“I find the problem-solving aspect of my job very exciting,” Mike says. “Every client has a unique set of needs, and I get to take a deep dive into their business to make sure the design and development of their real estate marries with their business needs.”

Mike has recently worked on the corporate campuses for Raytheon and Toyota. He says the Toyota headquarters project has been the most challenging and most interesting of his career—one that has required him to flex his problem-solving skills.

“The goal of the Toyota real estate is to pull together disparate parts of the company,” Mike notes, “and it’s really fascinating to understand how the real estate will foster improvements throughout the organization.”

Mike is a LEED accredited professional, and as such, he’s passionate about green building and sustainability. He especially enjoys figuring out ways to “go green without wasting any green.” In other words, investing in sustainability in ways that make economic sense.

Although Mike has always had an interest in construction, he pursued a career in architecture. After graduating from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management, he entered the university’s graduate program in architecture. Eventually, he realized that while he loved architecture, his true talents lied elsewhere and not in architecture. He detoured and ended up obtaining an MBA to complement his Construction Management degree.

“When I shifted my focus from architecture to business, I never imagined that I would be working with architects on a regular basis,” Mike says.

After Mike finished his formal education, he took a job in the construction industry. For more than two decades, he worked on the general contractor side of the business.

He logged the majority of his GC career with US Lend Lease, which was active in the development of Dallas’ pricey Turtle Creek area, and Dal-Mac Construction, which was instrumental in building out Richardson’s Telecom Corridor. At Dal-Mac, Mike ran the company’s interiors group for 5 years, which gave him a strong foundation in office design and build out.

Mike joined KDC in 1996 after a chance meeting with KDC Chairman and CEO Steve Van Amburgh. After hearing Mike make a presentation, Steve reached out with an invitation to join the company.

During Mike’s time at KDC, he’s worked hard to build a culture of safety. “It’s something that I’m really proud of,” he says. “We work in a difficult and dangerous industry, and every day that we can check off as a day that everyone went home safely… that’s a good day.”

Outside of work, Mike enjoys spending time with his family. He’s been married to his high school sweetheart, Donna, for more than 40 years, and every year, he makes her birthday cake from scratch. They have three wonderful daughters, three sons-in-law, and nine grandchildren who make it a very full house when everyone gets together.

Mike looks forward to traveling with Donna whenever their schedules allow. Most recently, they traveled to England, Scotland, Montreal, and New England. Someday soon, he hopes they can see the Grand Canyon, perhaps with the entire family.