Working in the Industry

By Dustin Stoll


Since the summer of 2003, I have spent my free time working at Graber Post Buildings in Southern Indiana. My uncle Glen Graber owns Graber Post and built the business from the ground up. He started out in 1973, constructing post frame buildings with his crew of three local Amish men. As the business began to grow, Glen saw the opportunity to expand his business into the wholesale and retail markets by purchasing truckloads of building materials to save on costs. In 1987 he purchased a roll-former in order to produce his own metal roofing and siding panels. After 37 years in the business, Graber Post is one of the leaders in the industry, and selling building materials across the entire continental United States, Canada, and Mexico.


When I began working at Graber Post, my jobs were mostly stationed in the manufacturing departments. I have helped roll thousands of miles of metal panels, bent countless pieces of trim, and helped assemble several wood trusses. Working in the building industry spurred my interest in architecture, and thus resulted in my enrollment in architecture school.

Since 2008 I have worked in the drafting department at Graber Post, where I use Revit Architecture to produce construction documents for some of the many buildings we build each year. It is a satisfying feeling to draw buildings that are actually being built, and it has helped me hone many of the skills needed for school.


Images provided by: www.graberpost.com