R&H is proud to share the promotions of two long-tenured team members in our Central Oregon office:
Jacob Hartley, Director of Operations, Central Oregon
Jim Stewart, Lead Preconstruction Manager, Central Oregon
Get to know Jim and Jacob below in a special Q&A below.
Jacob Hartley has been promoted to Director of Operations, Central Oregon. During his near decade with the company, Jacob has served as both a Project Manager and Senior Project Manager, leading the success of projects such as the 69 Newport development and Caldera Springs Forest House as well as the delivery of hundreds of much-needed housing units for Central Oregonians. Jacob has also played an integral role in operations management, forecasting and strategic planning for R&H over the last several years. We’re excited to see him step into this elevated leadership role and continue driving growth, collaboration and excellence across our Central Oregon projects.
Quick Facts:
Years in Construction Industry: 22
Alma Mater: University of North Florida
Pets: Stella, Australian Shepherd
Where did you spend your childhood years?
I was born in Kalispell, Montana and my childhood years are backdropped by a rural mountain lifestyle of snowmobiling, sled dogs, firewood chopping and inside a log cabin built by the hands of my mother and father. Our family of five moved to the complete opposite landscape of Gainesville, FL when I was seven years old for work opportunities. My dad grew up in Florida so we also had lots of family there ––with three boy cousins close in age–– it was warm, lots of beach time, fishing, sailing, but mostly saltwater fishing for redfish, trout, flounder, snook, tarpon, snapper and grouper. We loved the mountains but clearly, we really enjoyed saltwater fishing.
What was your first job?
My first job was working for Hartley Brothers Construction Inc. My twin brother and I were the construction clean-up crew, laid out and excavated foundations, hauled materials, did punch work, etc. We started out as kids working for the family business in the field and worked there until college when we migrated into the office, putting together permit packages with the city, reviewing and marking-up drawings and becoming familiar with site and floor plans quickly.
What do you love most about Central Oregon?
I love the outdoor lifestyle that’s drawn most of us here. The weather, mountains, skiing, mountain biking, rafting rivers, camping –– all that and the fact that part of my family is also here with me, and we can play hard together makes it all a great life. One of my favorite things about Bend, specifically, is that my parents met in Bend in the early ’70s and so when I decided to move to Bend I always wondered if I would meet my wife here. Luckily, I did. First, I found Stella Jane, our Australian Shepherd, and shortly after I met Jacqueline who grew up in Bend. We’ve been partnered up for eight years and today we are eight months pregnant with our first child.
The range of the state’s landscape is also such a great feature to living here. Being able to enjoy the dry high desert and within a couple hours being in what feels like a rainforest on the other side of Hood to then find yourself on a boat, ocean fishing all in one day is pretty cool to experience.
Tell us about your favorite places in and around Bend – restaurants, trails, watering holes or slopes.
Start off the powder day down and around the West Bowls on Mt. Bachelor, ride South Fork on mountain bikes, grab a burger from Americana at Podski and finish the night at The Tumalo Feed Co. bar where they know you and your drink by heart.
Happy Hour at Cascade West (go early to avoid the scene) and Wild Rose for dinner is a close second. I’m biased because Wild Rose is a client of R&H, but it was also Jacqueline and I’s first date spot. We love that the menu hasn’t changed since.
Third place is actually first place – cooking at home. We love to be at home, eat healthy and walk with Stella afterwards.
Most important lesson you have learned from your work during your tenure?
Communication is the most important thing that we do. Setting clear expectations for our project teams from day one is essential. When there’s clear communication, our client relationships thrive and tend to build on themselves, figuratively and literally. We’ve been lucky to have consistent projects in Central Oregon with a few great clients and having a trusted and tested foundation starts and ends with communication.
Most rewarding R&H project you’ve been a part of and why?
Over the past decade with R&H in Central Oregon we’ve been fortunate to be so integrated into the community in both rewarding and engaging ways. Projects that stick out include Hayden Homes Amphitheater, the 42 Greenwood ReMax renovation and 69 Newport with it being centrally located downtown Bend. I also love the Caldera Springs Forest House as a community gathering space for families and the hundreds of affordable housing units that we’ve completed in partnership with our long-standing client, Housing Works.
Anything else you want to share?
My twin brother Kyle and his family also live here in Bend, Oregon. My wife, Jacqueline. and I are expecting our first child soon. Our daughter is slated to join us in June 2025.
Jim Stewart has been promoted to Lead Preconstruction Manager, Central Oregon. Jim began his career at R&H working as a Foreman and Superintendent building some of R&H’s largest and most complex Central Oregon projects before transitioning into a preconstruction and business development role in 2022. His expansive portfolio includes Deschutes Brewery expansions, the Janis Medical Office Building and Hayden Homes Amphitheater renovation. As Lead Preconstruction Manager, Jim leads business development, project procurement and preconstruction efforts. With over 30 years industry experience, his leadership is instrumental to the success of our projects and community engagement in Central Oregon.
Quick Facts:
Years in Construction Industry: 35
Years Living in Central Oregon: 19
Alma Mater: Portland Community College
Where did you spend your childhood years?
I grew up in a small town in the Bay Area – Saratoga, California. I lived with my younger sister and my mom in a house that my dad and my uncle built. It was a wooded area with a creek running through it. I spent most of my childhood exploring my surroundings. My best friend and neighbor had horses. Sometimes we would saddle up the horses, pack a lunch and explore the area. Often, I would leave the house in the morning on a journey and not return until dark.
What was your first job?
My first job was in construction. My uncle owned a framing business. I helped my uncle frame customs homes all over the Bay Area. I started as labor cleaning up the job site. Eventually I bought all my own tools and worked my way up to a carpenter helper. Finally, I reached carpenter status and before I knew it, I was building walls and stacking roofs.
What drew you to the construction industry?
Growing up I was always mechanically inclined. At a young age I would take things apart and put them back together. If something needed repair, I would fix it. By the time I could drive, I had built engines and modified several vehicles. I love working with my hands. There is nothing more rewarding than looking back at the end of the day and seeing physical accomplishments. Having started in framing, I was eager to learn other disciplines. This drive to learn began my journey in the construction industry.
 What do you love most about Central Oregon?
I love the small-town atmosphere. I have built strong relationships with many people in the last 19 years. I appreciate these bonds and enjoy when I connect with trade partners or design professionals that I knew years ago outside of work.
Tell us about your favorite place in Central Oregon.
My favorite place is a lake in the Cascades. I try my best to spend a minimum of a couple of weekends a month at this lake during the summer months. Clear water sandy beaches and warm summer weather. A refreshing change after a long cold winter.
Most rewarding R&H project you’ve been a part of and why.
My most rewarding project I was part of is Legacy Landing, 3-over-1 affordable housing project where R&H self-performed all the wood framing. I had a crew of eight craftworkers. Two foreman and six carpenters. We created a plan and executed. The crew rose to the occasion and made it happen. We stayed in front of all the other trades and hit our framing milestones on each floor. This is the first time R&H took on a self-performed wood framing scope of this magnitude in Central Oregon.
Lesson you have learned from your work during your tenure.
The most important lesson I have learned in my tenure is how to work with people. Our industry is driven by relationships. It is the common denominator regardless of your job title. Whether you are a laborer on a project or the president of a company, how we communicate with our peers greatly affects everything we do in life.
