By Jimmy Zanor CLINTON
Jim Lally is always looking for a challenge. From building an advanced septic system for the Madison Beach Hotel to developing fish ladders on the Quinnipiac River, Schumack Engineered Construction is certainly more than your average “pick-up truck with two shovels in the back.” Schumack tackles municipal (roads, dams, and bridge work, etc.), residential (drainage, septic, etc.), and commercial (drainage, water main work, etc.) projects with years of experience and expertise. It is, indeed, Schumack’s versatility that has enabled it to create a niche in the construction industry. Jim Lally, owner and president, took over the business in 1979 from his friend, Bill Schumack. Jim liked working on “Engineered Projects” as they are more of a challenge. He pursued these projects and then renamed the company Schumack Engineered Construction.
Schumack is located in a residential neighborhood on Glenwood Road in Clinton. Each project would require Schumack to strip a layer of soil and remove it off-site for disposal, and at the end of the project, they would bring in screened topsoil. Jim saw the need for a place for Schumack to take this exported material and screen it to make topsoil. Indian River Enterprises was born in 1995 and named due to the Indian River located behind the property. Indian River has grown and has many different quality landscaping/aggregate products for sale to contractors and homeowners. In 2011, Shoreline Landscapes was established, and now Jim has a team for the demolition, excavation, construction materials, and the finishing touch of any project—everything but the building!
Schumack’s versatility allows the company to take on a wide range of projects from fish ladders to commercial site work projects. Fish ladders are exactly that—a fish ladder. When dams were built, certain fish like the herring could no longer swim up the river to breed in the spring due to this obstacle. “We’ve built several very successful fish ladders throughout the state. It’s a different kind of work, and when you hear of its success, it’s extremely rewarding. Some of the fish ladders are equipped with a window and counter so the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection can tell the species and number of fish swimming upstream.”
Another type of project Schumack tackles is advanced treatment sewage systems. These systems are for large-volume users to treat waste, turning it back to acceptable water for discharge. Schumack has done three of these systems in the past eight years. The company has also completed several road reconstruction projects on the shoreline, such as McTigh Road in Haddam, Green Hill Road in Madison, Parker Hill Road in Haddam, and Pickett Lane in Durham, to name a few. These road projects are tricky as the team has to work around traffic to keep it passable for homeowners, buses, and emergency traffic while ripping out the old asphalt, sidewalk, and drainage and putting in new.
The commercial site work projects have been completed in various locations, including the Middletown Senior Center, a salt shed for Clinton Public Works, the Madison Senior Center, and the Madison Ambulance Garage, along with a couple of box stores and several pharmacies. Schumack also works with residential homeowners on septic systems, driveways, shed pads, foundation construction—the list goes on. “We like to do things that are challenging,” Lally said.
Lally’s team of employees all work together and have contributed to the success of the company. Lally has been blessed with a dynamic, expert group of hardworking, longstanding employees, which include Scott Hines, Susan Hull Weglein, Kevin Foreman, Art Lebert, and mechanic Harry Esposito, to mention a few who have been with Schumack for 20 years or more. Scott Hines, Art Lebert, and Harry Esposito have all been with the company since the 1980s. They each have an important position that has contributed to the success of the company. Susan Hull Weglein began working at Schumack as a part-time bookkeeper in 1997 and is now celebrating her 20th year with the company. Susan is an integral part of Schumack’s operations, which includes Indian River and Shoreline Landscapes.
Susan says, “Jim is a great mentor and teacher. Some employees have come aboard without experience, and he brings them along, giving them a chance. That’s why there is longevity here.” Kevin Foreman was with the company in the 1980s, moved out of state with his family, and has returned, working as Schumack’s general manager, bringing the office and the field work together to see the project from start to finish.
In closing, these three companies, linked together by one person and run with a team of professional and efficient people for over 37 years, are still going strong.
