Vice President of Renewable Services John Nichols has only been with the company under a year, but has already led his division to new heights by opening a new facility in Texas, forming new partnerships and recommitting his team to Wanzek's longstanding reputation for superior customer service. BIC Magazine recently sat down with Nichols to learn more about his background and goals for his position.
Q: What led to your position at Wanzek?
A: My passion for renewable energy started about a decade ago during a transition from real estate to the renewables business. I had sold my mortgage and real estate company and wanted to do something in a new field that interested me. Aviation was a passion that led me to study wind turbine design and the correlation between the two, which in turn led me to explore and research technical schools for education at Texas State Technical College (TSTC), where I received an associate's degree in applied science -- wind energy technology.
While attending TSTC, I was elected president of Winds of Texas, where I spearheaded bringing in major players in the wind industry to place students after graduation. This led to a career with Siemens as a field technician and five promotions building up to field engineer manager over the Heavy Lifts, Major Components Group of North and South America, where I worked abroad.
Wanzek reached out to me regarding an opportunity as vice president of Renewable Services, covering wind and solar maintenance projects, and I have been in this role since December 2016.
Q: What is the biggest news at Wanzek right now?
A: Wanzek has a fresh commitment to Renewable Services. This has led to a new facility in Amarillo, Texas, and new partnerships with major equipment manufacturers and renewable energy owners and operators. The business is growing as planned, and I am looking forward to what the future brings for Team Wanzek.
Q: What is the most important part of your position?
A: Ensuring that safety is first. Maintaining a safe and productive work environment is important to our leadership team as well as our clients. We also prioritize meeting and exceeding customer service levels for our clients. We partner with our clients to better understand their needs and reduce their maintenance costs based on proven methodologies, techniques and execution strategies.
We have leveraged our field technology to ensure safety measures are executed, and we use field technology to interface with our clients for field requirements, work instructions and customer lock-out/ tag-out.
Q: What are your goals for your position?
A: To have an organic safety culture focused on protecting our people, property and the customers we partner with; be a market leader in gearbox repair and maintenance, as well as a top-tier independent service provider for wind and solar maintenance; and to have the largest fleet of qualified service technicians.
Q: What is a "fun fact" about you people might not know?
A: I earned my pilot's license in 2004 and purchased a single-engine airplane, which I have flown over the Eastern seaboard of the U.S. for fun. I'm also fluent in Portuguese and proficient in Mandarin, have traveled all over Asia and am a former Class A PGA golf professional working at Ballen Isles Country Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
For more information, visit www.wanzek.com, call (832) 903-5659 or email johnichols@wanzek.com.
