BUSINESS LEADERS TO WATCH IN 2026

Stevens-Leinweber Construction, Inc.

BACKGROUND: Park oversees all SLC construction activity and supervises and mentors project management and field staff to ensure long-term success. This includes SLC’s full portfolio of active, award-winning projects – a pipeline that in 2024 comprised almost 12 million square feet of industrial, office, retail and medical development and tenant improvements.

LEADERSHIP STYLE:  “I’ve had great mentors throughout my career, and have worked hard to incorporate their lessons into my own leadership style. Construction is a fluid and demanding environment, and I try to be the calm in the storm. I want those I work with to always feel comfortable bringing challenges to me so that we can work together toward the best possible outcome. Many of the challenges we face in our industry have a more favorable outcome if we address them sooner than later.”

DEFINING MOMENT: “Seven years ago, I moved from a smaller general contractor, where every project consisted of one project manager and one superintendent, to a larger firm where I found myself working on larger and more complicated projects, and leading a project team of eight to 12 people. Although I’m the son of a schoolteacher, I never considered myself much of a teacher until my career transitioned to a leadership and mentoring role. I realized that I not only love building projects, I love building teams. I’ve found it more personally rewarding to pour into others and share in their growth and success than in my own.”

TRENDS TO WATCH: “Labor shortages have forced the construction industry to find new ways to increase the efficiency of its existing workforce. Historically, our industry has been slow to adapt to emerging technologies, but that trend is changing as the profession is increasingly comprised of more tech savvy individuals. AI has already found its way into the market with software that’s capable of automating time-consuming tasks such as quantity take offs. Automation is also becoming more prevalent. We have robots capable of laying out floorplans on slabs using one-third the crew size, in half the time, and with greater accuracy. Pre-manufactured or pre-assembled systems are constantly in development as well, reducing onsite fabrication time. Whether it’s our team, our trades or our construction equipment manufacturers, there is a rising focus on automation that can reduce the time or labor needed to complete a given task without compromising safety or quality.”