Growing up in Worcester, Massachusetts, George Brodeur never had to worry about what he would do when he grew up. It would be construction, just like his father, grandfather and great-grandfather.

When he was 4 years old, his grandfather would take him to a job site. He’d have lunch with the crew. They would set him up with a piece of wood, nails and a hammer and let him pound away.

“When I was 8, he put me in a backhoe and told me to dig a hole,” George said. “He checked on me later and told me to fill it in.”

Later, there were lessons on bulldozers, table saws and other equipment.

“He made sure I learned all the safety measures,” he said.

His family moved to New Hampshire in 1979 to take over the campground his grandfather owned. Brodeur’s father moved his business to New Hampshire, and George finished high school.

After graduating in 1982, he spent three years in the Navy Seabees and learned utilities, mechanical and plumbing. When he left the service, he entered a four-year apprenticeship program, working for his father.

Brodeur’s father closed his business in 1992, began teaching and eventually became a principal. When his wife was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, he left the school and recruited his son to teach the apprenticeship program. Brodeur taught the program for 10 years while also running his own contracting, heating and plumbing business that grew to as large as 14 employees.

When he got tired of chasing jobs, he sold the company to an employee and went to work for larger general contractors. A friend told him about a job at Haskell, where he has worked since 2023.

He is currently the Project Superintendent on a $120 million water and sewer improvement project in Sanford, North Carolina, that involves laying 25 miles of pipe, building a new lift station and refurbishing another.

Brodeur says he enjoys his autonomy working for Haskell and the common ground he feels with the leadership.

“I like the opportunities I’ve had with Haskell,” he said. “I like the project up here in North Carolina and working on water projects. I hope to stay until I retire.”

Tracing back to his time instructing apprentices, he still enjoys mentoring.

“I give younger people a different perspective and teach them work ethics,” he said.

He and his wife, Christine, live in Edgewater, Florida, and have five children and six grandchildren. He enjoys returning to New Hampshire and spending time with his eight siblings and their families. Everyone in the family is musical. His father played the accordion and piano. Brodeur and his brother sang in a band, doing weddings, anniversaries, bars and dances.

“I get up there every other month, and they come to visit us,” he said. “Not many people can say it, but I love what I do. Always have. Always will.”

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