Michael S. Arens, 37

ARENS

Bridging the gap for young leaders
Utah Transportation Manager
Michael Baker Jr. Inc.
Midvale, Utah

Michael Arens began his career with Kiewit Construction working as a field engineer and eventually as a project engineer. In 2004 Arens joined the Salt Lake City office of Michael Baker Jr. Inc. and over the next nine years progressed from bridge design engineer to being a national leader on accelerated bridge construction (ABC). He led design for the $15-million St. George Emergency Bridge Replacements and became the structures discipline lead for the $230-million I-15 NOW project in northern Utah. Arens then executed the Utah Dept. of Transportation's first ABC bridge design using self-propelled modular transporters (SPMTs) to move a pre-built bridge from the side of Interstate 215 into place. Hundreds of spectators and more than 50 federal and state transportation officials watched the move during a weekend freeway closure. Arens has since led Baker's team in design and management of more than 20 SPMT bridge moves, lateral bridge slides and bridge launches. Arens cites the need for ongoing mentoring and leadership among young professionals. "Developing strong leadership to expand your team is one of the most important keys of success," he says. "It often feels like the learning curve is so steep that you are focused on mastering the challenges at hand and forget that there are other young leaders that want to be challenged. I am very fortunate to have had leaders that helped me achieve."

Luke Cope, 32

COPE

Keeping track of the industry's dollars and (business) sense
Controller
Western States Fire Protection
Centennial, Colo.

Luke Cope started his construction career as a service-unit electrician in New York. He soon began working in the office to fix many of the business problems he had encountered in the field. He moved to Colorado and became the controller and assistant treasurer at Western States Fire Protection, where he leads a team of 12 people. He has supported the company through four acquisitions and managed the financial complexities of an international expansion. He has also chaired two committees for the Institute of Certified Construction Financial Professionals. In 2014 he began a three-year term on the group's executive committee. Away from work, he volunteers on the governing council for Behind the Red, which supports the American Red Cross through fund raising, communications, advocacy and volunteerism. "The real challenge becomes overcoming self-imposed limitations," Cope says. "The same can be true for any young professionals who want to reach their potential and make a difference in an industry that depends on them for innovation."

David Grandy, 38

GRANDY

Leading innovation in health care
Director of Innovation/ Senior Healthcare Consultant
HDR Architecture
Omaha

David Grandy's years of experience as a health-care administrator make him well versed in care-delivery models, the operational impact of facility design, market strategy and business planning. Since 2010 he has led many significant health-care consulting projects for HDR across the Midwest. Grandy has worked on five continents with organizations like Google and the Dept. of Defense. He also created HDR's Innovation Consulting Group. As its director, he works with the firm's design teams and clients to ensure that innovation is part of their project goals. "Leading in a profession that's in the midst of a significant evolution requires that we constantly challenge assumptions, thoughtfully reframe issues and adopt fresh perspectives, often by drawing from other industries, all the while pushing beyond obvious solutions to complex problems," Grandy says.