Our Mission
DRC Excavating strives to be the leader in excavation and customer service. We are determined to develop community partnerships and to give back to the community who supports us.
MEET the Team
DRC Excavating prides itself on being
family owned, operated in every sense of the phrase
As published in the Napanee Beaver, May 2021
​
NAPANEE - Dave and Whitney Ross never imagined that they would one day be running a successful excavating company just down the road from where they grew up, in Kingston.
​
Dave, a long-time helicopter pilot, spent a decade travelling North America. Whitney took the opportunity to teach abroad straight out of teacher’s college. But when it finally came time to find their growing family a place to call home, the choice was simple. The location of their charming farmhouse just outside Napanee spoke to them. It was a short drive to Dave’s grandparents who are dairy farmers, and around the corner from Whitney’s parents, making it the right fit.
​
“I have great memories of growing up on my grandparents farm. I wanted a similar experience for our family; the ability to dirt bike, raise some chickens and tap trees in our backyard.” Dave said. “Napanee has a great deal to offer to our family.”
​
Of course, with this simple life, comes hard work. DRC Excavating was built from the ground up. “We started DRC with a newborn baby, a newly purchased home and one piece of equipment,” Dave said.
​
DRC’s excavation division incorporates services such as driveway installs, grading, licensed septic design and installs as well as landscape services, spring and fall clean-ups. They are expanding this spring to offer landscape products for public purchase.
​
“We relied hugely on the support of our family and friends and we are very aware that DRC would not be in operation today without them,” Dave said.
DRC’s first year in operation couldn’t have been such a success without the dedication of two staff members. The first is Brad Gilbert, Whitney’s father and a retired OPP officer.
“Brad is our foreman. He is known for his immaculate attention to detail on the job. He loves talking to customers and can often be found working on Ernie, our tandem truck, in his spare time,” Dave said.
​
The second is Dave Clapp, also a retired OPP officer, who has been instrumental in helping DRC network.
“He knows everyone in the Napanee area. He’s been such an asset to us,” Dave said.
With Dave working as owner and operator and Whitney managing the administrative work, DRC is thriving.
“Dave keeps us focused and centred. He is constantly positive and very solution-oriented. He thrives on challenges. I think we balance each other out quite well; he plans, and together we execute. And then I add my own flair and some humour,” Whitney jokes. “When you own a family business, sometimes you just have to laugh off the challenges and keep things light.”
​
You’ll often find their kids in the midst of the day-to-day business, joining for ride-alongs and job estimates.
“Every decision we make for DRC is for our boys. We’re just trying to instill strong values of grit and perseverance. We want them to strive for anything they want in life, but they need to know it comes with hard work and the support of family and community,” Whitney said.
​
“We are incredibly grateful for the people who are shopping small and shopping local and we want to encourage it in every way possible.” Dave said. “We feel the need to have a bigger purpose within our community and return the favour.”