Meet the Smalley brothers. All three attended Sutherlin schools from grades K-12, and each plays an integral role in the family businesses.
During 2021 in Dylan Smalley’s senior year, he thought once he graduated, he would attend UCC for two years and then go to the police academy to become a state trooper following in the footsteps of his grandfather Dale Counts, but that wasn’t to be instead, he went to work for the family business Smalley & Sons Construction. Dylan started working with equipment at a young age, between the ages of 10 and 12, running the tractor around the property and then, by age 16, operating a skid steer, which he used for dozing, grading, digging, and land clearing. Nowadays, you can find Dylan operating heavy equipment doing various jobs, such as building roads or retaining walls, clearing land, excavating, trenching, and constructing house pads. Occasionally, he will also do job bidding if his brothers are unavailable. Some of his most memorable work to date has been the construction of an 80-foot retaining wall and building a 300-foot road that went straight down the hillside. Dylan has learned to be patient, think before acting, and always be there to help others.
Dylan attended Sutherlin schools from K-12; he enjoyed being around his friends and teachers, although he found his biggest challenge was attending school every day. While in high school, he participated in football, basketball, and baseball; he valued being a team member and stepping up to perform at his best and help other team members. He enjoyed the woodshop class and working with his hands, and although at the time he didn’t like math, he now realizes just how much those classes helped him, as he uses those skills daily, figuring measurements and angles. He worked around the family shop when he wasn’t involved in sports.
Dylan resides in Sutherlin, he loves hunting, especially bow-hunting, fishing, and camping, and is looking forward to the birth of his first child. He finds pleasure in working in the family business along with his father, uncle, and brothers, although one day, he hopes to pursue that dream of following in his grandfather’s footsteps and entering law enforcement.
Andrew Smalley, a 2018 graduate of Sutherlin High School, is the office manager of Mobile Diesel Service, a position he grew into after working with his dad and uncle for five years “turning wrenches.” His days are filled with communicating with customers, scheduling jobs, inventory, researching and ordering parts, giving quotes/estimates on service jobs, knowing what the diesel mechanic technicians are working on, and keeping up to date on the latest available parts and tools. In a pinch, he can help the technicians and run the heavy equipment.
Andrew fondly remembers his high school experiences as the “glory days”; he competed in wrestling, football, and baseball and relished being around his friends. Classes he took that influenced his career are the computer science classes with Ron Owings and the woodshop classes with Josh Gary. During the summer high school breaks, he mowed grass and brush-hogging fields for the family’s business, Smalley Sons & Construction; like his brother Dylan, he also worked at the shop if he wasn’t involved in sports. His dream job was becoming a firefighter, and he took fire science classes his senior year; however, after graduating from high school, he felt he needed a break from school and did not continue in this interest. He helped Jeff Wells at JT Rocks and worked for Smalley Sons & Construction, during this time, he took some basic classes at UCC. He began working at Mobile Diesel Service as a diesel mechanic, getting hands-on experience and knowledge, which he has carried to his position as the office manager. Andrew takes pride in his work and meeting customers' needs; he has learned that good communication is necessary in writing and explanations. One day, he hopes to step into his dad’s boots, following in his footsteps.
Andrew resides in Sutherlin; he purchased his grandparents' home, and he, his wife Aysiah, and daughter live in the house he visited so often as a child. Family is important to him, whether it be his wife and daughter or activities with his parents and brothers. He is involved in hunting elk and deer, as well as bears, and when able, large, and smallmouth bass fishing. Andrew stays involved with the Sutherlin School District; he is an assistant coach in Sutherlin Middle School’s football program and assists in the high school and middle school wrestling programs.
Thomas Smalley, the oldest of the three brothers, graduated from Sutherlin High School in 2015. During his freshman year, he participated in the University of Oregon’s high school football camp and made the varsity team; that experience made him realize he was good at football. During high school, Thomas participated in football, wrestling, and FFA; these activities taught him how to work with people and as a team member. His high school years were a blast and went by quickly. He finds it ironic that he struggled with math during high school, and now, while on the job, he must deal with it daily. He credits the FFA program for his accomplishments, as it was through FFA and its associated activities he learned communication, public speaking, and management skills, skills that are imperative to his success as the project manager for Smalley Sons & Construction. He began competing in the FFA tractor driving competitions his freshman year, and each year thereafter; he was known throughout the county for his driving skills. During his sophomore year, he began taking on mowing jobs and gradually moved on to operating heavy equipment.
Another favorite class was the forensics science class, which would fit well with his desire for a career in law enforcement. Thomas started attending college at UCC that fall after high school graduation, planning to enter a law enforcement program, but October 1st brought an abrupt end to that pursuit as tragedy hit the college. Just as Thomas entered the building, shots rang out; he quickly turned and left the area. He was one of the fortunate, but that event affected him deeply, and he never returned to campus. He went to California for a few months and worked, then returned to Oregon and tried a different job for a year. He realized in that job there was no personal interest in the employees, so he left that job and began working for his father in the shop as a mechanic, according to him, a job he wasn’t too good at. While he was not cut out to be a mechanic, he knew he could do dirt and demolition work and began operating the heavy equipment on the construction side of the business. As the business grew, Thomas became involved in the management side. His day typically starts around 5 a.m., first getting the work for the day lined out, then meeting with the customers, and getting started on the worksite. He currently oversees several properties in the Myrtle Creek area, a development containing twelve new homes, a massive horse barn project, and a shop and house rebuild. Work has taught him there is never enough communication; you can’t communicate too much, and it is important to have some relationship with the people you work with; you must be interested in them also. As project manager, Thomas’s responsibilities also include taking care of payroll and timecards, the bidding and billing of jobs, as well as working with and overseeing sub-contractors. Thomas and his father, Shawn Smalley, are members of the Umpqua Valley Home Builders Association. He also attends truck shows and, on October 7th, hosted a truck show here in Sutherlin with 118 trucks participating. Like his siblings, family is important to him; he is engaged in camping, hunting, and fishing activities. Thomas and his wife, Taylor, live in Sutherlin with their son and have a 2nd child on the way.