For Jerry Mann, Jr., Vice President of Operations at Integrity Fencing, fencing isn’t simply an industry. It’s a family tradition.
A second generation fence builder and Colorado native, Jerry grew up watching his father build fences, a career his father would continue for 50 years. After graduating from high school, Jerry followed him into the field.
Twenty five years later, he’s built a career that has taken him from working on fence crews to leading commercial fencing operations.
“My father taught me to work hard every day and do it with a smile on my face,” Jerry says.
It’s a lesson that still influences how he approaches his work at Integrity Fencing today.
From the Field to Leadership
Few operations executives understand every level of the fencing business quite like Jerry does.
Over the course of his career, he’s served as a Foreman, Project Coordinator, Operations Manager, company President, and now Vice President of Operations at Integrity Fencing.
Starting in the field gave Jerry a perspective that he hasn’t forgotten as he’s moved into leadership.
“Starting from the ground up has really helped me grow professionally into my current role,” he says. “While being in an executive position, I’m still humble knowing what the guys endure out in the field building fences.”
His hands on experience is complemented by an extensive educational background. Jerry earned a bachelor’s degree in Construction Management followed by an MBA, giving him an opportunity to combine lessons from the classroom with decades of experience in the field.
He credits his Construction Management education with giving him a competitive edge and his MBA with helping him think differently about leadership, team development, efficiency, and business growth.
That combination of field experience and business education is particularly valuable as Integrity Fencing enters its next stage of growth.
Helping Integrity Fencing Grow
Integrity Fencing had been on Jerry’s radar well before he joined the company.
He first became familiar with Integrity while bidding on Red Rocks Ranch, a large development in Littleton, Colorado. Eventually, conversations with Integrity Fencing owner Shawn about the company’s direction opened the door to something bigger.
After learning about Shawn’s vision for the business, Jerry saw an opportunity to put his experience to work helping Integrity grow.
“I was on board to help his company double in size,” Jerry says.
Today, his role touches nearly every part of bringing Integrity’s projects from planning to successful completion.
His mornings begin before the operations team arrives, reviewing emails and upcoming builds. Once the Operations Supervisor, Superintendent, and Yard Manager are together, the team maps out the day’s projects, coordinates material shipments, and makes sure customers know what to expect.
Once crews head into the field, Jerry’s attention shifts toward what’s coming next.
That means preparing future projects, verifying materials, working with supervisors on schedules and deadlines, monitoring budgets, and identifying potential problems before they result in costly delays.
It’s a role that requires seeing both the details of today’s project and the bigger picture of where the company is headed.
Building a Better Team
After 25 years in commercial fencing, Jerry has watched the industry evolve. New fencing technologies and advances in gate automation are changing what’s possible for contractors and their customers.
But ask him what truly separates one fencing company from another, and his answer isn’t a product or piece of equipment.
It’s the people.
“The material is pretty much the same,” Jerry says. “It’s our attention to detail and excellence toward treating the customer with the utmost respect and treating our coworkers with gratitude and positive reinforcement.”
Integrity invests in helping team members better understand themselves and one another, including how different personalities communicate, listen, and work together.
The goal is a stronger team internally and, ultimately, a better experience for every Integrity Fencing customer.
That people first philosophy fits naturally with Jerry’s own leadership style. Despite moving from the field into executive leadership, he hasn’t forgotten what it takes to be the person actually building the fence.
Giving Back to the Fencing Industry
Jerry’s involvement in fencing doesn’t end when the workday does.
He also serves as Director of Marketing for the Colorado Fence Association, where he works to help strengthen and grow the fencing industry as a whole.
Part of that work includes participating in community projects that demonstrate what the fencing industry can contribute beyond commercial jobsites. Jerry tries to participate in several community projects each year, including a recent project helping a local foundation with fencing around its garden.
For people just beginning their own careers in fencing or commercial construction, Jerry encourages them to take advantage of the educational resources available to them.
Organizations such as the American Fence Association offer industry education and training, while today’s online resources make it easier than ever for workers to continue developing their skills.
It’s advice that reflects Jerry’s own career. Twenty five years after first heading out to build fences with his father, he’s still learning, growing, and looking for ways to make the industry better.
Family, Hard Work and a Life Built Around Fencing
When he’s not focused on Integrity Fencing or supporting the industry, Jerry enjoys getting outside with family and friends. Boating and spending time at the lake are favorites, along with fitting in a few family camping trips each year.
But fencing is never too far away.
From learning the trade alongside a father who spent five decades building fences, to working his way through nearly every level of the industry, to helping lead the next chapter of Integrity Fencing, Jerry’s career has been built on an appreciation for both the people doing the work and the customers counting on them.
And after 25 years, the lesson his father taught him remains remarkably simple:
“Work hard every day, and do it with a smile.”