Author: Shelby Cox

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21 Aug

Posted at 08:45h in Community, News

Join us in celebrating The Children’s Cabinet’s 25th Annual Art of Childhood Fundraising Gala held at the stunning Rancharrah! All funds raised during the event support the organization’s mission to keep children safe and families together, and a special Fund-A-Need appeal directly supports The Children’s Cabinet’s free family counseling program. Throughout the night, guests indulged in delectable food and beverages while getting swept away by the excitement of incredible live and silent auction packages. A charming Barn-style playhouse, designed and built by United Construction, fetched $2,400 during the auction, with all proceeds benefiting The Children’s Cabinet. Did you know that annually, The Children’s Cabinet touches the lives of over 10,000 families in Nevada? From providing basic necessities and childcare resources to educational opportunities, work experience programs, crisis intervention, and family counseling – they are here to help children and families in our community every step of the way.

02 Aug

Posted at 09:35h in News

On Wednesday, July 19th, we had the honor of welcoming some special guests to some of our projects in southern Nevada. Our valued customer, Dermody Properties, stopped by for an exclusive tour of our LogistiCenter at I-15, LogistiCenter at I-215 North, and LogistiCenter at Miner’s Mesa projects. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Dermody Properties for taking the time to visit our project sites and witness the progress firsthand! Their partnership and support have been instrumental in making these developments a reality. A massive shout-out to our exceptional site project teams who went above and beyond to provide an informative and memorable tour of the buildings. Their dedication and expertise in bringing these projects to life truly impressed our visitors. Stay tuned for more updates on these exciting projects as we continue to build and shape the landscape of southern Nevada together!

28 Jul

Posted at 10:24h in United Team

We would like to highlight one of our remarkable Project Engineers – Harlee Annis! His positive attitude and willingness to go the extra mile make him a joy to work with, inspiring his colleagues to strive for excellence. Please check out the information below to get to know more about Harlee and his background.

Can you give us a quick background on your career progression?
I served nine years in the U.S. Navy Seabees – the navy’s construction force – as a Safety Manager and Project Manager, where I lead a crew and assisted the build of a small arms training building. I was also appointed to the White House Communications Agency as the Carpentry Shop Manager, where I redesigned the Vice Presidential Podium, lead the design and installation of the new Pentagon briefing room, created Standard Operating Procedures for all fabrication shop assets, and implemented a plan for shop members to enroll in the Navy’s medical surveillance program.

After my military service, I joined UCC as an intern through the DOD Skillbridge program in September 2021. I was an intern for 3 months and then moved into a full-time position as a project engineer in November of 2021.

Tell us a bit about what you like to do outside of work.
Outside of work I like to golf in the summer and snowboard in the winter, and last year I started coaching Pop Warner football as well. We bought a house last year that needs a lot of updating so I have been doing a lot of work on the house. We also are looking to raise animals on our 1 acre.

Tell us about a pivotal moment in your career.
The passing of my father was an extremely important part of my life and career, it was a moment that made me stop and really consider what I value in life. After this is when I committed to getting out of the Navy to ensure I could be the best father and husband for my family.

What’s your favorite part about your job?
My favorite part of my job is the new challenges, every job is different and has its new unique challenges that keep things interesting.

What’s the most exciting project you’ve worked on to date?
Lately I have been involved in the some of the preconstruction work for the Dermody Office Building, this is going to be a very challenging and rewarding project for whoever is a part of it once it gets started.

How did you get into construction as a career path?
I’ve always enjoyed working with my hands, in high school I took any shop class I could woodshop, welding, auto shop. I started going to TMCC for welding once I graduated high school and shortly after that is when I learned about the Navy Seabees and joined as a Builder where I go to do some basic rough carpentry, concrete, masonry and other great opportunities.

17 Jul

Posted at 13:57h in News

United Construction is celebrating our 45th anniversary this year! United Construction has and will continue to focus on its founding legacy and philosophy of successfully delivering design-build and collaborative projects in both southern and northern Nevada.

“United Construction continually focuses on being a company that delivers and stands behind quality, schedule, price and customer service.  United is dedicated to keeping commitments to our customers, people and community partnerships.” said Michael Whittaker, President of United Construction.

Michael Russell, Executive Vice President adds “United has remained focused on its long-standing relationships with Dermody Properties, Washoe County School District, Hamilton Medical Devices, CAE, Dassault Falcon and other select customers to provide design-build, CMAR and general contracting services for their Nevada projects. For 45 years United Construction has continued to serve our valued customer base which includes a variety of both private and public sector end-users and developers.”

United Construction currently has active projects in Reno and Las Vegas, and the company has about 50 employees working its two offices. Notable United Construction projects in Nevada include the LogistiCenter at I-15 South’s four building industrial project totaling 1.1 million square feet in Henderson NV, University Studies Abroad Consortium’s Office building in Reno NV, Miner’s Mesa 660,000 square foot industrial building in North Las Vegas NV, LifeChurch’s Campus Development in Reno NV, CAE Pilot Training Center in Las Vegas NV, Swope Middle School Renovation/Addition in Reno NV, Park at McCarran’s three building industrial project totaling 1.3 million square feet in Reno NV and Hamilton Medical Devices’ clean room facilities in Reno NV.

Adapting in an Evolving Industry

Since the COVID pandemic began in 2020 the construction industry has experienced numerous challenges and changes in the way business is conducted. Supply chain disruptions, material cost fluctuations, and worker shortages that cause project cost escalations and longer schedules have impacted today’s construction business and processes, but through it all Nevada’s demand for development and construction has remained robust. United Construction has adapted through these fluid market conditions to successfully serve our customers through modified early procurement practices for long lead time items/materials, additional pre-construction and construction management oversight, working with our subcontractors to address labor challenges and by straightforward communication with United’s project stakeholders. Fortunately, in recent months some of these challenges have now “normalized”, yet there nevertheless remains select unpredictable cost/material lead time challenges, economic uncertainty and labor shortages in our industry.

Fostering a Culture of Success

United’s team is guided by the following priorities:

  • Keeping customers, employees and project teams safe
  • Emphasizing employee development and engagement
  • Continuously improving communication skills
  • Embracing and implementing innovative and creative solutions

United has hired key people to strengthen its staff and organization. Casey Gunther United Vice President of Operations, Pete Brunner General Superintendent, Sheril Bradley Vice President of Finance, and Jason Kamp Manager of People Operations all fill key management roles for the company that enhances the leadership and culture of the company.

Senior leadership at United Construction is laser-focused on fostering relationships, effective communication, keeping stakeholders active in decision-making, dealing professionally and fairly with all stakeholders, collaboration, best practices, and continuous improvement; reinforcing these behaviors and instilling these philosophies every day is what drives United’s culture.

It’s All About People

We graciously thank United Construction customers and their people for their confidence in United Construction over our 45 years and send them our deepest gratitude for their enduring partnerships. United’s customers and their projects provide the opportunity to grow our people through unique and challenging projects and support United’s service to the communities we live and work in.

It’s important we recognize and thank our talented United Construction teammates for their efforts and diligence every day. Our people’s dedication is what makes our projects come to life and earns United Construction each of its successes. Without our people’s tireless work and commitment, United Construction would not exist. The United Construction team today is the best and most professional it’s ever been.

Being in business for 45 years has afforded United Construction the experience of working with the many consultants, vendors, and subcontractors that help us deliver our projects, and we thank them for their relationships, efforts, and service throughout United’s history.

United Construction is extremely fortunate to celebrate its’ 45th year in business and our team is proud of our company history and the accomplishments United has achieved over these many years. United Construction looks forward to many more years being of service to our customers, people, and communities.

 

13 Jul

Posted at 16:09h in News, United Team

We would like to highlight one of our amazing Project Engineers – Wendy Orcutt! Thank you, Wendy, for your hard work and dedication to the team and for keeping everything on our projects running smoothly. Please check out the questions below to get to know more about Wendy.

Can you give us a quick background on your career progression?
I started in multifamily homes 25 years ago. While there, I learned a lot. I then moved to purchasing, which I did for 12 years. I’m glad I did this before going into being a Project Engineer. I then moved on to doing custom home building where I got to do a lot of great things. From there I went into TI’s which I really liked being a part of. That brought me to United Construction where I’m doing great stuff like CAE. I really enjoyed that project. I’m learning everyday the structural side of things and it’s exciting.

Tell us a bit about what you like to do outside of work.
When I’m not working, I like spending time with my son. We love to be outside and off road on razors in Duck Creek, Utah. I have a love for decorating and for Vans tennis shoes. Also, I love my grand dog.

What advice would you give other women considering a career in construction?
Develop confidence. The most important advice I would give myself early in my career is that confidence matters.

What excites you most about the work you do?
The opportunity to improve my skills and knowing that I will be with people I like working alongside with.

What’s your favorite part about your job, and about working at United Construction?
What I like about my job is that I am challenged, and I’m always learning. I really appreciate the company’s culture.

What’s the most exciting project you’ve worked on to date?
CAE, this project was exciting and l learned a lot about the simulation world.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Where there is little laughter, there is little success.

What’s one thing most people don’t know about you?
I’m a country girl at heart.

26 Jun

Posted at 15:25h in News, United Team

Our team and their friends and families had a blast at The Reno Rodeo’s Tough Enough to Wear Pink Night on Friday, June 23rd! Everyone wore pink to show their support for breast cancer awareness. The Reno Rodeo has been produced yearly by the Reno Rodeo Association and community volunteers since 1919 and was created to value the traditions and history of western rodeo while giving back to the community, charities and residents of Northern Nevada. Throughout the night our team and guests enjoyed watching the rodeo events, exploring the carnival rides and camaraderie outside our normal workdays. 50/50 raffle fundraising at this year’s Rodeo was an all-time record of $190,000! Congratulations to the Reno Rodeo Association and all the charities that benefitted from this year’s events, and thank you to all the United team and families that were able to attend!

16 Jun

Posted at 09:12h in News, United Team

We are excited to spotlight one of our outstanding team members who goes above and beyond each day. Please check out the questions below to get to know more about United Superintendent, Nick Crawford!

Can you give us a quick background on your career progression?

I joined the Carpenters Local 971 Union as an apprentice in 1997 while working for a local cabinet shop as a finish carpenter. I quickly worked through all of my Apprenticeship classes graduating my Apprenticeship in 2000’ at the top of my class earning the Ben Earl Jones Gold Hammer Award. I ventured into the world of concrete where I would spend 6 years building tilt ups in the field as a carpenter. While working at Lucky Concrete I mentioned to my foreman I had the desire to become a superintendent and he said if that’s the case you need to get on with a General Contractor and learn as much as you can. I got hired on with Clark & Sullivan, and then moved to West Coast Contractors were I was able to run my own work. It was in Vegas that I got a call to come on board with United Construction and get back to working close to home, and after being on the road for 5 years, it was an opportunity I could not pass.

Tell us a bit about what you like to do outside of work.

Outside of work we chase our children around in sports. Between my wife Katie and I, we have 5 children. I have Jarrett who is 23 years old, Nicole is 22 Years old, Nick Jr. is 17, Derek is 14, and Emily Grace is 11. Nick Jr. is a junior at Spanish Springs High School and plays varsity baseball & travel ball, Derek Goes To Doral Academy and runs track and cross country, and Emily Goes to Doral Academy & plays club soccer for MVLA. I also have two grandchildren, Mac who is three years old and Levi who is three months old. We have a three year old Great Dane named Tank, and a pit bull named Whiskey that keep us busy as well. We enjoy spending time as a family camping and fishing, and my wife Katie and I spend our free time on our 2020 Harley Ultra Limited seeing the country side on two wheels.

Tell us about a pivotal moment in your career.

The best thing I ever did was join the Carpenters Union where I received my training and got to work with some great men. The second best thing I did for my career was leave the Union where I was able to further my career as a superintendent and run work.

What’s the day-to-day of your role like?

My day starts with a healthy mind and body at the gym from 5AM-6AM. Then immediately to the jobsite where I spend most of my time planning, reviewing drawings and coordinating key scopes of work with subcontractors. Anyone who has spent time in my job trailers knows I am a little OCD and that I spend a lot of time reviewing drawings and planning for my projects. As a superintendent, we spend a lot of time in meetings and problem solving for others.

What’s the most exciting project you’ve worked on to date?

I think the USAC building was the most challenging and exciting given the size, space and type of construction. My next project, the Dermody Office Building, will be the most challenging one yet.

How did you get into construction as a career path?

I thought I wanted to be an architect early on so I took some CAD classes and architecture classes before I realized it was working with my hands and building things that was what made me happy, and when I heard a local cabinet shop was looking for apprentices I jumped at the opportunity to go build things.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

Find something you enjoy doing in life and find a way to make money doing it and it will never seem like work.

 

31 May

Posted at 10:50h in News, United Team

Please welcome Jason Kamp, our new Manager of People Operations, to team UCC! Jason started in the Reno office today.

Jason initially worked in corrections but then took his skills to the community mental health arena where he developed and facilitated psychosocial programs, helping veterans and others to overcome personal barriers. He received his graduate degree and began running his own consulting company, focusing on coaching, leadership development, and strategy. He has supported teams in many industries including construction, hospitality, sales, and manufacturing.

Jason is originally from Illinois and moved here from Denver after living there for 8 years. Jason is a proud US Army veteran. He has his Master’s degree in Organizational Development and Learning from the University of Denver, and is a practicing Therevada Buddhist and certified mindfulness (vipassana) teacher. He is a Member of Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) and a Member of Northern Nevada SHRM. His certifications include being a Certified Professional SHRM (SHRM-CP).

Outside of work, Jason enjoys traveling, especially cruising. He also enjoys camping, off-roading, and philosophizing about life.

Welcome to UCC, Jason! We are happy to have you on our team!

11 May

Posted at 09:37h in News

Thank you to Nevada Business Magazine for celebrating the accomplishments of outstanding local companies in our community at the Nevada Business Awards luncheon! Congratulations to all of the 2023 Nevada Business Award finalists and winners of this prestigious award!

01 May

Posted at 10:32h in News, United Team

We had an amazing afternoon at our team-building event at Bundox Bocce! UCC employees enjoyed some friendly competition playing bocce ball, had good food and drinks, and shared many laughs and fun times! It’s always nice when the team is able to connect together outside of the office.