Relentless Ally since 1998

Andy has been with the company for over 20 years and in the construction industry for more than 30. He has worked with both the Portland and Seattle teams in project management and has successfully led numerous large projects. Most recently, Andy has been instrumental to the success of a Campus Modernization project in Washington. In addition to his hard work and dedication contributing to the Northwest’s success, Andy is also a great asset to the division’s culture and sense of family.

The Responsibility of Protecting Your Team

Every workplace has its unique cast of characters, mainstays that feel as much a part of the company’s culture and structure as the company leadership. Not every workplace, however, can say their company veterans are in the business of saving lives every day. That’s exactly what Balfour Beatty safety professionals like Luis Torres do on jobsites across the country, combining expertise, pride in their work and relationship building to keep workers safe.

Industry-Leading Safety Leadership

Luis is a jobsite safety carpenter, but he’s not just any carpenter. His tenure with Balfour Beatty spans nearly three decades, and in that time, he’s carefully honed his skills as a carpenter and his knack for developing innovative safety solutions. He’s a known quantity on every job – someone so trusted that his teammates have affectionally given him the title “Safety Luis.”

A well-earned title it is. Luis’s handiwork caught the attention of a Balfour Beatty safety leader, on a recent visit to the Alfond Inn project in Winter Park, Florida. On the jobsite, a sprawling 75,000-square-foot addition to the boutique hotel, Luis had constructed a set of temporary elevator guardrails.

The quality of the installation was evident at first sight. Each had clearly been constructed by a professional who deeply cared about their work and the impact it would have on worker safety.

In this case, the elevator enclosure went above and beyond the standards mandated by OSHA, Balfour Beatty and our construction elevator trade partner in Florida. While providing essential safety protections, it also featured removable sections and stowable netting, allowing different parts of the enclosure to be temporarily moved to suit different loads over the course of the job. On top of that, the entire guardrail structure was both modular and removable, so Luis’s hard work can be re-used on a future elevator thereby creating greater workflow efficiencies and reducing waste.

Luis’s responsibilities as a construction safety carpenter and the responsibilities of his peers on other jobsites don’t end with elevator guardrails and enclosures, of course. Safety carpenters build walkways, guardrails, work platforms, scaffolding and much more, all essential components of making jobsites safer for Balfour Beatty teammates, trade partners and any visitors. Alongside personal protective equipment (PPE) and established safety rules and standards, their work is on the frontlines of construction safety.

Tenured and Trusted

In his decades on construction sites, “Safety Luis” has established himself as someone our workers and trade partners can trust, as evidenced by his tenure, his demand on jobsites and his role which has grown to encompass mentoring Balfour Beatty safety carpenters across the country.

“He’s easily worked on at least a hundred different projects over the years, and his work is truly first-class,” says Jonathan Pearch, project executive. “When Luis is on the job, we know he’s going to anticipate safety needs others may not see, often going above and beyond to provide the safest possible working environment for everyone on the site. He always has the ‘what’ covered and can build anything you ask him to, but when given a task, he thinks about the ‘why’ and finds creative, safe solutions to meet the need.”

It’s only fitting that Luis has also taken his safety sixth sense outside his usual southeast region, guiding and teaching safety carpenters as far afield as jobsites in Texas. On every job, Luis truly cares about the safety of his teammates – he knows what he’s there to do and he takes pride in executing that job with excellence.

Across a career so vast, in terms of both projects and years worked, construction safety standards have naturally changed immensely and for the better, but that accumulation of knowledge is one of Luis’s greatest assets.

“He may have been able to do his job in sneakers and shorts back in the day,” Jonathan jokes, “but there’s no doubt the industry absolutely has changed. Luis has adapted to those changes and, in many ways, pushed us even further toward safer jobsites.”

The vital expertise of Luis and Balfour Beatty safety carpenters everywhere exemplifies Balfour Beatty’s commitment to leading the construction industry in safety. 

Foundations of Trust

Whether she is anticipating the needs of trade partners, advocating for marginalized communities or lending a guiding hand to new teammates, Megan Cook-Eichelberger is building relationships to last.

At Balfour Beatty, our people-first culture is engrained in everything we do. From our decision-making to the ways in which we collaborate, we believe that the relationships we form with our clients, industry partners and fellow team members are paramount to everyone’s success. For Megan Cook-Eichelberger, a project manager in Portland, Oregon, relationship building is the key to consistently meeting project goals, producing meaningful results and ensuring that everyone has a seat at the table.   

Megan began her career in general contracting eight years ago as a traveling field engineer, but her experience in the industry goes back much further than that. Her father owned a drywall finishing business, so Megan was introduced to jobsite environments at a young age.

While working at her father’s business after high school, Megan not only developed a strong work ethic but also learned the importance of creating a workplace culture grounded in the values of respect and collaboration. “It’s not just the people on your own team,” she says. “Everyone you interact with, from your design team to your clients to your trade partners, plays such an important role in how you show up to work every day.” 

Since joining Howard S. Wright (HSW), a Balfour Beatty company, in 2019, Megan has found that building strong relationships allows her to collaborate with her teammates and partners more effectively and navigate conflicts when they inevitably arise. When teams have already established a foundation of trust, she maintains, they feel empowered to bring difficult topics to the table and identify the best solutions for the team and project.

Advocating for Trade Partners 

Through these experiences, Megan has developed a deeply personal understanding of the challenges trade partners experience and has become a staunch advocate and ally for their growth and development. She doesn’t consider a project successful unless everyone involved—the project team, clients and trade partners—is satisfied with the results. 

Megan is also committed to championing small and local businesses. Through collaborating with minority, women and emerging small businesses (MWESB), she and her teammates help remove barriers to success. The Block 216 project, on which Megan serves as project manager, has presented a “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity for some local MWESB businesses. 

Projects of this size are rare in Portland; the building will total 1.1 million square-feet and construction is slated to span more than four years. Many small and emerging businesses may not have the experience or personnel to successfully execute scopes of this magnitude or complexity. Megan and the team implemented a right-size system to simultaneously meet our diversity, equity and inclusion goals along with the client’s: rather than issuing contracts to a single subcontractor for an entire scope package, the project team asks the partners what scope of work they can take on and allocates portions of the project accordingly. By applying this approach, the Block 216 project team is also stimulating the local economy by providing more jobs to local residents. 

Cultivating Inclusion

In addition to mentoring small businesses, Megan gives back to the women of Balfour Beatty and the greater Portland community. She currently leads her local chapter of the company’s Connecting Women employee affinity group, a role that has allowed her to partner with organizations such as Oregon Tradeswomen and Dress for Success that empower women in the construction industry and beyond.

Throughout her years in the industry, Megan has witnessed changing cultural dynamics that have resulted in a positive trend toward acceptance and inclusion. She considers herself fortunate that during her entire tenure with HSW, she’s always been able to bring her authentic self to the workplace. Megan prioritizes diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) initiatives in hopes that everyone is afforded the same opportunity. 

 “I’ve learned so much just by showing up,” she maintains. “By listening first, you start to understand what a community needs and how to implement change in a way that is equitable and sustainable over the long-term.” 

Developing Within

In addition to building a stronger, more inclusive construction industry, Megan seeks out opportunities to nurture the growth and development of her own teammates. She shares her experiences and lessons she’s learned throughout her career but stresses the importance of innovation. 

“Every project has milestones to meet, but I try to remind the team that there are lots of ways to deliver for our client,” Megan asserts. “We always want to look for new solutions and ways to achieve our goals more with greater efficiency and value. It’s important to me that my teammates know that we encourage creative problem-solving.” 

Megan’s extensive industry experience helps her mentor fellow teammates, but perhaps her greatest strength is her ability to put herself in others’ shoes. Whether she is anticipating the needs of trade partners, advocating for marginalized communities or lending a guiding hand to new teammates, Megan’s empathy makes her a great champion for others and allows her to lay a strong foundation of trust on which she is building relationships to last.

Relentless Ally since 2005

Dennis Kuykendall joined Balfour Beatty in 2005 as senior project manager. In the years since, he has increasingly taken on new responsibilities being elevated to project executive. With 25 years of industry experience, Dennis has successfully managed complex, multi-million dollar projects, primarily in the K-12, civic and healthcare market sectors.

Relentless Ally since 2004

With nearly 30 years of industry experience, Jeff has provided operational leadership to clients in both the public and private sectors on a variety of projects including tenant improvements, additions, expansions, renovations, and large ground up core and shell. Jeff’s collaborative style and strong communication skills have established him as a proven leader and a relentless ally for his clients. Jeff holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Virginia Tech.

Relentless Ally since 2013

Trent’s leadership has been instrumental in nurturing Balfour Beatty’s long-standing relationship with valued aviation clients and executing on the challenges of working in an active airport environment. Since joining Balfour Beatty in 2013, his home away from home has been RDU, building over 1 million square-feet for his hometown airport. Trent holds a degree in Construction Engineering Management from North Carolina State University.

Relentless Ally since 2018

As Director Florida's Special Projects Group, Henry is a master of seamless project execution. With a focus on operational efficiency, he excels in managing fast-track projects without disruption. Advocating for each client, he delivers an unparalleled, people-centric experience. Henry's expertise in renovating corporate interiors, high-end resorts and active theme parks makes him a top industry expert, ensuring your project receives the finest guidance. Henry joined Balfour Beatty in 2018 on the Sesame Street at SeaWorld Orlando project, which transformed an aging attraction into a modern entertainment experience complete with immersive play areas, vibrantly themed rides, and one-of-a-kind interactive experiences based on the long-running children’s show. 

Relentless Ally since 2008

Business Development Director Chad Humphrey's main responsibilities include strategic business planning throughout the Triangle, community engagement, and business acquisition. Chad’s ability to convene collaborative and high-performing teams coupled with his operations background has strengthened the experiences that our team provides to clients. His forward-thinking approach and community-oriented mindset have fostered collaborations that are purposeful in strengthening our region while contributing to the success of his clients, partners, and team. He is a true Relentless Ally.  

Relentless Ally since 2014

Tom Booth brings three decades of experience to his role and has worked on some of the most notable projects across the Southeast region spanning the corporate office, higher education, healthcare, hospitality and public/civic markets. Tom holds a degree in civil engineering from UNC-Charlotte and has received a number of professional accolades.

Relentless Ally since 2002

Vice President of Operations Shelly Goodwin provides unparalleled field experience. Looking at safety through an operations focus, on the premise of planning, is a differentiator Shelly brings to every project he works on. He is a well-respected leader by his peers and in the local communities he’s served for more than 30 years.

Relentless Ally since 1995

With more than 30 years of experience, Tony is a shining example of not only setting high-performance standards, but also providing the leadership to meet them. Tony has strong field supervisory experience, including monitoring subcontractors and craft employees. He has a BS in building construction and contracting from Purdue University. 

Relentless Ally since 2005

Colby is a thirty-year industry veteran who has built an impressive portfolio of public projects. He has spent the past decade as a campus mainstay at UNC-Wilmington, where he has successfully delivered renovations, new construction and P3 projects. Colby brings an unwavering commitment to safety with many of his projects completing with zero recordable incidents. He holds a degree in Construction Engineering Management from Utah Valley State College.

Relentless Ally since 1999

As project executive with more than two decades of experience, Kurtis oversees the construction management of numerous construction projects located throughout Central Florida. Building more than $800 million in local projects in his career, his "team player" approach maintains a relentless focus on meeting and exceeding customer needs and expectations. Some of his most notable projects include the Lake Nona Wave Hotel and the University of Central Florida College of Medicine.

Relentless Ally since 2004

Don Rolfe has been estimating for more than 25 years, and half of his career has been spent at Balfour Beatty. His experience spans K-12 and higher education, retail, public facilities, multifamily housing, entertainment venues and sports arenas. As chief estimator in the Orlando office, his wealth of experience and subcontractor relationships help produce effective estimating efforts.

Relentless Ally since 1998

With over two decades of construction experience under his belt, Dave is a multi-faceted industry veteran in his field. As project executive, he oversees the construction management of numerous projects located throughout the Jacksonville area. Dave thrives on ensuring overall project success through all aspects of the project to ensure seamless project delivery. A true community advocate, his local knowledge, long-standing relationships, and success in the Jacksonville market help provide exceptional value to his clients.

Relentless Ally since 2010

With a portfolio that includes some of the most impressive spaces and places across the Carolinas, Taylor develops and maintains strong relationships with clients, owners, designers and trade partners. Taylor has spent his entire career with Balfour Beatty with a primary focus on serving corporate interior clients. He holds a degree in Construction Science and Management from Clemson University.