Guiding Principles / Core Values

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Value

Quantifying the ROI associated with hiring a consultant is notoriously difficult. Establishing trust with clients is ultimately gained by the ability to reconcile their investment with tangible results in the form of greater profits, cultivated talent, and career satisfaction for everyone involved. 

Capacity

In an industry with razor thin margins, construction firms are at their best when operating near the upper limit. When implementing change, a careful balance must always be struck between how quickly it can be absorbed, and executing work in hand. For these reasons, DCS partners with clients to serve as an extension of their efforts.

Substance

Management consulting has earned a bad rap from self-proclaimed "experts" who offer little more than jargon, platitudes and anecdotalism. Worse, they create an annuity model in which every client essentially receives the same work product. DCS differentiates itself through deep knowledge of the construction industry, thorough assessments, and specific, actionable recommendations. 

Curiosity

Perhaps the greatest value brought to bear by an experienced consultant is the perspective gained from working with a multitude of similar businesses. That said, it is important that one not attempt to diagnose a problem, or pretend to have the answer before thoroughly understanding the dynamics of each client. 

I consider myself lucky in that I have chosen an industry that has held my interest for two decades. For a lifelong learner, building and construction has provided an inexhaustible supply of knowledge to gain and problems to solve.

Growing up in Cincinnati, my construction career began as a project engineer for a Midwest general contracting/design-build firm. Green as I was, I was fortunate to be paired with seasoned professionals who took an active interest in my development. I later moved to Florida to continue my career with the Australian-owned real estate and construction firm Lendlease. After the havoc inflicted on the private sector by the Great Recession, I spent time in Oklahoma, Georgia and Tennessee managing military design-build projects, with the US Army Corps of Engineers as the client.

During this latter phase of my PM career, I ascended a steep learning curve regarding the particularities of federal contracting.  What is more, in several cases I assumed responsibility for distressed projects in which relationships among the client, design team and trade contractors were severely strained. While these experiences made me appreciate the satisfaction that comes with a well-run project, I learned a great deal about what it takes to coalesce the efforts of multiple stakeholders in a combative environment.

After moving to Colorado get my MBA, I had the privilege of serving as a consultant for FMI Corporation for 6 years. Working with dozens of clients as a consultant gave me a deeper understanding of the business of construction, and how to approach implementing substantive organizational change.

My upward progress through the ranks of construction were characterized by the fact that I was often given as much responsibility as I was willing to take on. While confidence and work ethic are critical, success in such situations required a healthy dose of humility; to never be afraid to ask the “obvious question”.