Two unforgettable hikes, a few unexpected talents and time to get to know the people beside us.
By the final dinner of CDR’s annual team trip, everyone had a song picked out and an entrance to make. After hiking Angels Landing and wading through The Narrows, the group had one more opportunity to surprise each other. When his turn arrived, Mario Lomeli, who had appeared nervous watching the others, broke into dance that had John Travolta blushing.
“Honestly that whole dinner was a ‘you had to be there’ moment,” Mai Hunt recalled.
Each year, Commercial Development Resources steps away from daily routines for a shared adventure. This year, Zion National Park offered experiences several teammates had anticipated for years, along with challenges they would face together.
For Jordan Moy, both hikes were bucket-list experiences. Andrew Martinez remembered reaching the chains on Angels Landing and realizing how much elevation the group had gained. As the terrain became more exposed, teammates offered encouragement and gave one another time to find their footing.
Accomplishment looked different for everyone. Some faced fear of heights while helping others through their discomfort. Another teammate found satisfaction in recognizing a personal limit and deciding when to stop. There was support for both.
Between hikes, rooftop dinners, conversations and a category game on the bus, colleagues had time together beyond their usual interactions among project teams.
Asked what they brought home, teammates mentioned everything from an appreciation for glamping (prior years had been sleeping on the ground!) to a better understanding of their coworkers. Lisa Nielsen valued learning about people’s lives outside work. Hannah Yale remembered the group’s friendliness and inclusion. For Brad, now five CDR trips in, Zion stood out as his strongest team-building experience with the company.
Those connections are why CDR makes time to get away together. Conversations wander beyond the next deadline, colleagues become hiking companions, and people share parts of themselves the workday rarely makes room for. Back at the office, there are more shared stories and a fuller appreciation of the people beside us.
