Mark Dolin

W.B. Hopke Congratulates Foreman, Mark Dolin, for Reaching 15 Years of Service with the Company

Each quarter, W.B. Hopke highlights specific employees for their achievements, service and exemplary work for the company. This month, we want to congratulate Mark Dolin, Hopke Foreman, for his 15 years of effective and dedicated service. Mark is being recognized because he has demonstrated a willingness to learn and leadership at the highest levels. We would like to share Mark’s story with our employees and clients and the impact he has made on all here at Hopke.

Mark initially worked for Shockey Precast located in Winchester, VA. He learned how to pour, set and cure concrete. In 2011, Shockey Precast had a mass layoff, and Mark was caught up in the riff. Mark remembered that timeframe well, not so much for the layoff, but because it was the day after the earthquake happened in Virginia, Tuesday, August 23, 2011. As fate would have it, the very same day, Tommy Smith, a Hopke employee, called Mark and invited him to apply at Hopke and the next day he began work there. He never missed a beat, and it has been his trademark ever since.

Like many at Hopke, Mark started at the very bottom and moved up. “I came in as a laborer, at the very bottom. But I have always been willing to learn everything I can about each job I take on, no matter the rank. I then moved into the topman position. Not long thereafter I was promoted to tailman, then pipelayer, then equipment operator where I ran the loader and then the backhoe,” explained Dolin.

Mark indicated that he owes much of his success to Superintendent, Brian Starnes. “I had a lot of help and guidance from Brian. He really showed me the ropes and is largely to credit for my success here and me becoming a Hopke foreman,” said Dolin. He recounted a time when he did not have transportation, and Brian would go a half an hour out of his way to pick him up in the morning for work and take him home each day. He said, “If it wasn’t for Brian, I probably would not be doing this interview today.”

As foreman, Mark is responsible for numerous areas, including helping the employees know their position and learn their roles, and helping the crew to understand the tasks and goals for the day. He ensures that materials are delivered for each project. He checks the cut sheets and the blueprints to ensure grades are accurate, and he attends the managers meetings.

The one area that he is ultra-focused on is the safety of his crew at the job site. “Safety is such a big thing. I have to make sure that my men go home the same way they come to work each day. I spend a lot of time with them on safety,” said Mark.

Mark loves his job at Hopke. He says, “It is the kind of place where you can have a beer after work with the guys. We are a family. The owners really treat everyone here well. They are good people.” Mark indicated, “To succeed at Hopke, you have to come to work on time, work hard all day long and strive to be the best at each job you take on. That’s what catches their eye.”

Mark has been married 12 years to wife Jessica. They have two girls, Kelsie and Kaylie, and a son Kendall. They have seven grandchildren. For fun, Mark and Jessica like to ride their motorcycles, fish in the Shenandoah River for catfish and smallmouth bass, and they love to watch the Commanders on Sundays.
A Special thank you to Mark Dolin for all his hard work and dedication to W.B. Hopke.

W.B. Hopke is a fourth generation, family-run construction business focused on building high quality utility infrastructure and lifelong careers. Hopke is located in Alexandria, VA and works throughout DC, Maryland, and Virginia. With almost 70 years of experience, Hopke prides itself on repeat customers across all kinds of market segments – schools, churches, data centers, distribution facilities, multi-family, mixed use, residential subdivisions, senior living, self storage, heavy highway, retail, commercial office, automotive, stream restoration, and parks.

Contact W.B. Hopke about a career in utility installation and site work at 703-971-0404 or info@wbhopke.com.