director of operations, M.A. Mortenson Company
Company: M. A. Mortenson Company
Title: Director of operations
Education: Bachelor of science, construction management, Colorado State University
Family: Wife, Keri
City of Residence: Hartland
Hobbies and Interests: "Any type of home improvement and working out."
What are you working on? "A wide variety of projects across Wisconsin, and also in Ohio and Virginia. I focus on the right staffing, management and execution of all our projects regardless of size, scope or complexity. It’s important that each of our customers receive the Mortenson Experience – which we believe is a better building experience."
How does the market look to you? "Great. From an operational perspective, we’ve never enjoyed such a strong backlog. It’s a great time to be in the building business. And, innovative. It’s amazing to see the tools being deployed to take building to the next level. It’s incredibly rewarding to be part of an innovative company that embraces change and looks for better ways to deliver our services."
What was the best deal you’ve ever been involved in? "In 2001, I was working at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri. A TWA McDonnell Douglas MD-80 had to make an emergency landing on the base due to some engine issues. The next day, one of the TWA maintenance managers said he needed to talk with me immediately. Come to find out, he wanted to rent Mortenson’s crane to replace the MD-80’s engine. I, along with our superintendent, worked all through a Friday night and put in the new engine. Let’s just say that we weren’t exactly cheap, but we made sure the job got done so that the plane avoided the scrap pile."
What was the funniest moment of your career? "I was working on the Minuteman II Missile Silo Dismantlement as part of the START II program (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) in central Missouri. During an implosion, I was with a group of people and we literally had to dive under my truck to avoid some of the debris. It wasn’t at all harmful, but just funny to have to run from our own work!"
