It's been a fast and furious four years for Sandy-based Layton Construction since it merged December 23, 2019, with New-York based STO Building Group (formerly Structure Tone Organization), the impetus of which came about as a way for the firm to give every employee ownership opportunity via a stock program. That was ultimately important to David S. Layton, 61, President/CEO of Layton Construction since 2004—a way for him to show his genuine appreciation to the many loyal people that have helped grow the firm from a primarily western regional general contractor into an industry-leader nationally, with ongoing projects in 27 states and annual revenues pushing the once unthinkable $4 billion mark. Layton is a unique corporate leader with all the requisite traits and characteristics needed to oversee a steadily growing company of 1,500 employees. He has a jovial, upbeat, friendly-neighbor-next-door personality, which makes him easily approachable. He's a true visionary, and he expects those working with him to be self-starters, while simultaneously coaching up employees to maximize their potential. As the youngest of 10 children, Layton grew up in the family business aware of the possibility that he'd be tasked to lead the company one day, provided he proved his mettle along the way. Father Alan W. Layton founded Layton Construction in 1953 and was a true throwback from what is commonly referred to as the "Greatest Generation"—people born between 1900-1925, many of whom valiantly fought in World War II. He was a U.S. Army Captain during WWII and led his artillery battery during the legendary Battle of the Bulge. Brother Alan S. Layton was also a valuable mentor to Layton and served as President/CEO of the company from 1985 to 2004. When Layton took over the reins from Alan, Layton Construction enjoyed status as a perennial top three Utah-headquartered general contractor, often ranking first in total annual revenues. Since that point, firm revenues have exploded ten-fold—2021 revenues were a company record $3.86 billion; 2022 revenues were $3.51 billion—gaudy numbers that just a decade ago would have seemed incomprehensible for a Utah-based contractor to hit, and, if submitted independently, would be good enough to put the firm in the 30s in ENR’s Top 400 rankings. Layton’s revenue is included with STO Building Group’s ranking at No. 5. Layton earned a Bachelor of Civil Engineering from Brigham Young University in 1988 and a Harvard Business School executive management certificate in 2000 after completing an extensive three-year program with top executives from around the world. He has served in many community capacities, including on the boards of the Utah Sports Commission, the Hale Centre Theatre, and is a current board member of the Salt Lake City Committee for the Olympic Games. Layton has also contributed significant time and money to the University of Utah as a member of the U's National advisory council, National Athletics advisory board, the College of Engineering National advisory board, and the University Healthcare Board of Trustees. Two buildings at the U even bear his name: the David S. Layton Golf Academy (opened January 2021) and the Julie M. & David S. Layton Field Club within the Ken Garff Red Zone section. David and Julie are the parents of six children and 14 grandchildren. UC&D Publisher Brad Fullmer recently conducted an exclusive interview with Layton, to get his take on the company's past, present and future, and where he sees himself in ten years. UC&D: It's been a brave new world for Layton Construction, given the merger with STO Building Group nearly four years ago. What are some of your thoughts on where the company is now, as you celebrate 70 years of construction excellence? Layton: 70 years is a long time! I give my dad a lot of credit for being willing to quit his job at the Bureau of Reclamation, and with a small, growing family say, "I'm going to start a construction business". My father had a strong work ethic—he worked as a teenager in agricultural fields, worked for the railroad. Also the youngest of 10 children (born in 1917), he was helping support his family during the Depression. He taught us to work hard. And if you love hard work, start a construction business (laughs). He picked a hard one, but he leaned into it. He knew how to bring a team together and make things happen. He was an all-state athlete, played varsity basketball at the University of Utah in the late 30s, and was a captain in the Army. He led his men across France, into Belgium as they were engaged in the Battle of the Bulge. My dad was a real leader. Part of the reason for the success of our business is his ability to lead people to accomplish great things. He had a lot of sayings, including "Say what you do; do what you say". Construction was the end game, but work was the means that got us there. And I'm still working (laughs)! UC&D: Was it a given that you would work for the family business? Layton: Of course! Construction was the family business, much like a family farm is a family business—it's what we did. It was well understood that I would go into the family business because we're builders—this is what we do! At a very young age I pushed a broom, I picked up boards as a laborer, I got exposed to many aspects of our industry as a teenager and as a carpenter. We knew that we were contractors. UC&D: While you were earning a Bachelor of Civil Engineering from BYU in the late 80s, you had the opportunity to work as an Assistant Superintendent on a Layton Construction project—a combustion lab on the BYU campus. What do you recall about that project? Layton: I had to know that project inside and out—the scope of work, the details, the schedule, the expectations of our clients, and what was important to the subcontractors. I had to be a student of the project so I could provide some leadership. It was a bit of a laboratory for me, having the luxury of a project on campus where I was getting an education. It was a smaller remodel project, but it had all the elements of a bigger project on a scale I could get my arms around and understand. I also learned a lot of language I hadn't heard before (laughs)! UC&D: After graduating, you worked full-time for Layton Construction, which had transitioned at that point to being led by your brother, Alan. What do you recall about the 90s and your first decade as a professional? Layton: Dad was still around and still in charge, but he was smart enough to start that transition process with my brother letting him take the reins of the business. When I got out of college, I moved to Nevada to work on a state prison project in Ely, which evolved into a superintendent role. In 1990, I got a phone call from my brother who said, "move back to town, you're going to be the chief estimator." I didn't know anything about estimating, but it was a fresh opportunity. At the time, we were a family-owned general contracting firm, hard bidding projects, competing on price and trying to win with strategy and relationships. Through the early 90s, the emergence of construction management (CM) at-risk began to unfold in the State of Utah. I started going out and meeting with clients and working towards negotiating projects instead of bidding projects. Throughout the 90s, my role progressed from being an estimator to being the head of preconstruction and business development—bringing opportunities in the door, getting projects priced up and transitioned to a project team. In the late 90s, one of our board members suggested I be given the responsibility for the Phoenix office—that's where I got, really, the first independent leadership role [...] and became President of Layton Southwest in 1998. That opportunity really gave me the chance to expand my leadership skills in preparation for what ultimately was the opportunity in 2004 to lead of the whole company. It was very much a progression of one day you're going to be leading the company, so let’s get you prepared for that responsibility so that you have the skills to be able to successfully lead the organization. It wasn't a gift, wasn't an entitlement, just opportunity. UC&D: You thrived professionally during your six-plus years leading the Phoenix office (1998-04) and helped the company grow substantially. How was that experience? Layton: After my first full week, I came home and told Julie, “There’s a part of me saying it's going to be the easiest thing in the world, because I know what we needed to do, but I know it's going to be really hard, because there was so much to do." We needed to grow our business and over a five-year period we went from $15 million in annual revenue to $150 million, which put us more on the map, and in the minds of clients. The ability to lead the organization was founded primarily in the minds and hearts of the people you have to lead. I had demonstrated the necessary skills so when my brother departed the business, it was natural for the employees to say, "We're in good hands." And we've spent the last 20 years demonstrating that we could do it.

For more than seven decades, Brigham City-based Whitaker Construction has carved out its place—one methodical bucketload of dirt at a time— as one of the most capable, innovative, and hard-working firms plying its trade in the civil/municipal/utility construction arena throughout the Intermountain region. The company was founded in 1953 by Jim Whitaker, a hard-working, savvy businessman who pivoted from the sand and gravel industry to the world of underground construction and building critical infrastructure systems. Jim's three sons—Bob, Dennis, and Rick—all performed key roles for the company over their respective lengthy careers topping 50+ years. Bob succeeded Jim as President in the late 80s and remained in that role until 2003, followed by Rick, who served in that capacity from 2003-17. Bob's son Mike was the first third-generation President of the company, serving from 2017-21. As the company celebrates its 70th anniversary this year, it sees itself having firmly transitioned to the next generation of leadership, with ironically nary a Whitaker to be found on the 10-member Executive Team for the first time in its long history, led by Brett Nielsen, who was named President in 2021. Nielsen started as a laborer in 1992 and gradually learned all facets of the business and construction process, compiling an impressive industry acumen over 31 years. As the company's fifth president Nielsen is resolute in carrying on the "Whitaker Way" of doing business—which includes a focus on empowering employees and maximizing their potential. Judd Hamson is the firm's Executive Vice President with 32-plus years at the company, serving in many key roles including Project Manager, Senior Estimator and VP of Business Development. The rest of the Executive Team includes: Shane Albrecht, Sr. VP of Construction, Brandon Blanchard, VP of Heavy Civil Operations; Brent Hunziker, VP of Natural Gas Operations; Ken Hamson, VP of Water/Wastewater Operations; Dave Wickam, VP of Equipment Operations; Rex Keller, VP of Business Operations; Rhett Tatton, VP of HSE/Risk Management; Ryan Vaughn, VP of Human Resources. Whitaker has consistently been at the top of annual revenue numbers for municipal/utility general contractors in Utah, with annual revenues now eclipsing the $200 million mark and ambitious goals for consistent growth in those numbers. In the past five years revenues have more than doubled, from $109.8 million in 2018 (first time the company cracked nine figures) to $242 million in 2022. Nielsen said the company is poised to exceed $250 million this year, with a healthy backlog lined up for the next 2-3 years. Whitaker specializes in all major utility and civil infrastructure markets, including sanitary sewer, storm drain, culinary water, irrigation, earthwork, roadway construction, dams, landfills, natural gas pipelines, industrial piping, and telecommunications projects, operating primarily in seven western states—Utah, Idaho, Nevada, Wyoming, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington. UC&D: As Whitaker Construction celebrates its 70th anniversary the company finds itself having firmly transitioned to the next generation of leadership. For the first time in company history, a Whitaker is not on the Executive Team—it's a brave new world! How has the transition been? Nielsen: Mike Whitaker (who serves as CEO of Whitaker Holdings, the now parent company of Whitaker Construction that provides shared services for Whitaker Construction and other recently acquired companies) did a phenomenal job of setting up the core of the Executive Team. When I came into the role, I looked at what our strengths were and where we needed help and realized that we would need to look to the outside for those gaps within our current leadership team. I would love to be able to grow from within at every (key position), but it's not realistic given the size of our company. Whitaker has always run really lean and bringing in top executives (from outside the company) isn't culturally something we've historically focused on. We've focused more (in the past) on our craft employees, and as we have grown, realized we were doing a disservice to our company by stretching our executive and support teams too thin. UC&D: Talk about the culture at Whitaker Construction, known as the Whitaker Way. Obviously, Jim Whitaker set the tone of having a "can-do" attitude, and his sons very much continued that mindset into second and third generations of leadership. What are the keys to having a great company culture? Nielsen: We had been asking ourselves to define the Whitaker Way 10 or so years ago—and the answer we would always come up with is “it's just the way we do things around here”. How do you explain that to people looking to come into a company? Five years ago we went through our strategic planning session where the focus was to define our mission, vision and core values. The four core values we identified that summarize what the Whitaker Way is are: Value Safety, Embrace Ownership, Be Honorable, and Elevate Team. We speak to these often and post them everywhere. It's more than just words on a wall—it's actually living them. That's how we've been able to maintain our culture and still embrace outside perspectives of individuals coming onto the team. It's easy for a company to get caught up in (the mentality of) "this is the way we do things; this is the way we're always going to do things". If you get into that mindset, I don't believe you can grow. I feel like I'm much better at embracing different perspectives, as long as they support those core values. One of the things that has made us more successful the past 15 years is our ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) program. We transitioned to 100% ESOP January 1 of this year—100% of Whitaker Construction is owned by employees. It's huge! UC&D: You've been with Whitaker Construction for 27 of the past 31 years, having worked for a different company from 2004-07. Who are your most notable mentors? Nielsen: The entire Whitaker family has been extremely influential in our lives. Bob Phillips was a long-time estimator and part of the leadership of Whitaker before we had an executive team (he retired in 2006) and he was a mentor to Mike Whitaker, to Judd (Hamson), to me—Bob had a big hand in shaping the core of our company. My father (Mike Nielsen, a mechanic with the firm for 20 years) passed away in 1999 from cancer and the Whitakers, Bob and Mike especially, were there for me. Bob was very much a father figure to me; I struggled when he passed away (2021). Mike shared with me about three years ago something which brought us both to tears. He said that when my dad was ill, he went to Mike and asked him take care of me. Mike said, "I believe I've done that, Brett." It goes to show the family aspect of Whitaker Construction. I've honestly always felt like I was part of the family, part of the team and that's one of my biggest goals, to make sure everybody feels like they are part of the company and feel the same things I got from the Whitaker family. It is truly an honor—one that I do not take lightly—to follow in the footsteps of the amazing men who have held this position before me. I have very large boots to fill.

Rich Thorn (lead photo) was presented with the Eric W. Ryberg Award by 2022 Chairman Troy Thompson at AGC’s 101st Convention January 20 at Little America Hotel. AGC also installed Scott Parson (above) as 2023 Chairman. (photos by Dana Sohm)

Utah’s A/E/C industry continues to churn out dozens of young, talented professionals and it’s always a privilege for us at UC&D to publish an annual section spotlighting these rising stars. This year we’re profiling five individuals with diverse backgrounds, each of whom fills a significant role for their respective firms . Our list includes: — Theresa Foxley , President/CEO of EDCUtah, a Salt Lake-based organization dedicated to helping communities with economic growth and job expansion. — Eric Dunn , Director of Business Development for West Valley City-based CMT Technical Services, a nearly 20-year-old firm renowned for its materials testing and special inspection services. — Preston Croxford , Principal Architect for Archiplex Group, who took over the eight-person firm in May when company founder Ralph Stanislaw semi-retired. — Ryan Cathey , President/CEO of Salt Lake-based Talisman Civil Consultants, a full-service civil engineering and land surveying firm that was founded in 2016. — Eman Siddiqui , an Architect with Salt Lake-based GSBS Architects and currently President and Founder of the Utah Chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA), which formed in July.

Former Granite executive Tom Case was a bit of a nomad during his 27-year career that saw him move six times, including two stints (14+ years) at the firm’s Salt Lake office.

Just over a year ago, Ben Rogers completed a complex restoration of the very first car he purchased as a 17-year-old in 1984—a sleek, cherry red 1967 Chevrolet Chevelle, one of the premier “muscle cars” from the historic 1960’s automaking decade in the U.S. Rogers said he self-performed 95% of the intensive work on the car (he hired someone to paint it)—which he originally purchased for $400 from a lady in his neighborhood in St. George. It proved to be a true labor of love. “It’s been fun,” said Rogers, who started the full rebuild process in 2017, and at one point was asked by his wife, Michelle, what the budget was for this project. “I said, ‘Well, there isn’t one’. A budget just limits what you can do,” he smiled. He’s tricked out the prized automobile with all-new interiors, a new suspension, a stiffer frame, and a high-powered 6.2-liter LS3 Corvette engine. Needless to say, it hauls ass. He hadn’t driven it since 2010, so the first time he took it out for a spin down St. George Boulevard since finishing its restoration, he cranked Aldo Nova’s 1982 hit “Fantasy” (chorus: Life is just a fantasy, can you live this fantasy life?)—along with some classic Van Halen. He said he’s had it over 100 mph once but tends to keep it within the posted speed limit—usually. At the beginning of 2022, Rogers, 54, along with long-time co-worker Scott Gilberg, 46, set out building a different kind of project: founding St. George-based Desert Edge Architecture. They had spent the past 22 and 16 years, respectively, honing their craft at a prominent Utah architecture firm and felt the time was right to venture out on their own. “We joked about it for a long time, that maybe one day we’ll do it,” said Rogers of the decision they made to switch gears well into their careers and start a firm in Southern Utah’s largest city. “Those discussions would go by the wayside because we love what we do and enjoyed working together. It was just never a priority, and we didn’t need to push it.” “I had cold feet initially,” Gilberg admitted. “I got a little more confident as our client base continued to grow. I needed more confidence. It got to a point financially where I could take that risk, and I warmed up enough to the idea to where we were taking the steps necessary to make it happen.”

For over two decades, General Manager Tage Flint was the man steering the ship at Ogden-based Weber Basin Water Conservancy District (WBWCD). He proved to be a steady guide through explosive population growth as he oversaw dozens of vital construction projects in the five counties and nearly 750,000 residents that the district serves. Flint announced his retirement at the beginning of this year, capping a 21-year run as GM who followed his father, Ivan Flint, whose quarter-century of service included 15 years as GM from 1986 to 2001. “The time was right,” said Flint, who plans to later pick up part-time consulting work. “We joke that it’s not the age of the car as much as the miles on it. Very few people get to 21 years at this post. If I wanted a 60-hours-a-week job, I could have stayed where I was. It [was] time to do something else.” Rooted in Water The combined 45-year period of district leadership is an impressive stretch of time for the Flint father-son duo, whose familial roots run deep in Davis County, dating back to early Latter-day Saint pioneers who settled the area in 1853. The Flints even lived on Flint Street in West Kaysville, on a road named for their ancestors, including some of the earliest Davis County farmers who built canals and other early water infrastructure systems to ensure their crops would be sufficiently watered. “So many of the old water rights were held by these old pioneer water companies,” said Flint. “What farms are left are still using those same systems.” Call it destiny, but Flint was groomed from an early age to work in the water conservancy field. Ivan, who passed away in 2017, was a defense contract specialist on federal military contracts for the Dept. of Natural Resources before spending 24 years at WBWCD (1977–2001). “I grew up visiting dams and spending weekends at spillways during flood years—that certainly steered me towards that background,” said Flint, who graduated from Davis High in 1980, received a Bachelor of Civil Engineering from the University of Utah in 1987, and ultimately earned an MBA from Western Governors University in 2003. “I was one of those ‘STEM’ kids—math and science came easy and interested me, and I thought I’d do something in that field. By the time I was 15 I would work summers doing landscape work and light construction on canals and diversion structures, and it all just fascinated me—how water moved around. Most people have no idea where water comes from. There is a lot to it.” Flint worked at Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District from 1987–2001, serving under former GM Richard Bay in several capacities, including as co-GM with Bay. “He was a mentor of mine throughout,” Flint said. When Ivan was retiring, it never occurred to him to apply for the position. “I was happy at Jordan Valley. I got a call from a (WBWCD) board member if I was interested; they were looking for candidates.” During Flint’s 21 years as GM, the population in the five counties serviced by the District (Weber, Davis, Morgan, Summit, and part of Box Elder) more than doubled. Today, WBWCD delivers 230,000 acre-feet annually to customers, including every city in Davis and Weber counties sans North Ogden. “The corresponding demand for drinking water has gone up,” said Flint. “Development, policy, water rights and infrastructure have grown exponentially and in complexity in that time. It really is a different place. We have twice as many employees—everything has been in accelerated growth mode.” WBWCD, which was established in 1950, has done a “tremendous amount of work on aging infrastructure,” Flint added, with seven major storage reservoirs along the Ogden River and Weber River as part of its stewardship, along with three hydro-power generation plants, 21 wells, four water treatment plants, and hundreds of miles of canals, tunnels, aqueducts, and pipelines.

S o far during their 19-year marriage, Donavon and Andrea Minnis—CEO and Treasurer, respectively, of Salt Lake-based Engage Contracting—have built/remodeled six houses to date, becoming so adept at the process that friends just refer to them as the famous TV couple of the hit show “Fixer Upper.” “Our friends call us ‘Chip and Joanna’ (Gaines),” laughed Donavon. “We’ve done a lot of homes together. They were our homes. Honestly, we were able to build up enough equity [flipping homes], which helped us start Engage.” Their first house project was a complete gut and remodel in Salt Lake’s Rose Park neighborhood, which they bought for $89,000 and sold two years later for $169,000. They’ve also remodeled/sold homes in Woods Cross, Bluffdale, and Murray, where they live with their two children (13 and 12 years old). Andrea recalled a memory from a Mother’s Day several years ago when they were hanging insulation during a driving rainstorm while their children happily played on a dirt hill. “We both are really determined to get it done—we are not afraid to work,” said Andrea. “We just do crazy things.” They started to work full-time building Engage Contracting in January 2019, based largely on Donavon’s 20-plus years of professional experience in construction and the contacts he made. A dozen of those years were spent working for a prominent Salt Lake-based general contractor, where he quickly proved himself and moved up the ranks from assistant superintendent to director. When he left in 2017 for another opportunity, he said it was a difficult decision, but highly values and appreciates the mentorship he received. It didn’t take long for the Minnises to realize Donavon’s career trajectory wasn’t meeting their aspirations, and together decided that going out on their own was worth the risk. Quickly Inseparable Donavon grew up in Murray, the son of a painting contractor, Scott Minnis, who owned Master’s Touch Painting. He remembers doing homework in the bed of his dad’s truck and then joining crews on job sites from the age of 11. By 17, he was working full-time. Andrea’s father was in the military and her family moved a lot growing up, coming to Utah in 1999. She graduated from Dugway High in 2000. They met at a Christian ministry at the University of Utah at the beginning of 2002, and prior to their first official date on February 1. Donavon took Andrea to check out a job he was going to paint, a feature wall for Pier 1 Imports in Park City. “I didn’t know it was a date, I thought we were hanging out with other people,” said Andrea. “We went to the Mayan (restaurant) and saw ‘A Walk to Remember’. A year to the day later, we got married.” “We quickly became inseparable,” said Donavon. Andrea, who earned a Master of Therapy from the U of U, worked seven years at Primary Children’s Acute and Inpatient Rehab, and now serves as Treasurer of Engage, which encompasses a slew of administrative-related duties. Donavon earned a Bachelor of Construction Management from Weber State University from 2006-10, a grueling period for the couple as they both worked full-time, raised their kids, and remodeled a couple of houses. “You learn the value of a power nap,” said Donavon, citing 16- to 18-hour days. “It was a long five years,” Andrea agreed. Poised for Growth When the couple began working full-time at Engage three years ago, they immediately contacted people Donavon had worked for at USPS, which proved fortuitous. “They were issuing an emergency JOC contract when we called. We were able to bond the contract and that has propelled us,” he said, citing $20 million in USPS contracts in Washington and California alone. During the firm’s first three years in business, revenues have risen meteorically year over year. Donavon said his CFO asks him daily, “How big do you want to be?” Could Engage become a $100 million per year company? “I don’t think it would be hard,” said Donavon, coolly. “I am shocked at how much we’ve been able to grow. We’ve doubled in size every year, if not tripled. It sets the stage to make us comparable to other general contractors in the valley. We don’t want to be seen as just a smaller [tenant improvement] company.” One of the firm’s current major projects is a remodel of a former Dick’s Sporting Goods in The Gateway in Salt Lake into an expanded office space for Recursion Pharmaceuticals. Other recent projects include a $550,000 remodel of the Columbia Care Pharmacy in Springville, a $2.2-million remodel of Edwards Lifesciences Cleanroom 5 in Draper, and a $5.2-million HVAC upgrade for USPS in Fresno, California. “We’ve picked up some massive projects recently,” he added. These include: the North Gate project at Hill Air Force Base in Clearfield, a building that will conduct in-depth searches of trucks coming into the base; a sizable biotech industry project in downtown Salt Lake; the firm’s first two ground-up projects which are slated to break ground in Draper later this year. “It’s a little daunting and scary, right?” posed Andrea. “It’s absolutely scary,” replied Donavon, smiling.

Author’s Note: This year’s edition of UC&D’s ‘Ex-College Athletes in the A/E/C Industry’ features five individuals from four different sports—football (2), basketball, soccer, and swimming—who each immensely enjoyed their collegiate athletic careers. They have taken the lessons, experiences, and values they learned from the playing field, court and pool, respectively, and applied them to their professional careers. And they are quick to draw parallels from athletics to the real world, especially in an industry as competitive as construction and design.