Growing up in Carthage, Mississippi, Ernie McFarland always knew there was something more out there for him. Born in Little Rock, Arkansas to a family with military roots, his father served in the Army and his uncles in the Navy – all WWII veterans. Naturally, he felt the call to serve his country. Ernie left his job at a body shop in Carthage and decided to join the military. He served his country in the U.S. Army for five years and took away with him a newfound sense of purpose and values that will last a lifetime.
Ernie completed basic training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma in the 13B Field Artillery rising to an E5. His path took him from two years at Fort Hood to a month in Panama, then 11 months at Camp Casey, Korea, where he was injured before finishing his service back at Fort Sam Houston and Fort Hood.
After his time in the military, Ernie worked in the body shop of a dealership in Wiggins, Mississippi. He first became interested in the industrial construction field after a pickup truck owned by a General Foreman with Brown & Root came into the shop. He started sending out resume after resume until he finally got a call to work in Mobile, Alabama with Performance.
Ernie has been with Performance for over 12 years, and currently works as a General Foreman at SpaceX on Kennedy Space Center. “Everyday you know the military and veterans at this company are supported,” he says. He’s seen this firsthand supervising guardsmen of his own and watching leadership show up consistently for their people, whether it’s drill, Veterans Day, or Memorial Day.
When it comes to leadership, Ernie brings hard-earned lessons from his time in the military. “Know your people,” he says. “Know their strengths and weaknesses, and always play to their strengths while trying to help diminish their weaknesses.” Consistency is just as important, and he always makes sure his team knows where he stands. “Tell them the truth, don’t sugar coat it.” He also believes leadership means full accountability. If the team makes a mistake, the leader owns it. But if they succeed, “your answer should be I have good people.”
Outside of work, Ernie enjoys doing anything with his wife, kids, and grandkids—especially if it has to do with hunting or fishing.
When asked what he’d tell other veterans considering a future at Performance, Ernie doesn’t hold back: “The sky is the limit, if you put yourself into your job it won’t go unnoticed. The self discipline should already be there, but what you don’t know someone will teach you.”
