Measure Twice, Hire Right Building Accountability Into Growth with Matt Aston

In this People First Builders episode, host Fletcher Wimbush sits down with Matt Aston, founder and CEO of GPRS, a national leader in private utility locating, concrete scanning, and subsurface mapping. Matt shares how a single magazine ad in 2001 sparked an idea that grew from a one person startup into a coast to coast company with more than 900 team members and a reputation for accuracy, safety, and innovation.

Matt explains the difference between public 811 locating and GPRS private utility work, why depth data changes decisions on site, and how early failures shaped a culture that aims to be right the first time, every time. He breaks down GPRS hiring and training systems, including SIM, the company’s subsurface investigation methodology, a purpose built training center, ride alongs before offers, and a multi month ramp with ongoing assessments. The conversation also covers leadership development, a referral engine that drives nearly half of annual hires, incentive based compensation that can make up 30 to 50 percent of pay, and broad based employee ownership that tracks the same class of stock as leadership.

Key takeaways

• Accuracy that scales: about 120,000 jobs in the last year with a reported error rate near 0.1 percent.

• Private vs public locating: 811 marks public rights of way, while GPRS supports contractors on private property and provides depth data that changes plans and prevents damage.

• Hire for character, teach the skill: referrals supply close to half of new hires, followed by structured interviews, ride alongs, and three to four months of training.

• Process over heroics: SIM gives field teams a consistent approach, supported by a full training lab and university partnerships for real world practice.

• Retention flywheel: once team members pass roughly 12 to 18 months, annual retention jumps into the mid 90s.

• Ownership and incentives: field compensation includes meaningful performance bonuses, and an opt in equity program opened in 2020 where everyone holds the same class of stock, aligned with private equity growth goals.