Why are companies relying more on internal relocation instead of local hiring alone?

Companies are increasingly relying on internal relocation because business demands are moving faster than local hiring pipelines. In fast-growing markets, relocating existing employees allows organizations to quickly place experienced talent where it is needed most. Internal employees also bring valuable institutional knowledge, already understanding company culture, systems and safety standards, which reduces training time. Internal mobility is not replacing local hiring—it is complementing it. Many organizations are using a balanced approach, combining relocated internal talent with local recruitment to meet immediate needs while building long-term workforce strength in key markets.

How do you decide when to relocate someone for a specific project?

The decision to relocate someone for a specific project is typically driven by a combination of market demand, project complexity and timing. When project activity in a region begins to outpace the availability of local talent, organizations may turn to internal mobility to quickly fill critical roles and maintain momentum.

How has internal workforce mobility changed over the past few years?

Over the past few years, internal workforce mobility has become more intentional and proactive rather than a reactive solution to address a gap in support. As industries and markets evolve quickly, organizations are increasingly relying on internal moves to support fast-growing markets with specialized projects. Nashville is a great example of this. In addition to solving a need, employees are more open to relocation when the right opportunity aligns with their career goals. Advancements in remote collaboration tools and shared systems have also made transitions smoother and more seamless than in the past, enabling employees to integrate into new teams and roles with greater ease.

What types of markets are most likely to require talent migration?

The markets most likely to require talent migration are high-growth, high-demand markets where multiple large-scale projects are ramping up and local labor supply cannot keep pace. This is especially common in areas experiencing population growth, infrastructure expansion or significant private investment that increases demand for skilled workers in a short period of time. Importantly, this is not a challenge unique to any one city or region, it reflects a broader national pattern as fast-growing markets across the country compete for skilled talent to support economic and infrastructure development.

How does mobility help maintain quality and consistency across regions?

Internal mobility plays a critical role in maintaining quality and consistency across regions by helping organizations spread best practices and proven processes between offices and project teams. When experienced employees and leaders relocate to new or growing markets, they reinforce consistent safety cultures, quality standards and delivery approaches that align with the company’s core values and expectations. For companies like Skanska, internal talent movement helps establish the “Skanska way” on projects, ensuring a shared commitment to execution, collaboration and operational excellence.

How important is it for team members to work with other office locations frequently?

Regular cross-office engagement helps employees develop relationships, understand regional differences and align around shared processes and expectations, making transitions between locations much smoother when relocation opportunities arise. Compared to the past, advances in remote collaboration tools, shared systems and consistent workflows have made it easier for teams to work seamlessly across regions long before an employee physically relocates. As a result, workforce mobility is often more effective today because employees are already connected to colleagues, projects and company culture.

Could relocating team members disrupt chemistry/workflow—or improve it?

Relocating internal team members often strengthens chemistry and workflow rather than disrupting it. Because internal employees already understand the company’s culture, systems, expectations and ways of working, they are typically able to integrate into teams more quickly than an external hire. Shared values, established communication styles and familiarity with processes help create continuity and reduce friction, particularly on fast-moving projects. In many cases, internal mobility can actually improve collaboration by bringing fresh perspectives and experience from other markets while maintaining consistency in execution.

How best to ensure camaraderie amid transition?

Relocated employees often play an important role in this process because they can speak from firsthand experience about integrating into a new team, adapting to a different market and building relationships quickly. A strong, consistent company culture also helps reinforce teamwork by ensuring employees across regions share common values, systems and ways of working.

SEE ALSO: AI HITS THE JOBSITE: THE WORKFORCE TRAINING GAP

The post Out of Office: When Internal Workforce Relocation Is Appropriate for Construction Projects first appeared on Construction Executive.

On June 26, 2026, JGM announced the addition of three accomplished industry leaders to its executive team. The appointments of Brian M. Jones PMP as vice president of business development; Amy DePaoli as director of marketing; and Garrick Weaver SPHR SHRM-SCP as director of talent acquisition and workforce development reflect the company’s commitment to building the infrastructure needed to become a nationally recognized force in industrial construction.

Jones joins JGM with more than 20 years of experience driving revenue expansion and market positioning across the industrial engineering, procurement and construction sectors. A strategic growth leader with a hands-on technical foundation, he brings a rare combination of full-cycle capture planning, competitive intelligence and deep client relationship management having served key markets in pulp and paper, refining, chemicals, metals and power.

DePaoli brings more than two decades of marketing leadership experience spanning logistics, food and beverage, retail and consumer brands. She has a demonstrated history of building marketing functions from the ground up, driving measurable growth, and establishing compelling brand identities for companies navigating rapid expansion.

A Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP), Weaver is a trusted HR leader with extensive experience building scalable hiring pipelines, designing workforce development programs and cultivating high-performance cultures across complex, multisite organizations including manufacturing, utilities and professional services.

Sebastien Roussotte Announced as New Achilles CEO

On June 30, 2026, Achilles announced the appointment of Sebastien Roussotte as chief executive officer, effective immediately. He succeeds interim CEO Craig Rodgerson, who will return to his role as chairman of the Achilles board.

S&B Receives Gold Safety Excellence Award From Industry Business Roundtable 

On July 07, 2026, S&B received a Gold Safety Excellence Award in the General Contractor Extra Large category from the Industry Business Roundtable for its work on the ExxonMobil Baytown Olefins Plant2X Expansion Project. The team was recognized at an industry event in May.  The award recognizes S&B’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards of safety performance while delivering complex projects in the Texas Gulf Coast region. Presented as part of the 2025–2026 Safety Excellence Awards program, the recognition highlights organizations that demonstrate exceptional safety leadership, continuous improvement and a strong culture of workplace safety.

Wesco Announces Alex Piwoschuk as U.S. Central Leader for Construction

On July 9, 2026, Wesco International announced that Alex Piwoschuk has joined the company as vice president of sales for U.S. Construction in the Central region. This role will be instrumental in developing the strategic direction to deliver industry-leading construction services and expertise to help manage customers’ most complex and demanding projects.

New Edge Contractors Expands Leadership Team to Support Continued Growth

On July 10, 2026, New Edge Contractors expanded its leadership team to strengthen the organizational capacity behind continued growth across its two disciplines: construction management and resource management. The transition formalizes the executive responsibilities of co-founders Mike Clay and John Wiegand. Clay has assumed the role of chief executive officer, providing enterprise leadership, long-term strategic direction and accountability for the company’s organizational growth. Wiegand has assumed the role of chief development officer, leading development strategy, client relationships, market expansion and new business opportunities.

Skanska USA Building Establishes Digital Transformation and Solutions Team to Expand the Use of AI Across the Business

On July 14, 2026, Skanska announced the formation of its digital transformation and solutions team, a move to scale AI and technology to continue enhancing project delivery. The group unites Skanska’s data solutions, emerging tech and AI capabilities to turn project knowledge into practical tools that support project teams and broader business priorities. Durham-based executive Will Senner has been appointed senior vice president, digital transformation and solutions to lead the team.

Swinerton Announces Leadership Promotions to Support Growth in Southern California Education and Healthcare Markets

On July 14, 2026, Swinerton Builders has promoted David Cramp and Brian Holley to vice president and division manager roles, strengthening the company’s leadership in two of Southern California’s most active construction sectors: education and healthcare. Cramp has been named vice president, division manager, K-14 Education–Southern California; Holley has been promoted to vice president, division manager, Healthcare–Southern California.

Branch Announces Key Executive Appointments to Strengthen Enterprise Growth

On July 14, 2026, Branch has announced key executive leadership appointments to strengthen long-term growth, business development, pursuit strategy and operational excellence. 

Brian Quinlan has been appointed executive vice president, strategic growth. In this new role, Quinlan will focus on where Branch should grow and help Branch create a roadmap the ensures our future.

Mike Colbert has been appointed executive vice president, enterprise pursuits. This role will serve as the accountable executive for all major pursuits. Colbert will oversee enterprise pursuit governance, estimating practices, pricing strategy, pipeline governance, win/loss analytics, and aligns preconstruction and operations. 

Brian Evans will take the lead of Branch Civil as executive vice president. Evans’ career in the heavy/highway construction industry spans over two decades. He has directly managed both state and federal highway projects in the Commonwealth of Virginia, with experience in both roadway and bridge construction.

Manhattan Construction Company Announces North Texas Leadership Appointments to Support Diverse, Complex Project Portfolio

On July 16, 2026, Manhattan Construction Company announced a series of leadership appointments and role confirmations in its Dallas-area regional office, strengthening the team responsible for delivering a growing portfolio of complex construction projects across North Texas. The leadership team’s new appointments include Travis Porter as Dallas regional leader, Jason Dunnam as operations manager, Anthony Wright as general superintendent and Kevin Gass as project director. 

Porter was promoted to Manhattan Construction Company’s Dallas regional leader, recognizing his proven ability to lead people, projects and operations across one of the company’s most active and complex markets. Porter has more than 15 years of experience delivering high-profile construction work in North Texas. He has steadily taken on broader leadership responsibility since joining Manhattan in 2010, starting as an intern on the George W. Bush Presidential Center project on the Southern Methodist University campus. He is a graduate of Texas A&M University with a degree in construction science.

Dunnam joined Manhattan as operations manager for the Dallas regional office. Dunnam brings more than 25 years of commercial construction experience and previously served as vice president of construction at EMJ Corporation, where he led operational strategy for large, multidisciplinary teams.

Wright was promoted to general superintendent and brings more than 25 years of experience managing field operations for large, technically complex projects. His background includes professional sports facilities, commercial developments and mixed-use projects.

Gass was promoted to project director and will provide strategic oversight and leadership for project teams across the Dallas region. Gass holds a degree in civil engineering from Virginia Tech and has more than 35 years of industry experience, representing more than $5.4 billion in completed construction work.

Sims Crane & Equipment Names Mike Kuffermann as Chief Operating Officer

On July 21, 2026, Sims Crane announced the appointment of Florida native Mike Kuffermann as chief operating officer. Kuffermann brings more than 17 years of experience with Sims Crane and represents a second-generation family legacy within the organization. He began his career as an apprentice and has advanced through service operations, dispatch, outside sales and executive leadership, most recently serving as chief sales officer. The appointment reflects both his proven track record of performance and the company’s continued focus on operational excellence.

ABC Supply Interiors Opens Location in Tupelo, Mississippi

On July 22, 2026, ABC Supply Interiors, formerly L&W Supply Corporation, opened a new location at 3406 West Main Street in Tupelo, marking its second location in Mississippi. The location is managed by Andy Witt, who was promoted to branch manager in March 2026. Witt brings more than 21 years of industry experience, including 10 years with ABC Supply Interiors.

Skanska U.S. Building Operations Selects Brian Urban as Executive Vice President-General Manager for California

On July 27, 2026, Skanska announced the appointment of Brian Urban as executive vice president and general manager for its Skanska USA Building operations in California, effective immediately. In this role, Urban will oversee project operations in the state, with a focus on strengthening customer and partner relationships, growing the business and continuing to build Skanska’s reputation across the region. Urban joins a well-established local leadership team with deep roots in the San Francisco Bay Area market. The team’s relationships with clients, partners, subcontractors and community stakeholders, built over many years, remain fully in place. Urban will work closely with local leadership to continue the office’s momentum and build on the trust Skanska has established across the region.

SEE ALSO: NEW NAMES AND FACES: JUNE 2026

The post New Names and Faces: July 2026        first appeared on Construction Executive.

On June 26, the National Geographic Museum of Exploration opened its brand new doors at 1600 M St. NW in Washington, D.C. Since that grand opening, it has seen tens of thousands of attendees—families, individuals, school groups, private tours, courtyard parties and more.

National Geographic Society’s vice president of creative, John Boyer, says, “The goal has always been to open this to the public, to bring people in, to get them excited, to spark curiosity. Now is that moment and we’re excited to see people in the building. Let’s see their reactions, let’s get them excited about something. It’s surreal.” Boyer notes, too, that this renovation won’t stop in 2026—the space has been designed to be flexible, “to change and evolve as we move forward as an organization.”

But should this grand opening perhaps be considered a re-opening? The first installment of this article series relayed that the MOE campus comprises multiple buildings—Hubbard Hall (1904), named for the group’s first president, Gardiner Greene Hubbard; the administration building (1912-1913); the south wing and central pavilion (1932); the Stone building (1964), named for its architect Edward Stone; and a fourth modern wing (1984). Those buildings were brought together—literally—by contractors HITT and Hickock Cole to form the twenty-first century design.

If you think merging multiple centuries of construction sounds challenging, you’d be correct. Emily Dunham, the National Geographic Society’s chief campus and experiences officer, says, “One of the most challenging things has been the coordination: finishing the physical building while also finalizing all of the experiences, technology, exhibit cases and objects. Then, of course, things might arrive later than expected or aren’t working quite as we expected. We ended up with so many different vendors in the space at the same time.”

This is where having strong relationships partners and vendors—like HITT, Hickock Cole, Rolex, Cengage and more—proves symbiotic.

“That makes all the difference,” says Dunham. “Rolex is a 70-plus-year partner and has been supporting National Geographic and our explorers for decades. Telling the story of what an explorer is on the Rolex Explorers Landing and including that partnership is natural for us.”

Similarly, Cengage supports the Learning Launchpad. “They have been publishing National Geographic textbooks and other learning materials for a long time,” says Dunham. “And so they were the natural partner to sponsor the National Geographic Learning Launchpad, powered by Cengage. From the development of the physical space to the selection of exhibits to the feeling of the overall experience, having the right partners has made all the difference in completing this on time at the level of quality we always strive to serve.”

The quality of the campus is of course found within the information it showcases and the inspiration it instills, but the concrete, steel, sustainable ash wood, 3D-modeled features and temperature-regulating glass are of the highest quality as well, earning the building LEED Platinum.

On June 22, Construction Executive was invited to take a preview tour of the MOE, guided through exhibits by National Geographic Explorers from around the world.

The MOE covers more than 100,000 square feet, a boundary which begins at the grand entrance pavilion, featuring a larger-than-life version of the iconic yellow border and sweeping curved planters filled with bronze animal statues that inhabit island archipelagos, meandering glacier rivers and places in between.

A rooftop terrace overlooks the courtyard to host immersive nighttime experiences and other events, and a massive digital display wall projects film, photos and other media. A step inside the front doors brings you into the main lobby with a rippling skylight that enriches the entire space—from floor to 40-foot ceilings—with natural light, which gives the sense of being both high up in a rain forest and below the surface of the ocean all at once. Another high-tech video wall towers behind the welcome desk. Immediately to the left sits a new store and renovated cafeteria, but less immediately noticed is a model of the RMS Titanic in a repurposed staircase turned in-floor display. It was here that Bob Ballard, a Nat Geo Explorer-at-Large, who is also an iconic oceanographer, spoke about his helping discover the legendary vessel.

Then on to The Archives. Once inside and embraced between the bronze Nat Geo emblem on the floor and coffered woodwork on the ceiling, the past came alive via a welcoming digital presentation and Lee Berger, a paleoanthropologist and Nat Geo Explorer-in-Residence, who detailed his explorations into human origins in Africa and Micronesia—which have yielded discoveries of two new species of early human relatives. Some of Lee’s work can be seen in The Archives.

Then two masterfully crafted French doors open seemingly by magic into the Learning Launchpad sponsored by Cengage. This space is highly interactive, allowing students and groups to try their hand—or their foot—at trivia on their digital display floor. The Learning Launchpad also houses Kirsten Elstner’s National Geographic Photo Camp. Another Explorer-in-Residence, Elstner founded and directs the Photo Camp as part of her mission working with youth from diverse global communities to develop their own skills—and stories—through photography.

Just beyond the Learning Launchpad is the Geoverse theater, where Peruvian biologist Ruthmery Pilco spoke on her works in conservation and biodiversity projects in Costa Rica and Peru. This stop was highlighted by a theater viewing of a documentary excerpt on her work preserving the Ukuku—the Quechuan word for bear—in the Peruvian Andes.

Around the corner is the nearly 400-seat Grosvenor Auditorium—which will officially open later this summer.

A trip up the spiraling staircase takes you to the Rolex Explorers Landing where the pillars of Nat Geo—spark, impact, purpose and trek—shine. You will see artifacts like a bathysphere from the New York Zoological Society, an atmospheric diving JIM suit, an off-roading vehicle equipped with tent top and camera attachment, and more. This is where Steve Boyes, who launched the National Geographic Okavango Wilderness Project in 2015, spoke on his lifelong dedication to conservation of Africa’s wilderness and wildlife employing integrative and innovative methods.

Back down and to the right of the entrance is the photo gallery, which is grounded by a perimeter of static feature pieces—including the iconic portrait of the Afghan Girl from the 1985 cover—and a center selection which rotates a few times per year.

Lastly, the Photo Ark next to the photo gallery is completely curated by Joel Sartore, a Nat Geo photographer, conservationist, speaker, author and teacher. He spoke outside his own exhibit on the creation of the digital and interactive photo/video gallery, highlighting endangered animals and insects, species and landscapes with imagery taken at scale in accordance with their level of endangerment. The gallery will become a travelling exhibit after leaving the MOE at the end of this year.

Other hidden gems worth mentioning include the parametric molded cornice—a striking architectural feature on the facade echoing sand dunes that required complex 3D modeling never previously seen in the United States; the Magazine Gallery, digitally depicting every single published National Geographic cover to date; a Terracotta soldier from Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s famous Terracotta army; an exquisite mosaic of shimmering tiles in the shape of two massive jellyfish in the downstairs bathroom; and more you will have to see for yourself to believe.

For the day, the professional explorers brought the museum to life, embodying the depth, meaning and purpose behind Nat Geo’s larger mission, but if you feel you’ve missed out on the initial fanfare, fear not. The MOE will also feature regularly scheduled public programming including:

• Farmstand
• Trivia
• Nat Geo Nights
• Coffee With an Explorer
• Drinks With an Explorer
• Concerts in the Courtyard
• Pop-Up Talks With an Explorer

For the days to come, the future visitors are what will bring life to the museum. At the top of the tour, Nat Geo’s CEO Jill Tiefenthaler mentioned that this museum was, in fact, not built for the explorers met at each exhibit, but rather for the next generation of explorers. What Dunham hopes that future generations take away from their own tours through the MOE is a spark.

“We have a space on the Rolex Explorers Landing,” she says, “that’s called the Spark exhibition. It’s about different explorers sharing their own stories of inspiration—inspiration that for them changed the course of their life and gave them a purpose to pursue—in hopes of sparking questions that maybe someone hadn’t asked before; ideas that hadn’t been thought of. And what I hope is that every visitor has a spark moment, big or small. Everyone can be an explorer.”

Even without that iconic yellow border welcoming visitors through the new courtyard and into the new lobby underneath the new skylight, the MOE is unmistakable as a National Geographic creation. 

“It’s the wonders of the world on display,” says Dunham.

Boyer concurs: “It’s the stories of our explorers. It’s the mission of the society. It’s everything on display—the media, the animals, the sculptures, the portraiture. Everything is part of the mission and part of the storytelling of the wonders of the world.”

For information on museum hours, special events and more, visit moe.nationalgeographic.org.

SEE ALSO: STATUE OF LIBERTY MUSEUM USES STRUCTURAL THERMAL BREAKS TO PROTECT THE PAST AND THE PLANET

The post Wonder of the World Part II: National Geographic’s Museum of Exploration Opens in Downtown D.C. first appeared on Construction Executive.

Lucas, who has held roles ranging from construction administrator and project manager to director of construction solutions, now works with contractors on improving preconstruction, estimating and project management workflows, and Lawrence, who is currently serving as a construction account executive, previously worked as a project engineer with general contractors in the Pacific Northwest and began her career managing painting crews.

Each woman established their careers in the construction industry before advancing into their newfound roles in the construction technology sector in late 2025. Were they expecting to level up when they did? Was this next step even on their radar? Were they content with their careers up to this point? Will they continue to advance beyond these new roles?

Construction Executive sat down with the women to learn more about their journeys—and how those journeys can affect progress for the future of the construction workforce as well as for construction technology.

“We are starting to see more representation of women in all facets of the construction industry,” says Lawrence. She attributes the slow—albeit steady—pace of the gender-shift in construction to “women thinking there’s not a place here for them. But there certainly is.”

How have you worked your way up to your current role?

Danielle Lucas: I actually started out on the operations side and then became a construction administrator. I’ve worked with both an HVAC specialty subcontractor and a general contractor in Florida where I used to live. So, I got a really good ground-level view of what happens on a project and I fell in love with the technology there while also learning the daily reality of RFIs and change orders and contracts. After that, I moved into project management and then finally over to construction technology itself. Before I joined IMAGINiT, I was a director of construction solutions. Today, I’m a construction engagement engineer and I specialize in preconstruction. I get to work closely with firms to improve how they’re approaching their estimating, takeoff, collaboration and construction administration.

Sarah Lawrence: It all started with a desire to gain work experience applicable to any career. I started as a residential exterior house painting intern. I was then recruited by a commercial painting subcontractor, which hired me as a project engineer. I never intended to have a career in construction; I never formally went to school for construction management. I’ve learned everything on the job and through my mentors—from interpreting contract documents to managing projects. Working for the commercial painting company was a great opportunity and I got great experience that set me up for a successful career in commercial construction.

From there I switched to the general contractor side, so I worked with a smaller firm doing 16-week tenant improvements. Then I accepted a role with Balfour Beatty, starting in their preconstruction department and supporting a couple of large projects from there. My role with IMAGINiT has exposed me to how technology is transforming our industry and I’m passionate about driving tech adoption across construction. 

Did you study technology or did you organically work your way up in the tech sphere of construction?

Lucas: I did not go to college and I didn’t study technology—I simply fell in love with it. If you want to learn, there are so many people who will help you do that.

Lawrence: Most of what I’ve learned and have been exposed to has been on the job. Technology-wise, I’ve encountered various tools to support my role. Working in construction and being an end-user has given me the unique perspective to understand how I can support my clients at IMAGINiT. It’s exposed me to the thought process that goes behind every decision when selecting and adopting new technology.

I’ve struggled through antiquated processes and contractors not fully trusting technology. I’m passionate about breaking stigmas and helping contractors streamline their operations by embracing technology. I felt like there was an opportunity to help enable teams to use their tools to their fullest potential.

AI is transforming the way that we work, there’s even more urgency around evaluating new tech tools and making sure that we’re adopting and embracing them. One of the things that contractors are good at is being adaptable to change. We’re starting to see more contractors leading the charge on tech adoption and driving innovation.

Contractors ‘being adaptable to change’ is a rather striking statement, because the opposite of that has been the trope in construction. It’s usually, ‘This is the way we’ve always done it.’ Are there any examples that stand out in your mind that make you say that?

Lawrence: I was listening to a podcast; the guest surveyed about 400 contractors, of which 60% said they were adopting AI. It was reassuring to hear that a majority of firms are trying to use it. It’s powerful to see contractors developing their own AI software specific to their needs. There are contractors leading the charge of the digital-era, wanting to be innovative and creative with technology.

Would you say that technology is attracting women to the industry?

Lucas: These new roles that are emerging, like ours, are more focused on strategy: process improvement, workflows, systems, many focus areas where women naturally excel. So, we’re getting a lot more meaningful innovation that’s happening because we can become leaders on that path. And that path is not following a field-first trajectory—a trajectory which traditionally doesn’t attract women. We’re seeing a lot more people come into the tech sector directly.

Lawrence: Both the construction and the technology industry are male-saturated. Tech is revealing more opportunities for people of different backgrounds to collaborate and contribute to the thought that goes behind workflows and operations. 

What efforts is IMAGINiT taking to draw more women to this industry and these types of roles? What—or who—drew you to this company and this role?

Lucas: What drew me to IMAGINiT Technologies is the level of expertise of the team overall and the software development they were doing. They were my biggest competitor! Folks like Sarah and I get to work together on opportunities and get into those rooms with other women. However, my former position was as a director at a company in New York City and the owner of that company was a male—someone doesn’t have to be a female to be a great mentor. People who give you that opportunity—even if it’s a stretch—and they believe in you, that is really what matters. And coming to the table, being confident in what you know from your industry experience will get you so far. It doesn’t really matter what your gender is, if you know what you’re talking about.

Lawrence: Part of what drew me to IMAGINiT was the women in leadership, both our director of construction and one of our construction team managers. I appreciate having those influences and women represented in leadership positions. Throughout my career, I’ve had both male and female mentors, all of whom supported me as I navigated my career in male-dominated industries. It’s important we embrace everyone’s contributions, the value we all contribute from our different experiences and backgrounds. Overall, both the construction and the tech industry promote and embrace diversity of thought.

Would you consider yourselves mentors today?

Lucas: Oh, for sure. Especially on my team and even in what I was doing before IMAGINiT, we’re sharing knowledge. We’re bringing people into that bubble of the construction world. I have colleagues on my team who are stronger in other areas of the industry than I am and vice versa. So, we’ll get together and share our strengths—there’s no shame in that. We stay curious about not just the technology, but how things are built. We don’t shrink ourselves and we know that because we’re in this seat and we’re in this room, we did earn it.

Lawrence: Absolutely, I’m always open and willing to support others in the industry. I make an effort to extend the same support I received to others—pay-it-forward—ensuring that folks entering the industry feel welcome and I provide guidance when needed. Ultimately, I want to highlight the importance of promoting psychological safety across your teams. One of my favorite construction-specific courses was through Arcade Construction Academy. They introduced 10 core precepts that I believe should be upheld by every team. To name a few: Stupid questions are a requirement for entry; It is the responsibility of leadership to create a safe space to fail; and, All mistakes should be discussed and dissected, never hidden. In construction and technology, things are constantly changing and you’ll never be an expert, not 100%. There is always something to learn and every project is different. It’s incredibly important to create an environment where teams can collaborate, exchange knowledge freely and admit mistakes.

SEE ALSO: MORE CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES ARE BUILDING A TECHNOLOGY-FOCUSED C-SUITE

The post Turning a Construction Career Into a Technology Career first appeared on Construction Executive.

The problem is what comes next.

The Job They Were Promoted Into Isn’t the Job They’re Good At

When a skilled tradesperson becomes a foreman or project lead, they aren’t being asked to do more of what made them valuable. They’re often being asked to stop doing it. The work that built their reputation now belongs to someone else. Their job is to manage the person doing it.

Being good with your hands and being good with people are not the same skill. One you control directly, and the other you don’t control at all. You just influence it and hope. It can be a real jolt when this switch comes.

For a while, the excitement of the promotion carries them, but then something goes sideways and the title doesn’t help.

What Starts Going Through Their Head

It doesn’t usually hit all at once. A crew member questions a call in front of others. The new manager has to sit down with someone they used to eat lunch with and tell them their work isn’t good enough and halfway through realizes they have no idea how to have that conversation. A problem comes up that they can’t fix themselves and they sit on it too long because they’re not sure what to do.

Quietly, the doubts start. ‘Was I the best choice, or just the most convenient one?’ ‘Does the crew actually respect me, or are they going along with it?’ And then the one that tends to do the most damage: ‘What if the owner is starting to regret this?’

That last thought changes how a new manager behaves. When someone is afraid the person who promoted them is losing confidence, they stop making decisions based on what’s right and start making them based on what looks safe.

What That Looks Like in Practice

Some new managers get hard to talk to. That’s true in any industry. They start pulling rank on small things because it feels better than admitting they’re uncertain. The crew picks up on it fast, and once that dynamic sets in it’s difficult to undo.

Some stop deciding anything. Every question goes back up to the owner. It’s frustrating for everyone, and the crew figures out quickly that nobody is really running things.

Some go back to doing the work themselves. It’s where they feel capable, so that’s where they go. The crew notices a manager who doesn’t trust them, and the owner winds up paying foreman wages for tradesperson output.

The worst outcome is when a new manager goes quiet. They stop bringing problems to the owner because they’re worried that surfacing a problem will look like proof they can’t handle the job. So, issues sit. They get worse. And by the time the owner finds out, fixing them costs more than it would have, and the trust between manager and owner has taken a hit that’s hard to recover from.

None of this makes someone a bad hire. It makes them a person who was handed a genuinely hard job without much help.

The Conversation Too Many Owners Skip

The place to address all of this is before the promotion happens, not after.

Many owners offer a promotion the way they’d offer a raise. Here’s what we’re thinking, here’s what it pays, what do you say? That’s not enough. Before anything is decided, sit down and have a real conversation about what the role actually requires day to day and what’s going to be harder than it looks. And then ask the question some owners never ask. Do you actually want this?

Not every strong tradesperson wants to manage other people. Some would rather stay on the tools, do excellent work and go home. That’s a legitimate choice and a valuable one. An owner who creates room for that answer, and means it, earns real trust. An owner who never asks might end up with someone who said yes because they didn’t feel like they could say no.

If the person wants the role, be straight with them about what you’re asking. Managing people is a different job. There’s a learning curve. You’re going to be involved in helping them through it.

What That Help Actually Looks Like

A tradesperson doesn’t become skilled by reading about their trade. They work next to someone who knows what they’re doing and over time they figure it out. Bringing someone along as a manager works the same way.

The most useful thing an owner can do is connect a new field leader with someone who made this same move, someone who was once the best on a crew and worked out how to lead people without losing their respect. That person can say things no handbook can. They’ve been in the same position and they know what it actually felt like.

In a smaller company where that person doesn’t exist on staff, look outside. Another owner in a non-competing business can work, as can a contact through a local trade association. The conversation doesn’t have to happen in your building to matter.

Beyond the mentor, stop measuring a new manager’s first 90 days by project outcomes alone. The more honest measure is whether problems are getting to you before they blow up, and whether the new manager is having hard conversations instead of dodging them. If those two things are happening, the rest tends to follow.

Build in regular check-ins that aren’t performance reviews. At 30 days, keep it simple. What’s been harder than you expected? What do you need from me? You don’t have to make it a therapy session. Talk to them the same way you’d talk to anyone on your crew about a job that isn’t going quite right. At 60 days, go deeper. How is the crew responding to your direction? Where do you feel least sure of yourself? By 90 days you should be able to sit down together and have an honest read on what’s working. When you do this consistently, you’re telling your new manager that struggling out loud is okay. That changes everything about how they carry the job.

What You’re Really Investing In

A promotion handled this way does more than fill a role. It protects a job you’ve already invested in. You spent years developing that person’s skills, and a failed transition doesn’t just cost you a manager. It often costs you the worker too. Get it right and you’ve built something harder to find than a good tradesperson. You’ve built someone who can grow your crew while you’re focused on growing your business. That’s what makes it worth the extra time upfront.

The person who made that call on the way home, who felt like the years finally added up to something, they’re worth the investment. The owner who thought ahead about what comes after the good news is the one who gets to see what that person is actually capable of.

The tool belt they spent years building didn’t come with instructions. Someone showed them. This is no different.

SEE ALSO: LASTING IMPRESSION: STRATEGIZE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION WITH THIS SECRET WEAPON

The post From Tradesperson to Project Manager: The Day the Promotion Stops Feeling Like a Win first appeared on Construction Executive.

Cofounder of the Boston-based contech company, Cyvl, Pelaez is helping over 100 U.S. cities rethink how they build and rebuild their roads.

“Through vehicle-mounted sensing and analytics already embedded in day-to-day operations, Cyvl is effectively powering the reconstruction of roads up and down the country—determining what gets fixed, when and why,” says a representative of the company.

Having just been named in Cemex Ventures’ Top 50 Contech Startups for 2026—which recognizes companies that are already influencing how construction and infrastructure decisions are made on the ground—Cyvl sat down with Construction Executive to discuss their evolutionary work further.

Maybe even stay tuned for a sneak peek inside one of their AI-powered cars.

What was the impetus for starting this product/company?

DANIEL PALAEZ: It’s a fun story. It started with the problem and we found the technology to solve that problem. One of my first ever jobs was working on the road crew for a public works department in Southbury, Connecticut. And I was seeing firsthand how hard it was to manage infrastructure. The town was reacting to issues every single day, whether that be residents hitting a pothole or trees falling down or missing signage no one noticed until it caused an accident. This was a smaller city that was relying on outdated data that lived on paper in a three-ring binder.

I was only about 18 or 19 at the time, but I figured there had to be a better way. So, I started talking to lots of other communities and realized they were relying on similar techniques. When I entered college in 2020 for engineering is when I started to learn about these sensors used for self-driving vehicles, and that was the “a-ha” moment of seeing the massive problem firsthand, recognizing that pretty much every community across the U.S. is battling with outdated infrastructure and information. Then it was about figuring out how technology from self-driving cars could be applied to automatically map out infrastructure, and how to use AI to perform condition assessments, recommend treatments, budgets, etc. That is really where we saw the magic of applying that tech to this problem. Ever since then it’s been a very fun journey helping hundreds of governments implement this into their day-to-day workflows.

What was the process of getting this off the ground?

About halfway through college, I thought this would be a fun application of the tech. It was never a class project. I just started conceptualizing it in my mind and I recruited one of my best friends and roommates—we’ve actually known each other since we were seven years old—who is way smarter than I am to help me build it out.

We didn’t know anything about starting a company; we just thought we were solving a cool problem. We began looking for funding to make prototypes and entering innovation contests across the country. After winning a few of them, everyone kept telling us, ‘Hey, this is a really big problem that our country and the world needs to solve,’ which motivated us to take it more seriously. So, shortly after graduating, we decided to become cofounders and brought on a third friend of ours from college to help us with the AI side of things. We raised $100,000 from our first ever investors, which felt like a lot of money at the time—we were all just 22 years old. We made that last more than a year until we got our first customers. And it’s been a wild ride since then.

When did this product officially hit the streets?

At the beginning of 2022, we started our first projects with municipalities and a few civil engineering firms in Massachusetts. Those were crazy days where the product barely worked, but we were determined to make it better and to keep getting feedback from the cities and towns we were working with, which was invaluable to us at time.

Do these sensors/vehicles operate as a service (i.e. SaaS)?

It’s an annual investment the cities make in our technology. What that gives them is access to the sensors, which they can put on their vehicle so they don’t need to buy them, and access to our software program, which is what’s taking all the data from the sensors, automatically processing it, doing the condition reports and then creating plans and budgets so the city can get to work with more speed and accuracy.

Was it hard to get cities to agree to bring this tech on board?

Yeah, it was incredibly hard. Imagine a 22-year-old placing cold calls into every single town or city in the state telling them, ‘Hey, I have a better way to manage your very expensive roads and sidewalks.’ There was a lot of skepticism—especially when they asked how many customers we had and we had to say zero. We got a lot of nos, but, slowly but surely, we started building a reputation. It’s still challenging these days, but I think that’s what’s really been special.

Cities do see immediate value when they start working with our technology. Now there’s less perceived risk when we can present them with data from working with some of the biggest cities in the nation. It was never easy, but, as with any business, you just have to keep pushing through.

What is the smallest/biggest city you’ve worked with?

We’ve worked all over Massachusetts, Iowa, Wisconsin in some pretty small communities, about 5,000 people or under. Our first big customer was the city of Atlanta. We partnered with them about a year and a half ago, and we were just selected by the city of Nashville to do a full five-year infrastructure plan. We have a few other big cities that we cannot formally announce yet, and we’re even beginning talks with some state DOTs.

How do you hope to see your company evolve?

I’d say our number one goal and our mission as a company is to enable government agencies to build infrastructure 90% faster and 50% cheaper than they’re doing today. And if we can encourage a digital-first standard, I’m sure there will be more companies like us popping up, and I’m sure some of the major civil engineering firms are going to start to embrace these technologies, too. If we can make that the de facto standard for the U.S. by 2030, that will be a huge accomplishment for us. We’re really trying to change an entire industry here, and we’re not going to do that alone. So, bringing more people along with that shared digital-first mentality and the new operating model for infrastructure is incredibly important.

How do you hope that your story might inspire the future of construction business owners and innovators?

I’ve been so fortunate just to be surrounded by mentors and advisors and friends that have been cheering for us, supporting us, rooting for us unconditionally, because the construction industry is definitely not the quickest to adopt technology and rightfully so—there are major risks on the line when you’re talking about critical infrastructure. I think for good reason people are conservative about trying new things.

My advice is simply ‘don’t give up.’ It’s very easy to be told no 99 times and to return to whatever you were doing in life before. But, I guarantee you, that if you just keep your mind to it, you don’t give up, you persist, whatever you’re working on, whether it’s a business in this industry or not, you’ll be successful. Then surround yourself with like-minded folks, because you need that positivity. You have to be a default optimist.

SEE ALSO: NEW WALL-SCALING ROBOTS ARE SAVING CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES TIME, PRODUCT AND PERSONNEL

The post Contech Company Cyvl Uses Vehicle-Mounted AI Sensors to Collect Fresh Data for Some of America’s Biggest Cities first appeared on Construction Executive.

On June 2, PCL Construction Enterprises Inc. announced the promotion of Rick Goldman to regional vice president, extending his proven leadership overseeing operations for Florida to include Minneapolis and PCL’s in-house theming contractor. With nearly three decades of experience and a career built entirely within PCL, Goldman’s expanded role reflects the company’s confidence in his leadership and its commitment to driving strategic growth across these key markets.

SUFFOLK HIRES SHELBY JOUBERT, DEEPENING ITS BAY AREA OPERATIONS EXPERTISE AND COMMITMENT TO CLIENT PARTNERSHIPS

On June 9, Suffolk hired Shelby Joubert as vice president of operations. The strategic addition underscores the company’s continued investments in experienced leadership as it expands its Bay Area presence and strengthens its ability to support clients on complex projects. Joubert will be based out of the San Francisco office and work closely with project teams and client partners, drawing on her significant preconstruction and operations background to enhance planning, collaboration, cost certainty and schedule predictability across the full project lifecycle.

NVENT NAMES CHIEF STRATEGY AND CHIEF REVENUE OFFICERS TO DRIVE NEXT PHASE OF GROWTH

On June 10, nVent Electric plc announced the appointment of Nitin Jain as executive vice president and chief strategy officer, and Joe Stark as executive vice president and chief revenue officer. Both leaders will report to chair and CEO Beth Wozniak.

Jain will lead nVent’s global strategy and business development, with responsibility for shaping the company’s strategy and accelerating growth through acquisitions. Stark will head nVent’s global sales organization, driving revenue growth and advancing the company’s One nVent sales approach. 

HOFFMAN ARCHITECTS + ENGINEERS ANNOUNCES PROMOTION OF ROBERT G. DELAGRANGE TO DIRECTOR, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

On June 10, Hoffman Architects announced senior business development manager for the Connecticut office, Robert Delagrange, will oversee business growth and client relationships firmwide, across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions and beyond. A resident of Oxford, Connecticut, Delagrange earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from UConn and an MBA from the University of New Haven. His leadership in industry organizations and volunteer work advocating for local landmarks have made him well known in south-central New England design and construction communities, and he will now expand that reach to greater New York and Washington DC.

HOAR CONSTRUCTION OPENS SAN ANGELO OFFICE

On June 10, Hoar Construction announced the opening of its new West Texas office. Hoar’s West Texas office currently houses 15 employees, many of whom have deep roots and grew up in the surrounding area. In addition to Project Manager Garrett Wheat, Superintendent Cody Mallory and Field Operations Coordinator Mindy Martin will oversee field operations and administration for the West Texas Office.

GILBANE BUILDING NAMES CHELSEA BEACOM AS WASHINGTON, D.C. BUSINESS LEADER

On June 15, Gilbane Building announced the promotion of Chelsea Beacom to business leader for its Washington, D.C. metro region operations. Beacom assumes the role following a succession planning process designed to support the Mid-Atlantic division’s continued growth across the region, strengthening Gilbane’s service to clients.

OWEN-AMES-KIMBALL WELCOMES 2026 SUMMER INTERN CLASS

On June 15, Owen-Ames-Kimball Company was pleased to welcome six college students to its 2026 Summer Internship Program.

This year’s internship class includes:

• Jackson Allaire–Florida Gulf Coast University
• William Ramos–Florida Gulf Coast University
• Jose Santos–Florida International University
• Blake Ware–Florida Gulf Coast University
• Bruno Smith–Louisiana State University
• Ian Miller–Florida Gulf Coast University, returning intern

Throughout the summer, interns will be assigned to active construction projects across Southwest Florida, working alongside experienced project managers, superintendents, engineers and field teams to gain firsthand experience in commercial construction management.

SUFFOLK HIRES HEALTHCARE LEADER MELISSA KIEFER TO ADVANCE GROWING HEALTHCARE AND LIFE SCIENCES PORTFOLIO

On June 16, Suffolk hired Melissa Kiefer as vice president of strategy, strengthening the company’s healthcare and life sciences efforts across New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. The strategic addition comes as healthcare systems continue to modernize facilities, expand access to care and navigate increasingly complex capital programs requiring deep expertise in clinical environments, operational continuity and regulatory requirements.

CLAYCO APPOINTS AI LEADER ZACK KASS TO BOARD OF ADVISORS

On June 16, Clayco announced the appointment of former OpenAI executive Zack Kass to its board of advisors. As Clayco continues to invest in innovation, data-driven decision-making and next-generation technologies across the built environment, Kass will provide strategic guidance on artificial intelligence, digital transformation and the future of work.

WESCO ANNOUNCES PROMOTION OF JARED HOOVER TO VICE PRESIDENT OF CONSTRUCTION SOLUTIONS

On June 18, Wesco International announced that Jared Hoover has been appointed as vice president of construction solutions. This move aligns with Wesco’s foundational strategy to extend the organization’s industry-leading scale and help customers navigate ongoing challenges associated with complex capital projects.

WESCO ANNOUNCES BRIAN SOLOWAY AS GULF REGION LEADER FOR INDUSTRIAL, CONSTRUCTION, OEM AND EPC SEGMENTS

On June 23, Wesco International announced that Brian Soloway has joined the company as vice president of sales for the Gulf region across the industrial, construction, OEM and engineering, procurement and construction segments. This role is critical to accelerating growth in one of Wesco’s most strategically important markets.

JEFF ALLEN APPOINTED SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, AMERICAS WEST AT BURNS & MCDONNELL

On June 24, Burns & McDonnell promoted Jeff Allen to senior vice president for the Americas West. In this role, he will lead the firm’s California, Mountain and Southwest regions, overseeing operations across engineering, construction, consulting and environmental services for clients in the energy, infrastructure and buildings markets. Allen will also continue to lead the firm’s self-perform construction operations nationwide.

SEE ALSO: NEW NAMES AND FACES: MAY 2026

The post New Names and Faces: June 2026 first appeared on Construction Executive.

What drew you into the entrepreneurial world?

I’ve been in construction my whole life starting at age 14 or 15. I worked in Lubbock framing apartments and learning all the ins and outs of how not to hurt yourself. Ultimately, after I graduated college, I tried all kinds of different jobs.

I ended up at a company in Grand Prairie, Texas, called Read Plastics. I had to wear a suit and tie and work indoors. We supplied colorant to any company throughout the U.S. that would manufacture a plastic product that had color. One of the companies that we supplied material to was called Sport Court out of Salt Lake City. So, I picked up the phone and gave them a call—fortunately it was family owned back then. They said for $250 they’d send me a [sport court starter] kit. So, I scrambled up $250, sent it on in, and that’s how it got started. That was around 1988, 1989—and I’ve just enjoyed the journey so far.

While sport courts themselves are prolific, construction-wise they are down a pretty niche avenue. Elaborate on the actual construction process of building a court.

It starts with a phone call or a referral. We talk to the family or business briefly about what they’re looking for, how many people will be using the court, what sports they are looking to play, etc. And then we work on setting up a time and a date to go out and meet with the client at their home or business, paying close attention to easements, HOA requirements, permitting, etc. If mother nature isn’t an issue, we can get permitted pretty quickly once we start breaking ground—typically about 45 days or less.

Then we work on design: If it’s outdoors, that means paying attention to the lay of the land, the flow of water, the orientation of the sun at different times of day. Once the design is set, we come in and pour a concrete slab, which sets up for a few days. Then we can start topping it out with the fencing, the lights, the hoops, the surfacing, the tennis net, the shuffleboard lines or other. Then it’s a cleanup, a handshake and years of fun.

All these courts are built custom, in one-foot increments, whether it’s a full-size tennis court or a compact sport court—which allows you to play up to 15 games from roller hockey to basketball to volleyball to pickleball to paddle tennis to badminton and more.

We do a lot of indoor courts, as well. We are seeing a trend of more and more families doing indoor courts, especially in homes up in Minnesota where they have frigid temperatures, or in incredibly hot climates. We actually have a ribbon cutting tomorrow with the Mavs Foundation—we supplied the floor and the sports equipment for the YMCA in Flower Mound.

Do you do work with any multifamily complexes or retail places?

We have an individual in our office who specializes in that area. There’s a huge amount of development going on in North Texas right now with homes, community homes, apartments, etc. We are staying busy every week building commercial pickleball courts, basketball courts, tennis courts.

How has your company grown since you first started?

Early on, it was just me and my dad. Eventually, I met my wife and she came on board and took care of all the stuff that I wasn’t doing properly—I had shoe boxes in our bedroom where I kept all my receipts. She got me organized and started handling the phones, entering in leads and more, and that enabled me to go out and continue to sell and build and so forth. Over the years we went from three people to now 12 employees, so it’s grown a lot. And of course our business seems to keep growing as well.

We want to continue to grow. We are always looking at potential new products and partnerships. Ten years ago, we teamed up with Donnie Nelson of the Dallas Mavericks. He created the PFL, the Professional Futsal League, and we helped promote that league for him and it just slowly keeps growing and growing and growing. And we’ve partnered with FC Dallas, building eight mini-pitch soccer courts for them. We are always looking for ways to grow our business, and a lot of that’s going to have to do with making sure that we know what’s coming down the pike as far as new sports and new equipment and things of that nature.

Talk about your philanthropy efforts—namely the Nonprofit and Corporate Citizenship Award from D CEO magazine—but also where did these efforts originate? Was this always something you wanted to make part of your business plan?

It started probably 25 years ago with the Mavs Foundation. I learned that they would go out once a year and renovate an old basketball court. And I actually saw them doing that in South Dallas 25 years ago. What they were doing back then is taking an old basketball court and then putting a layer of paint on it. But in six months to a year, that paint would either peel or crack or the logos would fade. So, I introduced them to the modular-tile sport court product, and they thankfully said, ‘You know what, let’s try one.’ 25 years later, we’ve completed probably close to 40 courts now with the Mavs Foundation.

Then I became a sponsor of the Texas Legends in Frisco, the NBA G-League team. I did a court for Pat Summerall, the former pro-football player and sports announcer. Then I met Nancy Lieberman, the former pro-basketball player and coach, and she put together a program called Dream Courts, and we built her very first one 17 years ago in Frisco. And now she’s done 150 nationwide, and we’ve done about 50 of those locally.

It just kept blossoming: We did five or six ball-hockey courts for the Dallas Stars Foundation, and we’ve done about eight futsal courts for FC Dallas.

By partnering with these organizations and groups, we’re able to provide that same upper echelon product and design to the lower income communities that normally might just be playing on a painted slab or an asphalt court.

When you go look at an old basketball court that’s been there for 25 years, the rims are faded, they’re broken, the court’s cracked. For an organization to come in and use a high-end product, the before and after pictures are unbelievable. When the local kids who are used to the dilapidated court walk in and see this color—because it comes in 20 different colors—they are just so excited to see what someone’s given back to them.

From there, we got into donating courts to some of these nonprofit groups for their live auctions. The very first one I did was with the Children’s Cancer Fund of Dallas. It just so happened at that first event, Dak Prescott was the highest bidder. So, we built him a pickleball court. Then Dak Prescott’s foundation—Faith. Fight. Finish.—called and said, ‘Hey, will you do that for us?’ So, we have stayed active in that realm.

How do you instill that sense of philanthropy in the people you hire?

When a court’s donated, obviously we have to fund it. And I’m not as young as I used to be, so I tend to ask one of my sales reps. It’s worth their while because every time you build a court, you build a relationship with a family or business and that family or business has relationships with other families or business associates.

Right now, we just finished a court for someone who was the highest bidder at the Cattle Baron’s Ball in Dallas. It turns out we’re actually doing a big basketball court and a little football field in his neighbor’s home, whose best friend and wife are this year’s chair of Make-A-Wish. So, to give the employees and give the sales reps stories to tell is a big part of selling.

Of course, the benefits of getting involved in a lot of these groups and organizations is you often get invited to events, and we make sure that our employees and their family can come to these events, which is always a lot of fun as well.

Let’s talk about the award.

This is the benefit of having a PR firm like The Power Group. One of the things they started doing that I never would’ve thought of doing is to nominate the company for various awards like this one. So, I have to give 100% of the credit to The Power Group in Dallas.

When you received word that you got the award, how did you feel about that?

Well, I felt excited. Finally, I found an avenue where people can educate families and educate the public about what we do. Hopefully there’ll be a family that sees it, and we can help them build something for their kids to grow up with in their own backyard.

We were also just awarded a contract to build seven mini-pitch soccer courts for the North Texas World Cup Committee. So, we’re very excited about that. It’s probably going to be over 40,000 square feet of court surfacing, fencing, soccer goals. I grew up in Arlington, Texas, playing soccer, and one of the courts is going to be right in downtown Arlington, real close to where the games are going to be starting in June. The World Cup coming to DFW is a once-in-a-lifetime thing, but then being awarded that contract is just something else.

SEE ALSO: TRUSTING THE PIPELINE: SUPPORTING EARLY-CAREER CONSTRUCTION TALENT

The post Build a Court, Give a Court: Dallas Business Founder’s Philanthropy and Construction Efforts Culminate in World Cup Spotlight first appeared on Construction Executive.

“We realize how necessary it is to get in front of students at a young age to let them know our industry exists and that there are a multitude of careers available,” says Helen Robinson, chair of the DFI Educational Trust and vice president of GEI Consultants Inc.

The trust serves as the charitable arm of DFI—an international association of contractors, engineers, manufacturers, suppliers, academics and owners in the geotechnical construction industry.

Over the past 20 years, more than 700 students and young professionals—geoprofessionals involved in the design and construction of foundations, excavations, ground improvement and tunneling—have received scholarships and grants across the United States and Canada, which includes many international students studying in North America.

“We always get a very high caliber of candidates, so it’s very difficult to make the scholarship selections,” Robinson says.

Recipients of the scholarships are enrolled full time at U.S. and Ontario, Canada-based colleges or universities and are pursuing undergraduate or graduate degrees related to the field. Spring scholarships range from $2,000 to $5,000. “A $5,000 scholarship is wonderful, but we’d love to do even more,” says Robinson.

“We’re always trying to quantify the impact and determine how we can use the funds more effectively. It’s a challenge because the cost of getting an engineering degree continues to increase,” she says.

Since 2006, the trust has awarded nearly $2.7 million in scholarships and grants through 24 funds, including the spring offerings for At-Large Scholarship Program and Women in Deep Foundations Professional Development Grants Fund.

Recognizing diversity gaps within the industry, DFI’s Women in Deep Foundations Committee worked with the trust to create an initiative to support professional growth and industry engagement among women involved in geotechnical design, manufacturing and construction.

The grant awards recipients $1,750 and provides a complimentary opportunity to attend DFI’s Annual Conference on Deep Foundations in Orlando, Florida—helping expand networking and career development opportunities.

“Over the past 15 years or so, we’ve seen real progress for women in the industry,” Robinson says. “But there’s always more we can do, especially when it comes to supporting parents starting young families.”

Despite strong career potential, the geotechnical industry is not usually at the forefront of students and parents’ minds. A lack of awareness around the field’s opportunities continues to impact recruitment.

“There’s so much work to be done. We are working to educate parents and students who may be interested in the field,” says Robinson. “Not everyone needs to go to college. You can make a good living, be part of a team and be very successful without that path. We want young people to know that.”

Retention is another growing concern.

“People in the industry are getting burned out because we can’t keep up, and some are seeking lower-stress jobs. It creates a cycle,” she says. “Geotechnical work has a reputation for people getting dirty, and the tools or lab testing may not seem as exciting.”

The solution? Supporting the next generation of professionals in the geotechnical industry with access, awareness and opportunity.

“We need to change the image of professions in the industry to reflect innovation,” says Robinson. “It’s not just about moving dirt—it’s an exciting and highly challenging field, and the world is built on the work we do.”

SEE ALSO: A BEACON OF HOPE: JOSEPH GROH FOUNDATION’S NEWEST GRANT RECIPIENT

The post Trusting the Pipeline: Supporting Early-Career Construction Talent first appeared on Construction Executive.

Joining them this year is the inaugural recipient of ABC’s Health and Safety Professional of the Year award—a safety leader whose commitment to protecting people and strengthening jobsite culture is helping shape a safer, stronger industry for all.

These outstanding professionals are the 2026 recipients of ABC’s Construction Workforce Awards, presented at ABC Convention 2026 in March. Each year, the CWAs recognize individuals who are making a lasting impact on the future of construction through leadership, education, mentorship, safety and an unwavering commitment to the merit shop philosophy.

The 2026 honorees are:

• Health and Safety Professional of the Year: Introduced in 2026 and sponsored by Milwaukee Tool, this inaugural award recognizes an industry leader who champions safety excellence, advances health and safety culture and demonstrates an exceptional commitment to protecting the construction workforce. The first-ever honoree is Jenny Ferdinand-Stong.
• Young Professional of the Year: Sponsored by Procore, this award recognizes a construction professional under 40 who demonstrates exceptional leadership, career achievement and vision for the future of the commercial and industrial construction industry. This year’s recipient is Nyoki Mokeba.
• Craft Instructor of the Year: Sponsored by the National Center for Construction Education and Research and Tradesmen International, this award honors an instructor who inspires the next generation through innovation, communication skills and a passion for lifelong learning in the trades. This year’s recipient is Tatton Kilmer.
• Craft Professional of the Year: Sponsored by NCCER and Tradesmen International, this award recognizes a craft professional who excels in the field while demonstrating leadership, dedication to safety, passion for the trades and commitment to workforce development. This year’s recipient is Jason White.

If these professionals are any indication of where the industry is headed, the future of construction is in very capable hands.

Read these award winner’s full profiles:

Jenny Ferdinand-Stong, 2026 Health and Safety Professional of the Year

Nyoki Mokeba, 2026 Young Professional of the Year

Tatton Kilmer, 2026 Craft Instructor of the Year

Jason White, 2026 Craft Professional of the Year

SEE ALSO: META, ABC FORM PARTNERSHIP TO LAUNCH ACADEMY TO TRAIN AND CREATE JOBS FOR CONSTRUCTION CRAFT PROFESSIONALS

The post Excellence in Action: ABC’s 2026 Construction Workforce Awards first appeared on Construction Executive.