Honor, Humility & Health: How Houck Invests in Its People

If you visit Houck’s headquarters in Linglestown, Pennsylvania (just outside Harrisburg), you’ll see a plaque in the foyer honoring Lawrence Houck Jr., a Vietnam War veteran. You’ll also likely be greeted by name, offered a laugh and maybe even told a story about someone’s grandkids. This isn’t just a company; it’s a legacy, and one built on people first.

Founded in 1947 by Lawrence Houck, this third-generation, family-owned specialty contractor has grown into a leading facility preservation company across the mid-Atlantic. With around 500 employees and expertise in everything from masonry to solar panel installation, Houck is no stranger to scale. Its foundation isn’t concrete or steel but its core values: honor, humility and health. (And if you ask Gary Houck Sr., who still signs his emails as “FOB — Father of the Boss” and “CTM — Chief Troublemaker,” humor counts too.)

Now led by CEO Lin Sensenig and Chief Wellness Officer Kara McCaffrey, the founder’s granddaughter, Houck is doubling down on what makes it truly unique: a deep commitment to its people and intentional culture building. The company is a leader in mental health and suicide and overdose prevention efforts.

Strategic Growth Rooted in Culture

Over its history, Houck has acquired more than 10 companies across Pennsylvania and Maryland, many of them since 2019. According to Sensenig, every acquisition is rooted in culture building:

• Newly acquired company leaders are invited to Houck’s senior leadership team from Day 1 to foster trust and collaboration.
• Local teams gain access to centralized support in human resources, safety and finance, while preserving their operational identity.
• Houck’s values are reinforced consistently through onboarding, leadership meetings and employee engagement.
• Cultural integration is approached as a long-term relationship, not a checklist.

“We preserve the entrepreneurial spirit that made these companies valuable,” said Sensenig. “But we align around shared values. That’s the glue.”

Wellness & Mental Health at the Core

For McCaffrey, Houck’s commitment to health and wellness is deeply personal. Her older brother, Gary Jr., died by suicide in 2005. “At the time, I didn’t know that suicide was disproportionately affecting people in construction,” she said. After a decade in health care tech — leading suicide prevention initiatives in clinical software — McCaffrey returned to the family business in 2023, not out of guilt but with purpose.

“I realized I wasn’t just continuing the family legacy. I had something to offer to our employees and to the industry,” she said. “I feel lucky every day to do this work.”

Houck walks the talk when it comes to wellness following many best practices recommended by SAFE Project:

• Integrating mental health into physical safety culture
• Offering year-round health and wellness campaigns through texts, newsletters, posters and mailings home to families
• Improving access to care by piloting mobile primary care services
• Stocking naloxone in workplaces and worksites
• Distributing DisposeRx packets and pharmacy warning card stickers on prescriptions to reduce opioid risks
• Promoting the employee assistance program (EAP) to attain higher-than-average usage

“Construction has one of the highest rates of suicide and overdose deaths across all industries,” said McCaffrey. “We can’t ignore that suicide rates in construction are 56 per 100,000 workers, and overdose rates are 130.9 per 100,000 workers. For roofing and other industrial trades, the rates are even higher. Wellness isn’t a nice-to-have — it’s life or death.”

Succession Planning With Intention

Few companies handle leadership transitions with as much foresight as Houck. In 2025, Houck Sr. took his first-ever sabbatical. He sent a letter to every employee explaining why: to activate succession planning and spend time with his wife, Patti.

Since joining in 2016, Sensenig has helped lay the groundwork for the next chapter of the business. McCaffrey now serves as chief wellness officer and vice chair of the advisory board. Promotions from within are common, such as field employees moving into safety inspector roles or division heads stepping into new leadership roles as Houck grows.

“We’re proud of how leaders like Jason Harris and Ray Glackin have stepped into major roles,” said McCaffrey. “Growth creates opportunity. Not just for the company, but for individuals.”
 

Training Tomorrow’s Leaders

Leadership development is embedded in Houck’s structure:

• Emerging leaders participate in Dale Carnegie Training.
• Employees are encouraged to join industry associations like the Keystone Contractors Association and Associated Builders and Contractors.
• Over 50 employees trained in workplace suicide prevention and administering naloxone.
• Key leaders participate in external peer groups for benchmarking and accountability.
• Feedback and coaching are normalized and expected.
• The company uses Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) to keep leadership aligned and execution focused.

“Culture trumps strategy,” said Sensenig. “We’re building a sustainable business by investing in people — not just process.”
 

Insurance Innovation That Drives Safety

In 2006, Houck Sr. helped organize a captive insurance program to manage risk and drive down premiums. It started with 20 members and $9 million in premiums. Today, it includes nearly 200 contractors and close to $110 million in premiums.

Why was this important? “To better our entire organization and help us control insurance costs,” said Houck Sr. “But most importantly, to learn how to keep our people safe — ethically, morally and financially.” The biggest takeaway? “There are companies with zero losses,” he said. “It’s possible, but only if we put safety first, every day.”

Using Tech to Lighten the Load

Houck uses technology not to monitor, but to empower. According to CFO Joe Siebert, field leaders are equipped with smartphones and tablets loaded with tools for reporting time, uploading receipts, logging job progress and accessing HR systems.

“The goal is to reduce stress and make life easier,” said Siebert. “That’s what technology should do.”

Employees’ risk of mental health challenges and substance misuse decrease when levels of stress are reduced within their workspaces. The availability of improved technology can assist in reducing stressors.

A Culture That Doesn’t Quit

Houck’s leadership recognizes that the stressors and circumstances of life affect workers at home and at work. Many companies shy away from the tough topics that Houck tackles. The company has educated, equipped and empowered managers and supervisors to offer help to employees facing challenges with mental health and substance use to reduce risk of suicide and overdose.

What sets Houck apart? Ask anyone, and the answer usually starts with the people. Houck Sr. puts it this way: “Our culture and values are earned and protected, hourly and daily. We’re not perfect, but we care deeply. That’s why people stay.”