Dan Mehls
[VICE PRESIDENT & GENERAL MANAGER]
Find moments to encourage and inspire those around you to try something new.
Courageous Leadership
Our culture is centered around LeadBLU: Do the Right Thing, We Before Me and Inspire What’s Possible. The theme “leadership doesn’t happen to you, it happens within you” sticks with me. Courageous leadership is finding within yourself and those around you ways to “encourage courage,"create a safe space to try new things, spark curiosity and stimulate diverse thinking. Find those small moments to put these into practice. It impacts every relationship we have with our customers, our peers and our families.
The Human Connection
I’ve been in this industry for a long time, lived in several cities, and held a variety of positions, but what I remember most about these experiences is the human connection. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the day-to-day of our work, but when we make the time to have vulnerable conversations or show genuine interest in someone’s well-being it can create an environment where people feel seen and heard. Every one of these moments has taught me something new, has helped me see different perspectives and created special bonds in my professional and personal relationships.
From the Eyes of Our Customer
We’re builders at heart and have an immense amount of pride in seeing spaces and places come to life. However, the most impactful moments in any partnership is when we take the time to listen to what is keeping our customers up at night, asking “why” before deciding “what” and leaning into their challenges. When we experience the building process through the eyes of our customers or end users, we create better outcomes and overall experiences for everyone along the way.
PERSONAL PASSIONS
One experience that my family reflects on is a Ukraine missions trip where 25 of us renovated a hospital to aid them in regaining their certification for services. It was ten really tough days of work, but the true impact was learning their culture and connecting with the people that call that city home. Seeing and experiencing a different part of the world through another lens has changed our lives forever.
MORTENSON MOMENT
Several years ago I picked up Mort Mortenson, Jr. walking along the road because his car broke down. His first comment was he didn’t want to disrupt my day by giving him a ride.
INTERESTS
- Playing drums
- Wine
- Travel
- Pickleball
- Boating
- Model railroading
HOME STATE
Wisconsin
INDUSTRY TENURE
41 years (but a lifetime of building stuff)
Boards & Memberships
Executive Board Member
Design-Build Institute of America
Member
Board Member
Nashville Downtown Partnership
Board Member
Board Member