Passion Project
The dynamic, new, $69-million Provo City Hall and Public Safety Building is a boon to the citizens of Utah’s fourth-largest city. By Brad Fullmer
At the grand opening of the Provo City Hall and Public Safety Building on July 2—an appropriate kick-off to the city’s Independence Day festivities—Provo Mayor Michelle Kaufusi couldn’t contain her emotions at the reality of the new $69-million multi-purpose building finally being completed.
“It’s been such a labor of love—I can’t believe we are here,” said Kaufusi, choking up. “This was such a passion project and something I didn’t know would work, but I [was] going to shoot for the stars.”
The new 205,000-SF, six-story (five levels with a basement) facility at the corner of Center Street and 500 West is a significant milestone for Kaufusi, a Provo native who admits to having more than a vested interest in seeing her hometown thrive. It replaces a severely outdated 40-year-old structure and will serve as a modern civic hub to the City’s downtown, housing myriad functions including public service, city administration, city council and chambers, 911/emergency operations center (EOC), police department, and fire department administration.
When Kaufusi took office as Mayor in 2017, she quickly became aware that the city—Utah’s fourth-largest with 114,000 residents—had woeful buildings for its existing city hall and emergency response departments. She immediately set out to raise awareness and funding for a future project. Kaufusi and her staff campaigned tirelessly to rally community support to bond for this project, and their efforts paid off when it passed by 422 votes in November 2018.
“It’s been an incredible journey,” said the Mayor. “Our goal was to educate people and leave it up to the voters. By working together, we have made Provo safer for generations to come.”
“This building stands as a pillar to police officers throughout the U.S.,” said Rich Ferguson, former Police Chief. “Our community is great. They value [officers]—they respect them as we respect our citizens.”
“[Mayor Kaufusi] showed courage,” added Scott Henderson, Project Director for Provo City. “[Her] clear direction was felt through this entire project. Rare is the opportunity that we get to work with and for our heroes. Our police and fire chiefs are completely committed to Provo and its safety.”
Henderson praised the design team led by Salt Lake-based VCBO Architecture and the construction team led by Sandy-based Layton Construction, for their collective efforts to get this project completed on budget and on time, despite diverse challenges during 2020–2021.
“This team took the intricacies of public safety and protecting citizens and combined it into a building that promotes efficiency,” said Henderson, adding that some citizens have a mentality that public, taxpayer-funded buildings shouldn’t be “too nice.” But, he continued, “If we wanted mediocre outcomes, then we hired the wrong architecture firm and project team. We were all working under the premise that Provo citizens deserve the best.”
“Brent Tippets is an amazing talent,” he said of the VCBO Principal. “We developed a sibling rivalry—we were always chipping away and pushing each other. [Brent’s team] took this project and made it amazing.”
Henderson had equally high praise for Layton’s team and subcontractors, while singling out Calvin Ostler, Project Superintendent for Layton, for his dedication and commitment to do things right.
“We experienced the worst construction influences in my lifetime—the pandemic, labor shortages, supply chain disruptions, and inflation—yet this project sits on time and on budget,” said Henderson. “There is not a project in the United States that would not trade us for this outcome. It’s due to Layton’s project analysis and early procurement that this project was kept on track. When you spend two years with people, you become a band of brothers. We have experienced ups and downs, but being a band of brothers made us so committed to deliver this building as it stands today.”
Complex Building with Multiple Tenants Challenges Design Team
The combination of end users makes the Provo City Hall and Public Safety Building one of the more remarkable projects constructed in the city’s recent history, particularly considering the functionality needed for the different occupants.
Tippets, Principal-in-Charge for VCBO, admitted that his team—which included Casey Skinner (Project Manager) and Nathan Leavitt (Project Architect)—really had to “put on our thinking caps to solve a lot of problems” with how to accommodate multiple needs in one building.
“The combination of public safety combined with city hall functions makes it very unique—more so than you might think,” said Tippets. “The separation of all the security was quite a challenge. We came up with a good solution with public safety on one side and city on the other side.”
A dynamic four-story lobby space designed around a “slot canyon” concept turned out to be an incredible visual highlight that worked well within the space constraints, Tippets added. The design team spent a great deal of time during planning phases interviewing various end users to ensure staff and citizens would get everything they needed.
“We’ve done several municipal-type projects, and this one was unique,” said Tippets. “We had to go in quite deep on the public safety side and understand all their needs and even try to see beyond what their needs were. They lived in such an archaic facility for so long. We did some research on some other facilities and reached out for input.”
The client requested that police/public safety/911 emergency operations spaces be designed to meet the national standards of the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies —both from a functional and physical facility standpoint.
Another highlight is that the building was designed to meet stringent Net Zero sustainability standards. The all-electric building required a complex energy model along with specialized HVAC and cooling systems.
The electrical system, designed by Salt Lake-based Spectrum Engineers, required careful coordination with Provo City Power for redundant utility service to the building. A powerful 2.5-MW diesel generator provides backup for critical functions, ensuring continued operation during power outages or other catastrophic events. The data center was engineered for 99.99% reliability and uptime and features digitally controlled LED luminaires with automatic occupancy and daylighting sensors. Other technological highlights include state-of-the-art audio/visual systems, video surveillance, access control, intrusion detection, and structured cabling for all data networks.
Structurally, the building is designed to withstand a major seismic event with a structural steel and buckling restrained brace system with concrete on metal decking. Exterior finishes of steel, concrete, brick, GFRC, EIFS, and an aluminum storefront offer a strong aesthetic appeal.
Construction Team Measures Up
For Brian McBeth, Layton’s Construction Manager, this project brought back fond memories of his time studying construction management at Brigham Young University. A newlywed at the time, he and his wife lived for a year in an apartment a stone’s throw away from the project site, which used to be home to a Firestone tire shop and Rocky Mountain Drive-In.
“My wife and I would go there for shakes and dinner,” he recalled. “We had our first son in Provo and used to take him to get ice cream and go play in Pioneer Park [across the street from the new complex].”
McBeth said the building, which broke ground in April 2020 (coinciding with the pandemic), proved to be a more challenging project due to the uniqueness of building a multi-functional space coupled with the many negative factors mentioned by Henderson.
“Building-wise, it was unique because it was the marrying of separate offices and buildings […] and just trying to bring everybody into one building. Anytime you bring police into a building, it makes the building type different,” McBeth said, citing ballistics glass and drywall needs, and other measures for city council chambers.
During initial excavation, crews encountered underground oil tanks that required state remediation, an old swimming pool, and other old structural elements. McBeth said it was a “very interesting site” with flowing water at about 12 feet underground. An elaborate dewatering process with seven pumps was put in place for crews to build footings and do foundation work.
Overall, he said, the entire construction team performed admirably over the 26-month schedule, despite the project starting at the tail end of tariffs, the early days of Covid, supply chain and price escalation issues, etc.
“You think of some of the worst building times we’ve been through, and it all hit on this one project,” said McBeth. “We got the ‘best of everything’ on this project and still finished on time and under budget.”
Provo City Hall and Public Safety Building
Cost: $69 million ($57 million construction cost)
Delivery Method: CM/GC
Square Feet: 205,000
Levels/Stories: Five levels (with basement)
Owner: Provo City
Owner’s Rep: Scott Henderson; Dick Blackham
Design Team
Architect: VCBO Architecture
Civil: Great Basin Engineering
Electrical: Spectrum Engineers
Mechanical: Heath Engineering
Structural: Reaveley Engineers
Geotech: GSH Geotechnical
Landscape: Arcsitio Design
Construction Team
General Contractor: Layton Construction
Concrete: Layton Construction
Plumbing: KHI Mechanical
HVAC: KHI Mechanical
Electrical: Wilkinson Electric
Masonry: Troy Hales Masonry
Drywall: Muddy Boys, Inc.
Acoustics: K&L Acoustic & Drywall, Inc.
Painting: Grow Painting
Tile/Stone: Millcreek Tile & Stone
Carpentry: Associated Fixture Manufacturing
Flooring: Design Team
Roofing: Flynn/Noorda
Glass/Curtain Wall: Linford Contract Glazing
Waterproofing: Hooley Caulking, Inc.
Steel Fabrication: Schuff Steel
Steel Erection: J&M Steel Solutions
Excavation: Siri Contracting
Demolition: Siri Contracting
Landscaping: Stratton & Bratt Landscapes
Fun Facts:
1,400 tons of steel on the project. 1,400 tons x 2,000 lbs. = 2.8 million pounds of steel.
- miles of plumbing piping
4.1 miles of HVAC duct/159,00 lbs. of duct (weight of 130 steel frame cars)
262,000 LF (about 50 miles) of conduit. If you add MC cable it increases to 84 miles.
9,300 cubic yards of concrete = 4-ft. wide sidewalk 35 miles long.
The project includes space for: police administration; fire administration; secure parking; holding cells; dog kennels; emergency operations center; dispatch/911 call center; crime lab; armory; SWAT; training room; vehicle evidence bays; evidence storage; physical fitness training/gym; electronic crimes division; community/press room.
Residents have access to a wealth of modern, high-class amenities: Check out this open-air rooftop patio with tasteful lighting, pool, and spacious hot tub—it’s party time! (all photos courtesy Kier Construction)
Steve Green is out in McCornick, Utah. Where is that? And what’s near McCornick? “Nothing,” joked Green, the Sr. Vice President for Wheeler Machinery Co. While he may be far from even the smallest of small towns, with Holden and its 492 residents 13 miles away, he’s close to the site of a major development in data center technology. Isolated on the western edge of the Sevier Desert, the Joule Data Center will also be isolated from the grid—by design. Operation Gigawatt Rolls On Green is one of many energy and power professionals hoping to double Utah’s power generation capacity by 2034 as a part of Operation Gigawatt, an initiative launched by Utah Governor Spencer Cox in October 2024. Utah has long been an economic growth leader; Operation Gigawatt aims to make Utah a power player in energy development by increasing transmission capacity, increasing energy production, strengthening policy, and investing in energy innovation. While Governor Cox’s Operation Gigawatt moves forward statewide, out in McCornick, Green said, “We’re doing operation gigawatt and a half off grid.” The Joule Data Center project team will deliver “In-situ power generation”—power not connected to any electrical distribution or transmission system. It starts with Caterpillar G3520K reciprocating generator sets that produce 1.5 gigawatts of electricity. Waste heat and exhaust from the generators then move through an absorption chiller system as part of the overall systems combined cooling, heat, and power (CCHP) solution, providing much of the water required to cool the data center servers. Beyond the electric power to be generated for the Joule project, there will be 1.5 gigawatts of thermal energy and 1.1 gigawatts of available battery storage to meet the data center's peak electricity needs. Added Green, “And we’re not taxing the local utility grid.” Isolated or Community Power? The massive power capabilities delivered there are impressive, but they reveal a troubling trend in how Utah will double its power generation capabilities. Will it be from well-funded companies looking to power data centers and AI technology separate from the grid? Or will Utah fulfill the mission of Operation Gigawatt by creating power solutions accessible to all? According to Troy Thompson, Chief Operations Officer for Big-D Companies, power generation is about more than supplying data centers. “In my mind, how do we build a billion-dollar hospital downtown that needs ten megawatts of power?” he said, referencing Intermountain Health’s future downtown Salt Lake campus, “let alone the data centers, and manufacturers who we are hoping that will come here?” Ten megawatts of power may pale in comparison to what data centers require, but it is one of many projects seeking regulatory approval to move forward. The Utah Inland Port Authority, the Economic Development Corporation of Utah, and others continue to drive projects and jobs into Utah—data centers, too. But Thompson said he has heard from many potential clients who are hesitant to bring their energy-intensive projects to the state without firm guarantees of available power. Operation Gigawatt and state leaders have embraced an "all of the above" approach to energy sources, extending the design lifespans of coal plants, embracing new technologies and power sources, and developing new power-generating capabilities. While the industry is willing, the operating environment needs rewiring to meet state goals. Changing for 21st Century Needs “With as hot as the Utah market is,” began Eric Haslem, “there are too many obstacles for us to overcome.” The market may be ready to ramp up production, said Haslem, Chief Operating Officer for Vernal-based utility and heavy civil contractors BHI, “But the current system can’t handle it. We have this massive web of transmission and distribution infrastructure that was not designed or built for the power demands of the 21st century.” “In 1970, they didn’t know what a smartphone was,” Haslem said, “let alone AI.” Transmission projects have been developed. Rocky Mountain Power/PacifiCorp’s Energy Gateway South transmission line—a 416-mile, high-voltage 500-kilovolt transmission line that runs from Mona to Medicine Bow, Wyoming—certainly helped when it went live in 2024. Still, it's just one project amidst a plethora of needs. Haslem stated that Utah's growth over the last 10 years meant a large majority of the transmission line's capacity was accounted for when it went live. .
And the King shall answer and say unto them, "Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."—KJV Matthew 25:40 From a social and community impact standpoint, few projects match the value to disabled and special needs individuals as the new Utah State Development Center (USDC) Comprehensive Therapies Building in American Fork. The $36 million, 65,000-SF facility was designed as a "one-stop shop," said Joe Jacoby, President of Salt Lake-based Jacoby Architects, whose team led the project’s design. It consolidates and modernizes myriad services under one roof, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, recreational therapy, speech, language, and hearing resources, and behavioral health resources. In addition, the new building offers full-service medical and dental clinics, an indoor therapy pool, an Autism treatment wing, and workshops for life skills and vocational training—all geared to helping people live independent, authentic lives, while striving to reach their full potential. "This building was very much about accessibility," Jacoby said, "and putting in many different types of resources for these residents—all in one building." Jacoby's firm has significant recent experience in projects that combine education and healthcare for people with special needs. The firm's design of the Sorenson Legacy Foundation Center for Clinical Excellence in Utah State University's College of Education and Human Services earned UC+D's 2016 Most Outstanding K-12 Project. Two years later, the firm earned another UC+D award for the C. Mark Openshaw Education Center for the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, a project similar to this one in that it contains an array of services, including education and therapy for varying levels of sensory, behavioral, physical, and cognitive abilities. "We've been working on different [design] aspects for many years, starting with a deaf preschool, which led to working with the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind," said Jacoby. "With that came many other sub-specialties, like therapy for behavioral issues, cognitive issues, development disabilities, and even speech, language and hearing clinics. It helps people with a variety of disabilities and serves an underserved population of people."
On a fall tour of Utah State University's (USU) Carolyn & Kem Gardner Learning & Leadership Building (Gardner Building), students and faculty are hard at work on a late Tuesday afternoon. Getting here, where USU's business school students could thrive, was a long time coming. The University commissioned the Gardner Building to meet a new mission for the school outside the traditional knowledge acquisition and transfer for which USU has excelled since its founding in 1888: Giving students a differentiated experience they cannot get anywhere else. Purpose Revealed Frank Caliendo, Senior Associate Dean of the Huntsman School of Business, said that the new building is the third and final piece of the business complex, "a realization of the longtime vision of Dean Douglas Anderson, the driving force behind the school's transformation, to meet the needs of students for generations to come." Caliendo, a longtime Aggie (USU BS, '98; PhD, '03), said that, even after the opening of the George S. Eccles Business Building and its faculty offices and classrooms in 1970, growth in business courses eventually outpaced the school's capacity. Jon M. Huntsman Hall's 2016 opening broke the campus bottleneck, with classrooms and other spaces dedicated to business school participants. "But we still needed space for our centers and experiential learning programs," Caliendo said, of the importance of collaborative spaces and differentiated experience for the five programs (see page XX) that would call the Gardner Building home. The design intent for this final piece wasn't a re-creation of Huntsman Hall, Caliendo said of the initial message to MHTN Architects, "But it does need to rhyme with Huntsman Hall." Working within a Busy Environment The first order of business was siting the building just east of the other two business school structures. Stan Burke, Project Manager for Jacobsen Construction, said the Gardner Building was part of a trio of projects that included Ridge Point Hall and a parking garage—three Jacobsen-led projects that utilized the same construction corridor as construction commenced from "An active campus is difficult enough," said Burke of the challenges of simultaneous construction, which required constant coordination amongst the three teams, made a tad easier as they shared a job trailer. "We had to stay cognizant of the school's activities and coordinate with them so that everyone was aware of what we were doing." Coordination went from important to critical, with the three teams meeting daily to discuss coordination and scheduling material and equipment deliveries in 15-minute intervals as the respective construction teams worked on each of the three structures.
Warren and Jennie Lloyd (above) have built Salt Lake-based Lloyd Architects into a well-rounded, versatile firm capable of excelling in both the commercial and custom residential markets, as evidenced by projects such as Snuck Farm in Pleasant Grove (main photo) and this cozy private Powder Mountain based cabin in Eden (below ).
The last five years have been a whirlwind for the Larry H. Miller Company (LHM), with the organization selling the majority of its beloved Utah Jazz franchise in October 2020 for a reported $1.66 billion, followed by the sale of its auto dealership empire of more than 70 properties for a reported $3.2 billion a year later. The influx of nearly $5 billion was parlayed into several jaw-dropping real estate and other corporate purchases, including: —1,300 undeveloped acres within the massive 4,100-acre Daybreak development in South Jordan in April 2021. —Advanced Health Care Corp. in January 2021, a transitional health care provider with operations in eight states (primarily in the west) and 3,500 employees. —The purchase of the majority stake in Swig, a leader in the flavored soda craze, in May 2023. — Partnering with Utah Trust Lands Administration to develop 1,200 acres in Saratoga Springs. — The acquisition of over 1,000 acres near Park City and Hideout will include multi-family units, housing, restaurants, and retail. —100+ acre mixed-use development in an area along North Temple being dubbed “The Power District”; the future home of not only Rocky Mountain Power’s new corporate campus but potentially a ballpark for a future Major League Baseball expansion team. —A reported $600 million acquisition of controlling interest in MLS team Real Salt Lake and NWSL team Utah Royals, along with associated infrastructure, including America First Field and Zions Bank Training Center. —The development of Downtown Daybreak, a 200-acre parcel that this year saw its 30-acre Phase I debut with the completion of the Salt Lake Bees' new 8,000 capacity stadium—dubbed The Ballpark at America First Square—in April, followed by a new Megaplex cinema entertainment center in July with luxury theatres, bowling, games and a scratch-made kitchen in addition to an open air plaza. A seven-story, 190-unit multi-family development is currently under construction and rising along the right field bleachers, with views that will look down into the ballpark upon completion next year. And LHM is just getting started, said Brad Holmes, President of Larry H. Miller Real Estate since 2018, calling Downtown Daybreak a "new urban center that is central to where the majority of growth is occurring" and combines a "full spectrum of business and year-round entertainment, culture and connectivity, as well as a wide range of housing options." When LHM executives first conceived of a new home for the Salt Lake Bees, Holmes said they went on a "ballpark tour" of MLB and minor league stadiums, and "really fell in love with a ballpark" in Durham, North Carolina—home of the Durham Bulls—which had buildings that framed in the stadium. So, The Ballpark at America First Square has the multi-family project underway in right field, with a proposed hotel slated to begin next year in left field. "In another two seasons, you'll have this urban setting for the ballpark that frames the mountain views. [The design is] really intentional, and I think it will bring a finished edge to Downtown Daybreak," said Holmes. "It was a process trying to figure out the best location, site plan, traffic, but it's in a great spot. The goal for us was to make it feel like it fit in with the community, almost like having a baseball stadium inside of a park, with an open corridor that connects to a plaza." Holmes said the seemingly small 8,000-capacity stadium (about half the capacity of the Bees former home at Smith’s Ballpark) aligns with national trends. "It's better to play in front of a sold-out crowd than in a half-empty stadium. Some new MLB stadiums are at 30,000 [capacity]. The trend is smaller, more intimate venues with closer views of the field."
Much has changed about Hogan & Associates Construction since the company's inception 80 years ago. The name may be the most obvious example, the size of the company may be another giveaway, and the difference in markets served might require a double take if the founders could see the company today. But what hasn't changed is the firm's desire to build communities. It has regularly built important, community-focused projects with a similar purpose since the company came to life in 1945.
Imagine this: A company has just begun a meeting with the intent of moving forward with a major investment. One party knows something that will help minimize the investment's risk. Should that party tell everyone, it will save money, time, and everyone involved from future headaches. So when should that party spill the beans? At the beginning of the meeting At the end of the meeting At the right time during the meeting Never Bradley Crocker, Director of Preconstruction for Mollerup Glass, has seen how answering this question correctly—and choosing “A”—brings about successful and profitable investment in commercial construction. “I think that [project teams] need to bring in subcontractors early to help guide budgets in general,” said Crocker, detailing how every trade can bring a similar level of expertise to architects and owners by being involved from the beginning of the “meeting”, while the project is in design. Why? “We can vet cost versus performance and find the best value for the performance, which is essential as meeting or beating the budgets gets the project to construction on time,” said Ben Hiatt, Chief Estimator for Steel Encounters. After all, he said, “Nothing moves if budgets are not met.” Design-assist is a positive step forward, where subcontractors assist in matching design intent with a deep understanding of building envelopes to ensure glazing, roofing, walls, and fenestrations perform at their highest level. Glenn Rainey, Salt Lake City Branch Manager, and Larry Luque, Senior Estimator and Business Developer for Flynn Companies, each said efforts in design-assist fulfill what owners and architects want: buildings that meet the design intent and perform at their highest level for as long as possible. It’s not just architects who benefit from that early involvement. “More GCs realize they need us right up front,” said Luque. With teams whose combined experience totals thousands of hours, building envelope contractors stay up to date on changing codes, materials, and specifications, which is highly beneficial to the project. Their close involvement with vendors can help ensure a variety of solutions that meet each job’s needs and help optimize building envelope performance. Consultant Involvement Other parties are lending their expertise. Brandt Strong said building envelope quality has increased with the arrival of more building envelope consultants in Utah and a greater dedication to the building envelope in general. “We had a time where we could say ‘This is a Vegas project, and we have to have the belt and suspenders,’” said Strong, Director of Operations for Mollerup Glass. On Utah projects, the building envelope used to be an afterthought. But it’s changed for the better over the years. “The Utah teams are as sophisticated as anywhere else.” While the markups on shop drawings can draw some ire, both mentioned how working with consultants has led to better, more efficient projects, potentially reducing the need for future repairs by inspecting every material and transition on the building envelope. Said Crocker, “We cannot discredit the envelope consultants’ role in making us, and the industry as a whole, perform at a higher level.” Hiatt credited each party overseeing the building envelope scope for learning and adapting to create a better building environment, specifically in understanding seismic drift and its relationship to glazing, as well as thermal performance and continuity. Improvements to air-barrier coordination and tie-ins to stop water and air leaks are helping buildings operate at peak efficiency. “The architects, general contractors, consultants, and trades have improved their knowledge over the years,” said Hiatt. “Design and execution of façades are better coordinated and executed.”
Taylor Electric proved its mettle on the challenging Salt Lake International Airport, Southeast Concourse project, with their portion of work concluding in October 2023. (all photos courtesy Taylor Electric)
By Bradley Fullmer It's been a whirlwind 18 months for Adam Del Toro and Nick Pexton, who co-founded Fountain Green-based Reliance Engineering Services in May 2024, a company specializing in full-service telecommunications engineering, including design, project management, permitting, and funding and grant applications. Two years ago, Del Toro was more than a decade into his career as a Research & Development Supervisor for natural gas giant Dominion Energy, while Pexton was working for Nephi-based Rocky Mountain West Telcom (RMWT) as a Sr. Director of Business Development, with just over four years at the company. The two had met a couple of years earlier while collaborating on a potential fiber optic network project in Mona that never happened. Neither was particularly content with their respective positions, so when Del Toro got a random call from Pexton in March 2024, the timing could not have been better. "I was planning on leaving the natural gas industry and start my own firm [...] Nick happened to call the day I was putting in my two weeks [at Dominion],” said Del Toro, 39. "It definitely felt like Providence was helping us." "Somebody was looking after us, because the timing was unbelievable," added Pexton, 35. "It's crazy how things lined up." Del Toro is a native of St. George and earned a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from Utah State University in 2011. After 2.5 years as a USU Graduate Research Assistant, he joined Dominion Energy in January 2013, where he designed major natural gas systems and structures. Del Toro also earned a Master of Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of the Cumberlands (Williamsburg, Kentucky) in 2023, and moonlights as a counselor at The Center for Hope in Springville, where he helps clients address life challenges both personally and professionally. Pexton is a native of Nephi and studied at Utah Valley University from 2008 to 2010, and earned the Certified Telecommunications Network Specialist designation from Teracom Training Institute (2013-2014). Pexton joined Nephi-based Mid-State Consultants, a telecommunications engineering firm, in March 2011 and spent more than nine years there. He joined RMWT in June 2020, gaining experience in project management and operations. After that fortuitous phone call from Pexton to Del Toro, the pair met four times from March to May to "make sure we were aligned on what the company would look like," Pexton said. "It was a pretty quick process," added Del Toro. "We got talking about goals, how to build a general company vision. I trusted Nick's background and experience, and his character, as well. It was a big risk, but I'm a sink-or-swim guy. If those are my options, I'm going to swim!" Since teaming up, the pair have been aggressive regarding company growth, having exploded from just the two of them to 30 employees, with revenues expected to more than quintuple from $560,000 in 2024 to nearly $3 million by the end of this year. Both expect the telecommunication market to be a fruitful, busy market given the need for fiber optics to rural America, in addition to the "Internet for All" initiative in May 2022 that was part of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's (NTIA) implementation of the infrastructure law that allocated $65 billion to improve high-speed Internet access. Utah, specifically, received $330 million, with the goal of reaching some 40,000 unserved homes and businesses. The firm's location in Sanpete County puts them in the center of the state geographically, and they're committed to working with communities of all sizes to improve their internet capacity. In addition to Utah, Reliance is working in Michigan and Oklahoma, and Del Toro and Pexton expect to land significant future work throughout the Midwest. They want to grow intentionally while ensuring a diversity of revenue streams. "We set some early goals, and we've been able to do really well—we're on track to beat our goals," said Del Toro, crediting the many employees who have joined the firm. "Those individuals took great risks coming on board. We anticipate we'll be even larger next year with the work coming down the pipeline." "Our outlook has been wise," said Pexton. "We've taken into consideration diversification into other sectors—that's a key element. Adam has experience in the natural gas industry, and we want to further our diversification and get into the power side of the industry." Major clients include the federal government (USDA), utility companies, and municipalities, with a focus on rural communities. "We love Sanpete County," said Del Toro. "We value helping the communities we live and work in and providing services that help build up the community and hopefully help the residents." "We depend on repeat work from 18 major clients, and continuously getting work from them," said Pexton. "The minute we stop doing a good job, they can go someplace else. As long as we do a good job, we'll keep getting work." The pair expect Reliance to maintain its explosive growth, perhaps even doubling its employee total in another 12 months. "Next year's [revenue] goal is $4.8 million," said Pexton. "We have confidence in what our workload will be like. We are scaling quite dramatically and want to grow at a healthy pace, where we're not stringing ourselves out too thin. We're in a good position right now."
