LE SILLON
A John Deere PublicationPride in Every Pass | P&A Civil, LLC | John Deere
Winter/Spring 2026
Filling the Flats
Pulling Off The Impossible In Cle Elum
4:30 MIN READ
On a vast jobsite at the foot of the Cascade Mountains in the Pacific Northwest, each day begins with a large circle.
Clutching coffee cups and donning hard hats, more than 60 workers huddle every morning to hear what's in store for the day ahead. Today's tasks will focus mainly on the installation of storm, sewer, and water infrastructure — the latest step in a residential construction project referred to as Bullfrog Flats.
Ryan Alsup, co-owner of lead contractor P&A Civil, is tasked with coordinating the flurry of activity that will bring it all to life.
"It's going to be a beautiful neighborhood that serves this community for a long time," he says, peering across the horizon. "It's housing inventory that is sorely needed, and it's going to lead to improved infrastructure and more commercial development here. It will make a big difference."
The enormity of the morning huddle underscores the massive scale of the project at hand: Bullfrog Flats will ultimately bring 1,300 new homes to Cle Elum, Washington, a small community long known for its camping and outdoor recreation.
It's an undertaking that's even more striking when considering the contractor at the helm. Alsup started the company with co-owner Michael Piland just two years ago. Even so, as Alsup faces down the massive task before him, he can't help but smile.
"There are a lot of people who look for their dream job their whole lives and never really find it. I was lucky to find it," Alsup says. "Being an owner of this company and taking on projects like this, it's exactly what I want to do."
EMBRACING THE ROLE
Because of its rapid ascension, one might be inclined to think of P&A as an overnight success. Alsup, however, doesn't see it that way, emphasizing that he's led by a firm foundation of values, entrenched over time.
"My father owned a logging business and taught me the value of a hard day's work," Alsup says. "He had two wood burning stoves. And when I was young, my job in the summer was putting enough wood up in our woodshed to get us through the winter. I still remember stacking those piles."
The seemingly simple task sent a strong message — one that still resonates today.
"Whatever your role is, embrace that role. Fill the woodshed," he says emphatically. "You're just as important as the guy standing next to you. Again, I think that's what I love about construction. Everybody out here has a role."
That sentiment is present everywhere you look on the Bullfrog Flats site, where P&A has enlisted the services of two subcontractors: Active Construction and SASCON. Once competitors, they're now on the same team.
SASCON was brought into the fold to assist with the installation of underground utilities and build retaining walls. For Derrick Sas, who founded the company five years ago, joining the effort was an easy choice.
"I'm kind of similar to Ryan," he says. "My dad was in construction, and I learned from working with him. To be where we are now, helping more development come to Eastern Washington, that's really exciting."
"...helping more development come to Eastern Washington, that's really exciting."
Path to Success
The three contractors have more in common than the Bullfrog Flats project. All three companies are serviced by Papé® Machinery, a John Deere Construction & Forestry dealer with a large footprint across the state of Washington.
Alsup points to a fateful phone call as the catalyst for Bullfrog Flats.
"I called our sales rep at Papé and said, 'Hey, if I land this job, there's a list of equipment I have to add to my fleet fast — and I need to know whether I can get it.' Within a few days he called me back and said, 'We'll find a way.' "
More than two dozen John Deere machines now populate the sprawling jobsite, including an 850 P-Tier Dozer, a 644 P-Tier Wheel Loader, and multiple excavators.
"There was no path to a successful project without the support we got from Papé," he says.
These relationships also resonate with leaders at Active Construction, which serves as a subcontractor on the Bullfrog Flats project but is also a major player in the Washington construction industry. Fleet Manager Bill Ward says true success hinges on what he calls "the equipment triangle," which includes the construction company, the dealer, and John Deere working together.
Ward oversees a fleet of approximately 300 machines. It's a task that would be nearly impossible if not for the technology unlocked by John Deere Operations Center™.
"When I started working in this business, if you had a problem with equipment, you had to go out there to the jobsite and fix it," Ward says. "Now we have technology that tells us what the issue is."
Meanwhile, optional SmartGrade™ technology is transforming how crews work in the field. Tyler Ceccanti, senior project manager at Active Construction, says SmartGrade makes training new operators easier and boosts efficiency across the board.
"With GPS and live grade data available in nearly every machine, operators and laborers can see exactly what they're building," Ceccanti explains. "The plan is right there in the cab, so you know you're accurate on the first pass."
"It sounds cliché, but I say it all the time: We are building America."
Building America
Even on a jobsite that's tapping into new technology, there's a human element that looms large. When Alsup decided to launch his own business, JC Guy was one of his first calls. Swayed by a passion for construction and a profound sense of respect for Alsup, Guy jumped on board.
"Ryan's a brother, a friend, and a great mentor," says Guy, who now serves as an operator. "I couldn't let him do this by himself. When I came here, I didn't just put one foot in. I'm all in, all the time."
Less than two years later, as a massive development project transforms both a company and a community, this leap of faith has paid immediate dividends. "I can't even put into words how amazing it is to have our name on this project," says Guy. "We're showing what we're made of."
It's a sentiment that fuels Alsup on a daily basis — a realization that all the little details add up to something bigger. That a good team and a strong support system can unlock any possibility. An understanding that the daily grind is shaping tomorrow.
"It sounds cliché, but I say it all the time: We are building America," says Alsup. "We build the roads that people commute on. We build the houses that people bring their first kid home to. We build the foundations for hospitals, schools, and bridges. It's something we take tremendous pride in."
P&A Civil, LLC is serviced by Papé Machinery, Tacoma, Washington.
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A line of John Deere Excavators follows each other down a dirt road, moving toward a job site.
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The John Deere 850 L-Tier XLT Dozer lowers its blade, preparing to grade dirt and create a level surface.
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A John Deere 350 P-Tier Excavator digs a trench while a John Deere 644 P-Tier Loader waits to the side.
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