This quote hangs in our office as an expression of the passion we have for what we do:
"Wherefore when we build, let us think that we build forever,
let it not be for the present use or present delight alone,
but let it be such work as future generations and descendants will thank us for it,
and let us think as we lay stone on stone that a time is to come,
when those stones will be held sacred because our hands have touched them,
and men will say, as they look upon our labor and the raw substance of our hands,
see this our fathers did for us." -- John Ruskin
We are a family owned business with a legacy that has been passed down through generations of men and women who love to build. As we drive down I-15 with our children and grandchildren, we fondly make note of the projects we have been participated in over the many years.
It is fun to recount with our children the long history of the company. It began with Paul Paulsen shortly after he emigrated from Norway. Grandpa Herman Paulsen joined his father in 1929 as a partner in Paulsen Construction Company. Many of the large Utah contractors trace their beginnings to this company. In 1972, son-in-law, Richard Ellsworth, joined the firm and by 1984 Ellsworth Paulsen Construction Co. was born. Today, Richard is still the President and CEO. He works alongside three of his sons and his oldest grandson.
Although not everyone who works with the company has the same last name, all are treated as family.