Surviving the Pandemic

The streets are quiet in Pittsburgh, PA. For the last month, the Steel City has been effectively shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The shutdown ordered by Governor Tom Wolf, has caused many businesses deemed unessential to cease opperations from their offices, while others are able to continue via Zoom and other platforms. This includes Carmeuse, one of the leading lime producers in the world.

As COO of Carmeuse North America, Jack Fahler has continued to work from his home in Gibsonia, 25 minutes away from his office on 11 Stanwix Street. “It’s really crazy, it’s like a bad joke”, he says. “Something that has surprised me is that people are still complaining about what the government is doing”. Like many companies, Carmeuse has continued to operate using Skype, allowing Fahler to participate in meetings with his employees, as well as the owners of the company who are based in Belgium.

While Fahler spends most of his time in the office during the pandemic, his wife Melissa has spent her time doing pilates, cooking, and keeping the house running. “What’s surprised me is that people are still continuing to gather and are not following precautions to keep everyone safe”, she says. During a time where it seems like the world is on pause, life goes on for the Fahler family.

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