About Harness

Ben grew up on a farm in Southeast Iowa and started his first business working with horses at the age of 10. After moving to Middle Tennessee in 1996, he managed a heavy equipment rental location that gave him tremendous exposure to the site utilities and grading industries. With a strong work ethic and incredible aptitude with people, he decided to branch out on his own and formed Harness, LLC in 2006. Ben enjoys the process of turning unusable land into something that becomes a place for life to happen in communities. His expertise is in job oversight and business development. When he’s not working, he enjoys hunting, riding horses, and spending time with his wife, Melanie, and their two children.

Ray considers himself a native of Middle Tennessee, having moved here as a young child. He began working with a family concrete business when he was a young man and at 13, he decided he wanted to attend a private school. He worked multiple jobs to pay his tuition and upon graduating, attended a Bible college, majoring in pastoral theology. He started his own plumbing company in 2003 and was owner/operator until he joined the local sheriff’s department in 2011. After three years on the streets working patrol, he was promoted to Chief Deputy. Ray joined our team as a Project Executive in 2020 and enjoys building community. His motto is— “If you want it, go work for it, and don’t take no for an answer”. In his rare free time, he enjoys Titans football, Predators hockey, and family time with his kindergarten sweetheart, Courtney, and their family!

In March of 2021, Jason joined Harness as our full-time internal accountant. He is a native of Middle Tennessee, currently residing in Lewisburg with his wife, Jennifer, and their two children. As a Veteran, he served in the Tennessee Army National Guard from 2006 to 2012 and deployed with the 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment to Mosul, Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. After earning a B.B.A in Accounting from Middle Tennessee State University, he joined LKQ Corporation as an Accounting Systems Administrator. During his time with LKQ, Jason had the privilege to be a part of many nationwide and global financial projects. When not working, Jason enjoys spending time working on projects around the home and cheering on the Titans, Vols, and Predators with his family.

Craig is a graduate of CSU Fresno School of Engineering with Emphasis in Heavy Construction and has 44 years’ experience in site work, including grading and underground utilities. Craig joined Harness, LLC to help grow and expand the company while bringing his expertise in the most modern methods of design and pricing. He offers a wealth of construction experience and insight from his years in this industry, having been a part of the vast changes in methodology for evaluating, estimating, and executing all kinds of projects with which he has been strategically involved. His free time is spent with his wife Kimm motorcycling, “jeeping”, and enjoying life in Middle Tennessee, which he calls “God’s country”.

Corey grew up on a farm in northern Indiana and moved to Tennessee in 2012. With a strong work ethic developed at an early age, he was determined to accomplish any new challenge put before him. Corey's ability to solve problems with creativity and ingenuity make him a key player leading future generations in the middle Tennessee market. He joined Harness in the fall of 2017 as an operator, quickly rising to management. Corey is best known for his positive attitude, industry acumen, and having the best drink cooler that's impossible for anyone else to open. When not working he enjoys watching NASCAR, off-roading, working on his truck, and spending time with his wife, Tiffany, and their baby girl.

John was born and raised in Clarksville, TN and comes from a long line of heavy equipment operators. He joined the Harness Team in 2019 as an operator, quickly rising to Safety Coordinator and then was promoted to Foreman and then to Superintendent more recently. He brings 15 years of industry experience to our team. We value his drive and determination to get the job done right the first time. He is extremely detail-oriented and invests in his people. He is always looking for new ways to grow his crew exactly where they are planted. He expects a lot out of his crew members but expects more out of himself, as their leader. Communication is important to John and his flexibility on the job is an asset. When he is not working, he enjoys spending time with his new bride, Sarah, 4-wheeling and playing golf.

Josh is a native of Southwest Ohio, having moved to Middle Tennessee in 2019 with his wife, Monica. At the age of 24, he attended a Heavy Equipment Operating course at a trade school where he learned to operate and maintain various pieces of heavy machinery. This began his love for the excavation industry and a passion to improve field standards. He is a gifted Foreman with Harness, joining us in 2019. In his free time, he enjoys watching baseball, football, and fishing.

Tracy grew up in Nashville, but his parents are from North Alabama. He has been in the construction industry since 1992. His career started in the ditch, and he worked his way to loader operator and then track hoe operator. He ran a drill and blasted for nine of his construction years. He began installing underground utilities full-time in 2003. He was first promoted to foreman in 2006. He also has three years’ experience as a utility superintendent. Most of Tracy’s career has been developed right here in middle Tennessee. He joined our team as Foreman in early 2022 and has proven to be an asset with his extensive experience, work ethic and “no excuses” attitude. He is a fantastic example to his crew that you can’t let life circumstances stand in the way of your success. He says he’s just grateful to be a part of the Harness family. He’s also a fan of NASCAR and enjoys attending the races when he gets the chance. Tracy is a huge Alabama fan and we still let him work here! He and his wife have five wonderful grand kids and love time with them as it presents itself.

Aaron is originally from northern Indiana and moved to middle Tennessee with his family in 2020. He worked in irrigation through high school and college before discovering his love for big dirt and heavy equipment. Aaron values investing in relationships and loves seeing his team grow in their skills and as people. He believes in excellence in the ordinary and the importance of character on and off the job site. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two boys, being outside, and woodworking.

Bob grew up right here in Middle Tennessee and was on a dozer from the time he was 7 years old. He joined the Marines and served over ten years in the combat engineering division. After leaving the military, he became a foreman with a local construction company. He has been leading his team with Harness since early 2023. Bob leads his crew by example and doesn’t ask someone to do something he won’t. He allows them to learn by watching him do the job correctly. He loves being outside, working with utilities and running equipment. He loves his family and spending time with his wife Martha and the children. He loves four wheeling, boating and fishing on the lake. His all-time favorite hobby is deer hunting in the fall. We are honored to have Bob on the team!

Bill grew up on a farm in Indiana where he developed a natural mechanical aptitude by working on various pieces of equipment from an early age. He brings an excellent attitude and unwavering commitment to quality in his work at Harness. Bill keeps our equipment in top shape and his RFM’s low. He is a father of three boys and happily married to his sweetheart Becky. His favorite thing in the world is being a grandpa to Ginny Mae! He also enjoys hunting, fishing, and farming in his free time.

Patrick was born and raised in Middle Tennessee. He has quickly grown and developed strong skills in heavy civils. Not only is Patrick knowledgeable about both the utility and the grade side of what Harness does, he has also exhibited fantastic leadership abilities. This allowed him to excel as a crew lead and then promote up to a foreman position. His hobbies include spending time with his family, working on the farm with the animals, hunting, and fishing.

Rick grew up right here in Tennessee and has been in the industry for over 20 years. He enjoys teaching the newer generations how to be a finish operator and maintains camaraderie on his team. He started with Harness as an operator, promoted up to crew lead and then to foreman. He spends his free time on Christy’s “hunny-do” list or spending time with the grandkids, who are his world. Rick and Christy enjoy travel and family time.

Jeff has been in the construction industry for over 30 years. He started in the ditch as a laborer. He moved up to operator, then foreman or superintendent. He has been in upper level management for the past 20 years, with a reputation for inspiring loyalty in his crew. Jeff loves animals and most of his free time outside of work is spent working on his farm. For fun he enjoys watching NASCAR races and cheering on his driver, Kevin Harvick.

Joyce thought she'd retire after a 4 decade long career in nursing but Ben had other plans for his mom. With her accuracy, dependability and a friendly demeanor, we knew she would prove to be just the right fit for our office. Joyce manages our accounts receivable, payroll and general office duties. She's of German ancestry and is famous for her homemade egg noodles and delicious pies. Joyce enjoys spending time with her husband of 50 years, Randy, and their 4 adult children and families.

Brannon was born and raised right here in middle TN. He joined our Team when he was a mere sixteen years old. His first paying job was at a little gas station/restaurant where he cooked and cleaned when he was thirteen. From there, he began working with his grandfather, a plumber, and learned many skills of that trade. He has always had an incredible work ethic that makes him a key player wherever he goes. His career at Harness began in the ditch as a Laborer, and he worked his way to Pipe Layer. When our job opening “Takeoff Specialist” was posted, he was one of the first to apply. Brannon has always enjoyed math, logistics and problem solving. He knew that this job would be the perfect fit for him. He works closely with Craig, our Senior Estimator, to take off bids that give our clients accurate estimations. He builds the 3D models for each of our jobsites. Brannon is proof that you don’t always have to have a fancy college degree to pursue your dreams. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Tala, and their Frenchie, Engles. Saying that he loves TN Titans football and Chess is an understatement! You can always count on him to join you for a Predators hockey game or a round of Secret Hitler.

Connor started in the shop at Harness. He helped service vehicles and took the filter inventory management to a new level of organization and structure. When Take-Off Specialist was posted, he applied for the position. He has been diligently learning this new field of expertise and has quickly honed his skill in our estimating department. He and Brannon are indispensable in keeping our backlog and pipeline full, allowing our company to grow while remaining stable. Connor feels that he couldn’t be more blessed to work with people he considers family. Connor married Abbie in the fall of 2023. In his free time, he enjoys playing football and spike ball. He also has an incredible ear for music and loves playing the piano.

Nick Bell is a native Texan, but after a family trip back in 2006, he and his wife fell in love with the Middle Tennessee area. They moved in 2007 and have lived in Maury County ever since. Nick joined the Harness team in June of 2022 with nearly twenty-three years of manufacturing experience within the packaging, digital and commercial print and mailing industries. He started his career on the reprographic side of the construction print industry back in 2000 while working at Reprographics Fort Worth, Inc. Nick has extensive experience including management, lean production, project management and product implementation. Since his time in Tennessee, he has lead production manufacturing teams for both the private and public sector. Nick’s most recent role was working for the State of Tennessee, where he was a Director for Document Solutions with General Services. He and his wife Kacey adopted their son from Ethiopia in 2011 and are loving life! Nick is passionate about volunteering his time and serving the community and in his idle time, you can find him in the yard, swimming, playing with his dogs or watching scary movies.

Josh is a Michigan native and moved to Tennessee in 2013 when he was stationed in the Army at Fort Campbell. He deployed twice to Afghanistan with the 33rd Cavalry Regiment in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. He joined Harness in the Spring of 2022 as a laborer and worked his way up to Pipe Layer. In 2023, he became APM for the Harness team and has been growing in this position ever since. In his down time, he enjoys spending time with his girlfriend Ashley and their two dogs, being outdoors, and rooting for bad sports teams. Go Detroit.

Megan grew up in Northeast Ohio and moved to the Middle Tennessee area with her husband, Dave, in 2018. She loves Tennessee and considers it home. She joined the Harness team as our HR manager in 2021. She enjoys connecting with people and learning their unique stories. There is no problem too large or too small for Megan. She is always first to jump in whenever anyone around her needs help. People are her specialty, and she cares with her whole heart. Just like the GPS provides precision and speed on our dozers, Megan provides precision and speed in the HR Department. We call her our HR Ninja. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and their daughter, Nicole, reading, baking, and hunting. She’s an incredible cook—don’t ask her to make something for you unless you really mean it—because she will!

Brittany is from Cincinnati, Ohio and moved to Middle Tennessee in 2003. She considers Tennessee her forever home. She has worked in the medical field for the past 15 years. Brittany decided to make a career change and joined Harness as our recruiter in Fall 2023. While being new to the construction industry, She is not new to helping build others. She is patient, kind, dependable, and enjoys being apart of the Harness Team. In her free time, She enjoys time with her husband Andrew, their son, Riley and daughter, Scarlett, hanging out with family and friends on weekends, vegging out and watching movies, along with family trips.

Courtney, a proud native of Maury County, TN, cultivated her strong work ethic through her upbringing on a beef farm where she spent many hot days working the garden, hauling hay, and pulling calves with her father and grandfather. She says that is why you will never catch her in a garden today and she appreciates air conditioning more than your average person. As a young girl, she learned to cook, quilt, and sew her own clothes. Her parents were extremely frugal and carefully taught her the value of a dollar. After high school, she went to Bible college and then married her kindergarten sweetheart. They have two grown children, a nephew they call son, and two adorable grandchildren. In 2008, Courtney pursued her love of pregnancy and childbirth to become a certified Birth Doula. She is passionate about assisting women as they bring their children into the world. In addition to being a doula, she has worked in restaurants, a chiropractic office, as a warrants clerk for the sheriff, and finally, she joined the Harness team in early 2021 as our first Recruiter. Today, she works as our Fleet Analyst to consistently gather heavy equipment data for our team to use to make our processes even more efficient. As a true collaborator, she thrives on the joy of assisting her team behind the scenes, firmly believing that teamwork is the essence of any job. Even amid a busy schedule, she finds delight in dating her husband of twenty-two years, cooking for others, and she treasures moments snuggling with her grandchildren or unwinding with a hot coffee and a captivating book.