Meet Boris Golant, a Service Foreman here at Hermanson. A true Seattle local, Boris has called this city home since immigrating from Belarus at just one-year-old. Outside of the job site, Boris enjoys all things outdoors, from hiking to yardwork to riding side-by-sides.

Family is at the core of Boris' life, consisting of his wife, son (Aren), and two dogs (Carl and Rue). It was this very emphasis on family that drew him to Hermanson. With our core value of Family Matters, Boris found something meaningful in the company culture that his previous roles had lacked. This was especially true after his son was born. Boris feels like the Hermanson team is an extension of his family.

"The North end and Eastside crew have been a great team to be involved with," he remarks, highlighting another of our Hermanson core values. 

Boris' journey into the trades industry was sparked by unexpected circumstances—the 2009 market crash and following layoffs. Pivoting from his background in business marketing, Boris started working at a family friend's electrical shop. Despite facing numerous challenges along the way, Boris' determination and dedication led him to later earn an apprenticeship with Local 32.

Years later, as a Hermanson Foreman, Boris has been putting his past expertise in supermarket refrigeration into action, training technicians on the nuances of refrigeration and temperature control. Some services he manages include assisting in work related to low-temp equipment and supporting the east side crew including the Costco account.

Acknowledging the current training gap between seasoned veterans and entry-level apprentices, Boris takes immense pride in his role in bridging this difference, striving to equip the next wave of talent with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive. Similarly, he advises fellow Foremen, Journeymen, and Apprentices to "focus on training their replacements and the next generation of mechanics."

He also shares, "There are only two things that make a good mechanic: the amount you care and the amount of experience you have."

"Without these two things, you can't become a mechanic. You need a good mixture of the two. For example, you might spend a lot of time in the field, but it's meaningless if you don't care about the work that you do. On the other hand, you might be really passionate about learning and the work that you do, but if you haven't put the time in, you lack the experience needed to succeed." 

At Hermanson, we are lucky to have Boris on our team. Thank you for your commitment and contributions to the industry.