Clifford “Skeeta” Brooks

Clifford “Skeeta” Brooks Brings Years of Reliable Truck Driving Experience to Every Jobsite

When it comes to driving a truck, W.B. Hopke hired the perfect truck driver in Clifford “Skeeta” Brooks. Hopke would like to dedicate this article to Clifford as an appreciation for the many years of service and dedication to the Hopke team.

Clifford began his career with Hopke in September 2005 and has never looked back. He was originally hired as a flatbed truck driver to fill the void for another employee that was taking a medical leave of absence. He was encouraged to apply for the position by his friend, and Hopke employee, Pete Garland.

After driving for Hopke for almost a year, and upon the return of the other employee back from his surgery, Clifford was basically out of a job, but Hopke had other plans. Chuck Johnson recognized Clifford’s skills and asked if he would be interested in driving some of their heavy equipment. Clifford jumped at the opportunity.

Said Clifford, “I really enjoyed my time driving the truck and I did not want it to end. Hopke seemed like a really good company with fair pay and great benefits, and I wanted to stay on and keep learning. The next thing I knew, Chuck Johnson had me running heavy equipment which included track loaders and excavators. After about a year or so in the field, I was offered a position as the boom truck driver.”

A boom truck is a large, versatile piece of equipment capable of lifting heavy payloads such as heavy pipe, concrete manholes and Jellyfish and transporting it throughout a jobsite. It can also crane equipment down into deep trenches and place materials for workers to install. Back at the yard, it is used to load and unload materials, stock and store materials in the yard or warehouse.

In 2019, after working as the boom truck driver for almost 11 years, Clifford stepped away from the boom truck and started driving the low boy. The low boy is integral to Hopke operations as it delivers heavy equipment, materials, and supplies required to complete the work on site. Said Clifford, “If I don’t get the materials to a site, the phone will start ringing. My job is to make sure the materials get there on time by working with the superintendents who direct me where and when to be on the site. My biggest challenge is navigating the truck through the city streets. The streets were not made for trucks this size, so you have to be very careful and plan accordingly.”

Mr. Brooks said what he likes most about his job with Hopke is the people which seems to be a common theme with all Hopke employees. They are an extended family as well as a team. Clifford said, “To climb the ladder at W.B. Hopke, you have to be patient, put in your time and it will pay off in the long run. If you come to work every day and you are on time, and you are patient, you can be hired as a laborer, work for a few years and become a foreman with your own crew.

“Each day, I put my hard hat and boots on, I go about my own business and I follow the safety procedures so I make it home safely in the afternoon. That’s what it’s all about.”

Clifford Brooks, “Skeeta” as he is known by his co-workers, has been with Hopke for more than 19 years. He is married to his wife Kasha of 15 years. He has two sons, Ryan 26 and Camryn 17, and a daughter Cayla who is 15. Clifford is an avid golfer with a 2 handicap. He started playing golf ten years ago. For fun he goes on a golf trip with the guys to Myrtle Beach once a year and you can often find him playing at Forest Greens Golf Course. He enjoys his family time, especially helping his son Camryn with his bowling.

Clifford expressed a special thanks to Frank Hopke for giving him an opportunity to be part of the Hopke team so many years ago and, to that extent, W.B. Hopke wants Clifford to know that they appreciate his time and dedication to the company.

W.B. Hopke is a fourth generation, family-run construction business focused on building high quality utility infrastructure and lifelong careers. Hopke is located in Alexandria, VA and works throughout DC, Maryland, and Virginia. With almost 70 years of experience, Hopke prides itself on repeat customers across all kinds of market segments – schools, churches, data centers, distribution facilities, multi-family, mixed use, residential subdivisions, senior living, self storage, heavy highway, retail, commercial office, automotive, stream restoration, and parks.

Contact W.B. Hopke about a career in utility installation and site work at 703-971-0404 or info@wbhopke.com.