Author: Ronco Marketing

What Makes a Great Construction Superintendent? 

Posted on by Ronco Marketing

Are there traits and skills that can take a construction superintendent from good to great? 

Superintendents — linchpins of every successful construction project. From developing and managing daily schedules to coordinating and supervising subcontractors and construction work, to ensuring quality and safety throughout, they’re the force who moves the project forward.   

Not everyone is cut out to be a construction superintendent, though. It takes special skills and knowledge, and specific personality traits to be successful in this career. So, what makes a good — or better yet, a great — superintendent? Find out from some veteran superintendents.  

Are you a “fit?” 

As with any career, there’s job-specific skills and training required. And a superintendent is no exception. You need to have a working knowledge of the construction field and building practices. You need to know how to maintain a safe site for everyone, and you need to understand what’s quality work. But if you really want to be successful in the role, it goes beyond the tactical work. Sean Shanahan, Ronco’s field operations support manager and a former superintendent with more than 20 years of construction experience, explains a good superintendent needs to have the trade-based skills, but there’s also interpersonal traits and personalities that can make a huge difference.  

“A superintendent must be a multitasker, a relationship builder and a problem solver,” Shanahan said. “And it’s also important to have heart, hustle and personality.”  

In addition to those characteristics, communication is one of — if not the most — important quality to possess. As the master coordinator on a project site, your communication skills are vital to the day-to-day progression of a project. You need to be able to clearly communicate instructions and expectations. In addition, be able to provide updates and guidance, and carefully navigate hard or crucial conversations. And to be able to have all those types of conversations with all kinds of stakeholders.  

“Effective communication ensures all team members are on the same page. This helps with coordinating tasks, schedules and using resources efficiently,” said DJ Thomas, another Ronco superintendent with 32 years of construction experience. 

Moving from good to great. 

While many aspire to greatness, what truly elevates a superintendent to the realm of “great” is a special blend of leadership, innovation and unwavering dedication. A great superintendent not only builds structures but fosters a culture of collaboration and accountability, earning respect for their ability to turn ambitious designs into reality. 

“Superintendents must have the motivation to succeed and to be a leader to their team,” explains Shanahan. “You need the drive to be better every day. And you need to gain the respect and buy in from subcontractors.”  

Shanahan shares that a great superintendent must lead by example but also give credit where credit is due. Construction projects are a collaborative team effort — not one thing can be done by one person alone. Like most tasks in life, superintendents work as part of a team and to achieve anything on a project, it goes back to communication.  

For Kurt Swanson, a Ronco superintendent who’s a nearly 40-year veteran of the industry, consistency and dependability are key tools to be successful in a superintendent’s role. 

“Understanding that building is a team enterprise with multiple services and complex needs informs how you interact with all parties involved,” Swanson said. “Superintendents must be good stewards of company policies and protocol.”  

Building and developing the future. 

If leading a construction project as a superintendent is your dream, there are fundamental aspects of the role that extend far beyond the construction site itself. For one — you’re never not learning and developing your skills. The ability to inspire and lead teams through challenges is crucial. And you need to be able foster a collaborative environment where every worker feels motivated. You don’t learn these skills overnight and you can always learn how to do it better.  

“If you understand and accept that knowledge and skill building is an ongoing practice throughout your entire career, you can move from good to great,” explains Thomas. “Practical experience, continuous learning and strong interpersonal skills are key to developing the next generation of superintendents.”  

But while development skills, like communication and organization, are valued and extremely important, one trait that’s often forgotten is respect.  

“Respect is earned, not demanded. And gaining that respect is a vital piece to construction,” Shanahan said. “When you have many subcontractors on-site, it’s important to view the work with their eyes. Try to think through the needs of them and then help where you can. It shows them that you’re on their team and that you value their work.”  

That respect is cultivated by demonstrating competence, fairness and consistency in leadership. It begins with a deep understanding of the industry and its challenges, coupled with a willingness to listen to and learn from the expertise of their teams. By fostering an inclusive and supportive work environment, where every worker feels valued and empowered, future superintendents can earn the trust and admiration that defines true respect.  

”Be a team builder. Reinforce the common goal and offer help and support at all levels to strengthen the team,” Swanson said. “Constant communication, emphasizing respect for all team members, and encouraging collaboration, ensures we’re operating with the best building practices, and achieving project goals.  

Expanding Operations at UNL’s East Campus Utility Plant

Posted on by Ronco Marketing

Ten years — Ronco Construction and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Continued Partnership  

In the heart of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s (UNL) East Campus stands a tribute to both history and modernization: the East Campus Utility Plant (ECUP). Originally built in 1915 as a coal-fired heating plant, the facility has evolved with time but remains constant to one goal — ensuring year-round heating and cooling for UNL’s East Campus.

As one of the oldest buildings on the UNL campus, the ECUP symbolizes a rich heritage of service and strength. Despite its age, the plant operates without a hitch, thanks to thorough maintenance and constant management. However, as technology and environmental standards have evolved over the years, major expansion projects have become necessary. And for the last 10 years, UNL has leveraged the same trusted partner to complete the work: Ronco Construction.    

The latest undertaking at the ECUP is a 4,200 SF CMU construction building, designed to house two mega boilers and features steel catwalks, 10-foot-thick concrete slabs, and garage doors. This project marks Ronco’s third project at UNL and the fifth collaboration with the University of Nebraska.  

An Above-the-Box Approach

Back in 2012, UNL needed to remove and replace two chillers and build an addition to the City Campus Utility Plant (CCUP). What makes the CCUP special is that it supplies heating and cooling to the entire UNL City Campus as well as other government buildings in Lincoln’s downtown loop, including the state capital. The other contractors bidding for the job planned to move the chillers out through the building’s front windows. However, running directly underneath the ground in front of the windows were two 36-inch steam lines and two 36-inch cooling lines. Now, these chillers are large — weighing about 100,000 pounds each — and the weight of them would crush the pipes below. So, the project had to account for an extra two months in the schedule to prepare the ground and additional materials (i.e. more cost) to ensure that didn’t happen.

The Ronco team decided to think outside the box. Or rather above the box. Their proposed plan was to take the roof off the existing building, remove the old chillers and install the new chillers by using a 300-ton crane, and then put the roof back on. And the plan worked perfectly — they did it in one day, and in the snow no less. That feat not only showcased Ronco’s capabilities but solidified Ronco’s reputation as a problem solver and innovator.

Perfect Coordination

In the latest project at UNL, the challenge wasn’t crushing underground pipes. It was the scope of work and the number of trade partners and stakeholders involved.

“It was essentially like high-stake Legos, piecing together all the equipment that had ‘some assembly required’,” explains Nate Bledsoe, Ronco’s project manager. “I was constantly learning the science behind how the system worked so efficiently — and it was fascinating.”

Beyond coordinating the different phases of work, the other key piece to success was keeping everyone informed. What work was happening when and who was doing the work. Communication had to be seamless. Terry Paulson, Ronco’s on-site superintendent, was the master at this and made sure updates and passing words got to the right people.

“Terry played a large role in ensuring information got to where it needed to go. Lots of phone calls, emails, on-site meetings, photos and idea sketches made this project possible,” explains Kaylee Tobiason, the project engineer.

In the end, teamwork between all of those involved made the project successful. The entire project team noted their favorite part of this project was the team atmosphere that UNL has created.

“Working with UNL for this project was very collaborative and we met regularly with UNL personnel to ensure we were meeting the goals of the project,” Tobiason said. “We were committed to working together to provide the best possible product at the end of the day.”

A Long-Lasting Partnership

With the ECUP project completed, Ronco remains committed to supporting UNL’s mission of excellence in academics and progression. With each project, Ronco strives to surpass expectations, delivering results that stand the test of time and contribute to a brighter future for generations to come at the university.

“I believe the reason UNL enjoys working with us is because we don’t pretend to be someone we’re not. We leaned on UNL’s expertise to complete this job and balance that with our own experience and expertise. That way we can continue to complete these types of jobs more efficiently in the future,” Bledsoe said.

Working Safe Day In and Day Out 

Posted on by Ronco Marketing

How Ronco Construction ensures safety on jobsites.  

In the construction industry — where progress and productivity intersect with risk and responsibility — safety stands as an unwavering cornerstone. Construction work attributes to the second most workplace deaths of all industries. Every year, about 1% of workers suffer an injury that’s serious enough to miss work. It’s a dangerous line of work.  

But, because of the dedication of those in industry to keeping safety top of mind and organizations like OSHA who set standards, these numbers have been in decline— from 10.9 injury incidents per 100 workers in 1972 to 2.7 per 100 in 2022 and 38 deaths a day in 1970 to 15 per day in 2022.  

June is dedicated to recognizing and reinforcing safety procedures across all industries through the National Safety Council. While dedicated months and weeks are great reminders throughout the year, at Ronco, every day is dedicated to safety. That’s why safety — along with integrity and teamwork which go hand-in-hand with safety — are the core values of how Ronco operates. Here are a few of the proactive measures that define how Ronco safeguards every individual on our jobsites.  

Before Work Begins 

Prior to any equipment running on a jobsite, safety planning and protocols are completed. A risk assessment is conducted to identify potential hazards includes evaluating the environment, planned equipment and project logistics. During this pre-installation phase, Ronco meets with a project’s subcontractors to discuss the project, outline expectations and identify and address concerns to mitigate any risks upfront.   

Mike Langford, Ronco’s chief operating officer and safety director, explains how asking key questions like, “what are ways we can make the jobsite safe, and how do we implement it,” are key to our proactive process.   

“From a job hazard analysis and permits to overall identification and implementation of protocols, it’s a four-tiered approach to making sure from beginning to end, it’s safe.”  

From day one of employment, every Ronco employee completes a safety orientation. This outlines the expectation on our jobsites and provides an overview of potential hazards and awareness. And before a field worker sets foot on a Ronco jobsite, they complete additional safety trainings and qualifications as well as jobsite orientations. This ensures workers know Ronco’s safety guidelines and how to approach any tool or machinery. We also require all subcontractors and their staff to review and agree to our safety standards prior to work beginning.   

Continuous Safety Awareness 

Training is not a one-and-done-type event but an ongoing commitment. Employees undergo daily safety inspections managed by Ronco’s site superintendent. We also host monthly safety talks, weekly toolbox talks on all jobsites and an annual company-wide safety stand-down event. We encourage employees to receive training for certifications like the OSHA 10-hour, 30-hour or higher throughout their career at Ronco.  

 
“We’re constantly discussing safety and providing a regular level of training or awareness. We eliminate any roadblocks for someone who wants to receive additional training to ensure they can complete it,” Langford said.  

With safety embedded so deeply at Ronco, it’s part of the company culture. We empower employees to prioritize safety and encouraged to speak up about any concerns or hazards they observe. Using the “See Something. Say Something” program, anyone within Ronco can stop working or work if they feel there’s something unsafe happening or believe it doesn’t follow Ronco’s identified guidelines. A See Something Say Something notification is sent directly to the executive leadership team to be addressed immediately. 

“We want everyone to go home every day. That’s our primary focus,” Langford said.   

Maintaining safety standards is hard, tedious work. But it has tangible ROI. Because of our team’s dedication to safety, we’ve achieved over one million hours without a lost time incident and an Experience Modifier Rating (EMR) rating of .64.  

Building on the Safety Program 

With an office and projects now in Kansas City, our safety program, standards and expectations are along for the ride.   

“It’s the enforcement of the culture and that “safety culture” mindset”, explains Langford. “It has to be organic from the start, and it’s almost must become contagious,” Langford said. “That is just how we operate daily.”  

To make sure out-of-state jobsites are maintaining company standards, regular trips are necessary to check and monitor jobsites. Langford, as the COO and safety director, makes sure he sets time in his schedule to visits jobs to ensure they’re following our process.  

“The short answer to how we stay consistent [on out-of-state jobs] would be that I’m there weekly,” Langford jokes. “But it’s also about finding the right people, who share the same vision about safety that helps ensure success. I can’t be on every job, every day, so it’s about finding individuals who can look at things through my eyes. And we’re doing that with our newer team members.” 

By implementing protocols, prioritizing ongoing training and committing to continuous improvement, we ensure every worker returns home safely at the end of each day. This commitment not only enhances workplace safety, but also fosters a resilient and reputable construction industry.  

“It’s a lot of eyes, a lot of checks and balances, to make sure that we’re all working safely so that we can go home to our families every night,” Langford said.  

From groundbreaking to the final touches of completion, our commitment to safety permeates every phase of our projects. It’s not merely a checkbox on a list of requirements, but a guiding principle embedded in our company’s culture. The framework mitigates risk, protects our workforce and upholds the highest standards of health and safety.