A second-generation Sundt employee, Hoover left his post-college engineering job to become a carpenter, developing his career through his work as project engineer, project manager, chief estimator and manager of the heavy civil (now transportation) group at the firm.

“He has the knowledge of the business and of his people because he’s really one of them,” says Sundt board member Mike Kemper. “The combination of those [attributes] are what makes him a great leader.”

As CEO, Hoover oversaw many successful initiatives, including expanding Sundt’s geographic reach from four states to 24. He also led Sundt into the renewable energy market.

“We’re on a better foundation today for what we’re able to build and the type of work we’re able to do,” Hoover says. “We’ve shifted from being a mostly vertical builder to a more diverse position, and we’re leaning more toward industrial and transportation type work.” All of this was part of that 10-year plan, he adds.

Beyond motivation and an iconic motto, Hoover’s legacy extends to workforce development. The G. Michael Hoover KAPBCS Training Center in Phoenix is Sundt’s state-of-the-art facility designed to train the next generation of skilled builders.
Photo courtesy of Sundt Construction

‘He Gave Us Our Mojo Back’

“I enjoy the kind of work we do. As I was growing up in the business, the projects would average one and a half to two years long, so just as you get tired of a project, you’d move to another one. All of that drives me,” Hoover says.

Early in his tenure as CEO, Hoover coined the phrase KAPBCS (Kick Ass People Building Cool Sh*t) and “this became a rallying cry for every employee-owner at Sundt to work with pride and confidence,” says Stefanie Teller, Sundt senior vice president and chief communications office.

“Before you know it, it took off. KAPBCS was on the back of our trucks, our safety vests and equipment … and it got us thinking that we could win,” Hoover says. At his wife’s suggestion, Hoover got a KAPBCS tattoo—his one and only, he notes—and today at least a dozen other employees have followed suit.

Hoover’s leadership extends to roles in the community and throughout the construction industry. In 2018, he served as president of the Beavers, an organization of heavy engineering contractors, and he received their prestigious Golden Beaver Award in 2024. He chaired AGC of America’s Highway and Transportation Division and is a past chair of the AGC of Arizona chapter. Last year, he was named one of the Phoenix Business Journal’s Most Admired Leaders.

Hoover also makes community service contagious. The Sundt Foundation, established in 1999, has contributed more than $18 million to local charities, particularly for children and families that are struggling.

“We gave more than $3.3 million just last year, and that number keeps growing,” Hoover says. “Part of our strategic plan was to determine our purpose for being in business. And that is to build environments where our employees and communities prosper. This means helping our communities out by donating labor hours and funds, and so our foundation has grown over time.”

"Mike reminded us of what we want to be as a builder. It’s hard, dirty and even dangerous work, but it’s always honorable and it’s always worthwhile,” says Sundt general counsel and board member Ronald Stuff.

“A truly great leader is someone who inspires you to do more than you think you can do. Mike has that in spades. What’s key in leadership is that it’s not about revenue or growth for growth’s sake, but how to do it without losing our culture,” Stuff adds. “He gave us our mojo back, and it was magical.”

“It always comes down to the people,” Hoover insists. “We have a great leadership team and a really good board that is making good decisions. We feel like we can win, and we are.”

"Mike survived the pandemic era with a very calm hand on the steering wheel. He was thoughtful about what people were going through and what would be best for them, for their health and for the company overall,” says Conrad Prusak, a management consultant and executive coach who has worked closely with Hoover and Sundt’s leadership team for several years.

“No one was prepared, and like every other leader, he had to immediately figure it out as a team, [but] crisis management is one of his fortes.” Prusak contends.

Hoover says that innovation and the construction projects are what drive him. One of his favorites, the Multnomah County Sellwood Bridge Replacement project, entailed removing a bridge over a river in Portland, Ore., by sliding it onto temporary piers so the old bridge could be used as a detour while building the new one.

He also recalls the sophistication it took for Sundt to build a $1.7-billion advanced water reclamation facility at an Austin semiconductor manufacturing plant in a “pretty short period of time.”

“People think construction is a conservative industry, and that’s a mistake,” Prusak adds. “There is a tremendous amount of innovation, and Mike made it real, operational and an area of focus at the very top level, and that trickled down.”

“I love what I do,” says Hoover. “We have great people here, and it’s a lot of fun to come to work. This industry is loaded with people who work hard but like to have fun; it has been that way throughout my whole career.”