Crane Tech, LLC is proud to announce that Jeffery Ellis, Instructor and Field Services Manager, has been named the 2015 Professional Top Trainer by the Association of Crane & Rigging Professionals (ACRP) and Crane & Rigging Hot Line (featured in the November edition).
The professional-level award is tailored for companies that are primarily engaged in training activities, and Jeff was selected as the overall winner from a judging panel of peers and former award recipients. One of the reasons he was chosen was that he repeatedly displays care in improving the overall safety of a situation, even when correcting the condition of equipment, processes, or knowledge of employees was not a part of his original task as a trainer. “Jeff Ellis’s knowledge and experience allows him to gain the trust and respect of people at all levels of organizations to impact positive changes, often beyond the scope of the training he was hired to do,” said one judge.
When asked about Jeff’s approach as a trainer, Bo Collier, President of Crane Tech stated, “In my experience, it is easy to find a polished trainer or an experienced operator, but rarely do they come together in a way that you find in Jeff Ellis. The reality is that Jeff’s passion and ‘can do’ attitude naturally shines through to both students and management, creating almost instant credibility, building immediate trust and forming a bond early in the learning process.”
Since joining Crane Tech in 2008, Jeff has provided instruction to more than 2,000 students, and has an overall 99.6% instruction satisfaction rating. However, Jeff’s desire to improve does not stop with the individuals he teaches. He considers himself a student in his own right, always learning from the situation and others with a desire to improve himself and his skills. If Jeff encounters a situation or piece of equipment that he needs to understand better, he will go the extra mile, do the research and educate himself. Then he will share the knowledge with the client so that they are more educated as well. Almost every trainer says they care, but with Jeff, he really does care—not only for the safety of the worker, but also for the condition of the gear and equipment and the long-term sustainability of the process. He not only drives himself to be better, he brings others along in the process and creates a win-win situation for all those involved.
When clients were asked about Jeff, they responded with letters of recommendation that included statements such as:
- “We have benefited from Jeff’s work in so many ways. We have saved money on reduced accidents and less equipment downtime. We’ve improved the mindset of operators who have more respect for their equipment and much better understanding of its limitations. He has offered many suggestions that our maintenance and operational areas have implemented.”
- “Jeff got right to work in observing and evaluating the material handling processes. As I got to know Jeff, I realized an impressive skillset, along with many, that Jeff portrayed which was his honesty and ability to be straight with you. As Jeff started to put things together, he proposed that rigging policies be developed that would provide overall guidelines and regulations for rigging. A total of 4 policies were written and approved by the team, over 45 critical lift plans were created and 300 people trained. He provided a Sustainable Model on how to use a system of Checks and Balances, built from Continuing Education that will drive a World Class Rigging Culture. At the end of the 9 months of service from Jeff and Crane Tech, we held a
celebration for the team and provided recognition awards [including a signed Mr. Potato head given to Jeff]. Changing the culture for rigging in 9 months, one that had been there for over 100 years, was an ultimate challenge. What Jeff brought to the plant was a high degree of learning through industry facts, principles and experience. What my team gained was an understanding of rigging, respect for the industry and working as a team for what may be some of the most difficult and complex lifts known.” - “I first met Jeff Ellis at a one-on-one training, Jeff talked to me and assessed what I knew on the subject and tailored the lesson to give me the most for the time spent. That also was the first time I had an instructor give me credit for what I knew and went on from there. Over the last five to six years I have taken seven train-the-trainer classes from Jeff. He has never been stumped by a question that has been asked in class or out and his knowledge of the material is without equal. When he learns about something new that he thinks I should know he will call or text me with the information. That is above and beyond what other instructors do.”
When asked about his approach to training, Jeff stated, “I’d like to think I make a difference in the lives of the people and the companies that I provide training for. Whether it is sharing my skills and experience so that people can work safely and be able to go home to their families and return to work the next day or through better educated employees that understand how equipment works and the correct way to do things, which increases reliability.
When I start teaching, I will usually find that there are some gaps in either their safety policies, the equipment they are using, or in their knowledge. One of the key principals that I try to teach is to properly inspect and track the lifespan of equipment and rigging, 
reinforcing that a good inspection is required and can actually be cost efficient. Inspections do take time and effort, but it can lead to the ability to uncover issues, like the one found on this shackle, that once remedied will increase the life span of equipment and allow for proper forecasting of when equipment will need to be replaced.
I find that getting everyone on the same page is the best way to establish peer and corporate accountability. I feel that one of the most important things management can do is establish a core value of safety, then this can be built upon in every facet of the operation. Unfortunately, one of the biggest setbacks to this focus is usually cost. There are times that during training I hear ‘this is great, but it won’t be followed on the floor.’ Instead of accepting this and letting it discourage me, I take it as an opportunity for education. I understand that sometimes decisions regarding processes or the equipment that is used are not made at the floor level, but someone thought it was important enough to allocate significant dollars for training in order to build a better workforce/product/create reliability, etc. Sometimes simply reminding the client that the investment in training goes beyond increasing the knowledge of the employee, it may also require investment in tools, policies and procedures to create a truly safer workplace. And if safety is indeed a core value then an additional investment is worth the decreased risk. This process usually sets up the client for success at all levels of the organization, and it all starts with the little concept of getting everyone on the same page.
I have heard positive feedback from many clients thanking me for challenging them to do the right thing or invest in their teams, processes, and safety programs, confirming that my methods are working for those I have the pleasure to work with.”
We at Crane Tech are honored to have Jeff as part of our instructional team and know that the difference he makes on a daily basis not only challenges our clients to work safer, he challenges Crane Tech to be a better company. With all of our professional trainers, Crane Tech strives to bring our clients the highest quality training, inspection, and consulting services available, based on the core values of Teamwork, Integrity and Commitment.
We would also like to congratulate the 2015 Top Corporate Trainer, Patrick Clark, National Rental Support Manager for Lifting Gear Hire and the individuals who received Honorable Mention recognition:
Corporate Honorable Mention
- Gary Campbell, Allegiance Crane & Equipment
- Bryan McClure, LPR Construction
- Al Abel, Mazzella Lifting Technologies
Professional Honorable Mention
- Carl Whitaker, Crane Institute of America
- Yannick Morin, KRANING Inc.
- John Mormann, Southern Illinois Carpenters Training Center
Please feel free to congratulate Jeff via email or post a comment below.
About the Award
The Top Trainer Award is endorsed by the ACRP and the 8th Annual Training Excellence Awards are supported by Platinum Sponsor Crane Institute Certification; Gold Sponsors Rigging Institute and Slingmax Rigging Products; Silver Sponsors Terex, Southwest Industrial Rigging, and Altec Sentry; and Bronze Sponsors Stephenson Equipment Inc. and Morrow; and Supporting Organization Institute for Safety and Health Management.
About the Companies
Crane Tech, has provided crane and rigging training since the 1970s. It is a full-service training, certification, lift planning, and inspections provider. For more information on the company visit www.cranetech.com or call 800.521.7669.
Since 1997, Crane & Rigging Hot Line has been the leading national marketplace for the crane industry. Published monthly, the magazine offers readers a broad mix of topics related to current issues, new products, and job applications. It is read by more than 80,000 crane and rigging professionals in heavy construction, specialty trades, crane and heavy equipment rental, mining, manufacturing, and equipment sales. www.craneandrigginghotline.com
Association of Crane & Rigging Professionals (ACRP) is a non-profit association whose mission is dedicated to improving crane operations and rigging activities in all industries. This is accomplished by providing educational opportunities to its members and the public. The association holds an annual General Assembly meeting. ACRP works to develop national quality standards for the training and qualification process of crane operators and riggers. www.acrp.net
