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Work We Do: Rob Merker, Riverhead Building Supply

Hi, my name is Rob Merker. I work for Riverhead Building Supply at the 1093 Pulaski Street yard.

I am the dispatch foreman. My job is to make sure the warehouse runs smooth. We take in deliveries and we also get deliveries out as quickly and efficiently as possible. My phone is always ringing with questions. I work pretty early days to make sure all the deliveries go out.

And that goes on all day until about 11 o’clock because we have same-day delivery. It is a big job. This yard delivers from Bay Shore to Bridgehampton. If you call it in before 11 a.m., you’re guaranteed to get it that day.

I’ve been with the company for 31 years. I started off as a yard man, then a truck driver and then, 22 years ago, I became foreman dispatcher. When I left my last job, I put my application for this company and I’ve been here ever since. This became my future. We run about 19 trucks out of this yard and I have about 25 guys making it happen to get it done. All the dispatchers at all the locations work together if one of us gets backed up. We have several Long Island locations, including Riverhead and Greenport on the North Fork.

Working here, you are treated like family. The bosses treat us really well here. I’ve also lived in Riverhead for over 50 years.

I like the challenge, every day. This yard is a busy yard. And every day it is a challenge to get 130 or 140 deliveries out.

“The Work We Do” is a Suffolk Times multimedia project profiling workers on the North Fork. It is made possible by Peconic Landing. See more photos on Instagram @thesuffolktimes.