Please help us welcome Neumann’s new Safety Manager, James Machamer! James brings a wealth of experience and knowledge, and we are honored to have him as part of our team.
James has an extensive history in both the medical and safety fields. He always knew he wanted to serve in the military and work in medical specialties, and he accomplished both of those goals! James served in the military for nearly 23 years on active duty and reserves and the fire department for 13 years. (Thank you for your service, James!) For 8 of his 23 years in service, James served in the Construction Battalion and dedicated two years of intensive training to receive his Seabee Combat Warfare designator.
James joined the Des Moines Fire Department in 1996 and attained the rank of Senior Medic Firefighter. When asked about his 13 years as a Senior Medic Firefighter, James shares, “The biggest takeaway from my time as a paramedic is knowing that I made a difference in somebody’s life when they were at their lowest–or worse.”
When James retired from the military and fire department, he knew he wanted to continue making a positive impact in people’s lives. He holds his position as Neumann’s Safety Manager in the same regard as his time serving in the military and fire department. “I’m not directly providing medical aid as I did as a paramedic specialist or corpsman,” James says, “keeping our employees safe isn’t any less important.” He went on to say, “Look at what we do! We are providing amazing opportunities for young men and women. We are helping Iowa grow and prosper!”
Reflecting on his unique journey to the construction industry, James shares: “If I were to do it all over again–and not pursue the medical field–I’d be in the trades, without a doubt.” He loved the time he spent in the construction battalion in the military. “If I wasn’t stitching someone up or tending to them medically, I was laying concrete, framing walls, and moving dirt!” James enjoys working with his hands outside of his career, too. He recently built his wife’s new garden boxes and framed his entire basement himself!
James hopes to leave a legacy of safety in the construction industry. “One day when I retire if it’s at all possible to say, we will never have a Neumann employee suffer a catastrophic injury,” he shares. “The reason I say that–and the one thing I’m incredibly proud of–is that of all the places I’ve been and people I’ve served with or supervised in the military, everybody came home. That is the only thing that matters.
Neumann is proud to have James’ invaluable expertise on our team. We are looking forward to continuing to build a greater and safer industry together!
Fast facts about James:
Hidden talent: Karaoke and acting
Favorite place to visit? Their home in Cabo!
Most beautiful place on earth: Archipelagos off the coast of Philippines
Bucket list trips: Scotland & Ireland! Then Australia, Antarctica, Sweden, Norway, and Finland