“Safety isn’t Monday morning—it’s the moment.” This simple yet profound quote, shared by Mike Holland during AWCI’s recent Peer Safety Review, perfectly captured the mindset we encountered throughout our visit with the MAREK team in Houston, Texas. It’s a reminder that safety isn’t something we schedule, it’s something we live. It’s embedded in how we show up, how we lead, and how we look out for each other. Every moment. Every jobsite. Every person.
This spring’s AWCI Peer Safety Review, hosted by MAREK, was more than a routine check-in; it was a reaffirmation of the culture we all strive to build. From the outset, MAREK welcomed us not as inspectors or outsiders, but as fellow professionals invested in each other’s growth. Their openness, humility and pride in their people made this an authentic safety engagement and experience.
Over three full days, our AWCI Peer Safety Review team—made up of Rick Wood and Fabio Correia of J&J Acoustics, Chris Sanders and Matt Reichardt of Valley Interior Systems, Cheryl Berman of Brady West; Adam Linhardt of E&K, Pete Salazar of South Valley, Mike Hill of PCI, and me from AWCI—were joined by our host Jorge Vazquez of MAREK. Together, we walked jobsites, sat in planning and safety meetings, and most importantly, listened. Because often, the best indicators of a strong safety culture aren’t found on a checklist—they’re found in conversations with the people doing the work.
And what we heard was loud and clear: at Marek, safety isn’t a program, it’s personal.
Jorge and his team pulled back the curtain completely. There were no curated walkthroughs or staged stops. They encouraged full transparency and welcomed feedback in areas where they could improve. It takes a strong organization to allow that kind of vulnerability—and an even stronger one to do something about it.
As we visited projects, it quickly became evident that MAREK’s people believe in what they’re doing. You could see it in how crews carried themselves. You could hear it in how forepersons and trainees spoke about the work. And you could feel it with the pride they had in each other’s success. Safety wasn’t an obligation; it was an expression of mutual respect.
That tone starts at the top. MAREK’s leadership has cultivated a culture where accountability is not about blame, but about commitment to each other and to excellence. Forepersons lead by example. Trainees are developed, not just directed. And management doesn’t just support the field—they serve it.
Following a day and a half of field visits and office conversations, the peer review team reconvened to analyze our observations and prepare a full feedback session for MAREK’s leadership. What followed was a three-hour presentation led by Chris Sanders and supported by input from every peer reviewer. In attendance were several key members of the MAREK management team, including the company’s ownership: Stan Marek (CEO), Mike Holland (COO), Phil Nevlud (Houston Division President), John Hinson (Regional Branch Operations) and Brent Ballard (Residential Operations), along with numerous members of the board of directors, who stayed fully engaged throughout the session.
The feedback was balanced and honest—acknowledging strengths while offering thoughtful insights into areas for continued growth. The MAREK team didn’t just sit and listen, they leaned in. They asked questions. They took notes. They embraced the feedback, even when it was tough. And that’s what leadership looks like.
As the session ended, Pete Salazar summed up the spirit of what we had all witnessed with a quote that left the room nodding in agreement: “Train them so they can go anywhere. Treat them so they don’t want to leave.”
That’s exactly what MAREK is doing. And that’s the standard we should all aspire to.
The AWCI Peer Safety Review program is built on shared trust, honest dialogue and a collective goal to elevate the safety culture across our industry. MAREK’s willingness to open its doors and invite real critique shows what’s possible when a company is serious about getting better, not just for compliance’s sake, but for the people who make this industry work.
Because safety isn’t just Monday morning. It’s every moment.
Don Pilz is the director of technical services at AWCI. If you would like to be a part of the AWCI Safety and Health Committee, contact Don Pilz at [email protected].
