At 19 years old, Tyler Kirkpatrick-Thomas was working the grill at a fast-food restaurant in Delta, Colorado, when he found out he was about to become a father. In that moment, he knew flipping burgers wasn’t going to cut it—he needed a career that would allow him to take care of his growing family. Para leer este artículo en español, haga clic aquí.
Tyler Kirkpatrick-Thomas: Trading a spatula for a chainsaw on the way to leadership at Lewis
Tyler Kirkpatrick, Lewis Supervisor
As fate would have it, there was a tree company working right outside the restaurant that day. Tyler walked across the parking lot, struck up a conversation, and took a leap into a completely unfamiliar world. He didn’t even know how to start a chainsaw, let alone identify a power line—but he was determined to learn. That decision set him on a path that would lead him from a small town of fewer than 10,000 people to an eventual leadership role at Lewis in one of Florida’s largest cities.
Leadership saw value in me and provided an opportunity to take on an even bigger role.
Over the years, Tyler worked his way up with his former company, gaining experience and responsibility. He and his wife had always dreamed of moving to Florida, and when an opportunity for a General Foreman role opened up, he jumped at the chance. But as he continued advancing, he began to notice unsettling changes. His company was pulling back on training and safety for new hires - something he couldn’t ignore. At the same time, he was hitting roadblocks in his own career growth.
That’s when he started looking at Lewis. He had heard positive things about Lewis from colleagues, including his company’s production manager. But what really caught his attention was a conversation with Ben Baker, a close friend who had recently made the move to Lewis as a Safety Manager.
“Ben and I spoke at least once a week, and he kept telling me how different the safety culture was at Lewis,” Tyler recalls. “It wasn’t reactive—it was proactive. When something happened, the focus was on learning and improving, not on pointing fingers. That’s when I knew I wanted in.”
Tyler joined Lewis as a Safety Supervisor, adopting a fresh perspective on workplace challenges. “They’re not issues,” he says. “They’re opportunities—opportunities to see, to learn, and to make improvements every day.”
Then, during the intense hurricane restoration efforts in Florida last October, Tyler had a brief but pivotal conversation with a Lewis Regional Vice President about the utility he had worked on with his previous employer.
“I didn’t think much of it at the time, but my voice was heard,” Tyler says. “Leadership saw value in me and provided an opportunity to take on an even bigger role.”
That opportunity led to his current position as a Supervisor on a major new utility account in Tampa.
Now settled into his leadership role, Tyler appreciates what sets Lewis apart.
‘Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care.’
“That’s a leadership principle here, and Lewis lives by it,” Tyler says. “Management truly cares about you as an individual. Your voice counts. You get the training you need. Safety is always the top priority. And with the Employee Stock Ownership Program (ESOP), you’re not just working for a company - you own a part of it. That gives you a real sense of satisfaction watching it grow.” Check out other #LewisChoice videos here and subscribe to our #LewisChoice channel!
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. . . with the Employee Stock Ownership Program (ESOP), you’re not just working for a company - you own a part of it.