Kevin Dalager
[VICE PRESIDENT OPERATIONS]
Historically, safety was considered a set of rules and regulations that were strictly enforced but, Mortenson has changed that narrative by creating a safety culture. We redirect the focus from “what are we going to do today” to “how can we be a part of an ever-changing industry
Long-term Customer Success
When our customers come to us with the idea of building a stadium, there are millions of questions to be answered. It is easy to get wrapped up in construction and forget about managing the venue after opening day. We help our customers prepare for that day before no one is even on site. Once a facility opens, we have team members working with the building events team for several of the first events so if any issues come up so there is no interruption to event day. We take our years of experience opening grand facilities and pass along our lessons to every customer we work with.
Enabling Success through Attention to Detail
With our meticulous attention to detail, we anticipate issues that others wouldn’t have seen coming. Often when trade workers begin, they have a singular focus; they want to get their work done in the timeliest manner. We take a different approach that focuses on creating a cohesive group. This helps us enable our craft team members to look at the larger scope of a project and to spot problems before we find them. Building a cohesive group also builds team camaraderie and instills a sense of pride when the job is done.
Commitment to our Team
Our team members' experience is everything. Mortenson ensures career opportunities for every team member. Personally, I push for team members to be put into stretch roles, expanding how these team members view their capabilities. We always keep an eye out for company-wide positions that would be a good fit for someone. We sit down with our team members to ask how they envision their career in the future. We are invested in our team members' growth and want them to craft their career with Mortenson into something that fulfills them.
PERSONAL PASSION
One of the most exciting parts of my job is to watch our team members and trade members develop within their careers. At Chase Center, we hosted a 10-week training session for local craftworkers. A portion of the training focused on specific construction skills such as pile driving and rodbusting. However, we explored much more with future construction trade members, including opportunities for personal growth and general job skills, and facilitated discussions on what it means to be a good employee, how to work safely on a construction site, and career options both in and outside of construction. It was incredibly rewarding to witness these individuals take pride in developing a career they didn’t know existed.
INTERESTS
- Collecting records
- Mountain biking and road biking
- Attending daughters' softball games
HOME STATE: Minnesota
INDUSTRY TENURE: 25 years
MORTENSON MOMENT
Mortenson has always aligned with my personal and professional values. We treat everyone–our team members, customers, and business partners–with respect and integrity.