08 Dec Casey Gunther encourages disabled veterans to aim high
Being named among the 20 under 40 allows Casey Gunther to urge disabled veterans to aim high when rebuilding their careers. “I am grateful the Reno Tahoe Young Professionals Network selected me as a 2020 recipient of this distinction,” says Casey, Operations Manager at United Construction Company. “It gives me a chance to tell my story and give hope to others who need to reboot for whatever reason.”
AIM HIGH
Casey first visited a Marine recruiting office at age 11 and enlisted at 17. “There is no greater honor than serving your country and leading people,” he explains. But an honorable medical discharge left Casey at a loss for his next move. “I turned wrenches to put food on the table for my family. I was working as the yard boy for a general contractor, but I knew that working as a laborer was further trashing my knees.” Never lacking courage, Casey walked into the vice president’s office and asked for career advice. Aim high, was the answer.
Casey set out on a dual path of being a fulltime student and fulltime project administrator and then project engineer. He got started at TMCC through Veterans Upward Bound studying construction and then attended UNR. When he was laid off in 2009, like many of his colleagues, he was unable to find a construction job for 72 weeks, but stayed in school and “found ways to earn a living and take care of my family. I did mobile ranch butchering. I logged and sold firewood, and I cowboyed.” He also earned his civil engineering degree from UNR.
When Casey returned to construction, he expanded his expertise by working as superintendent, project manager, estimator and senior project manager. He developed his ability to lead large projects. He has built facilities as large as 663,000 sf range and up to $30 Million. Today, Casey oversees 35 project professionals at United Construction in Reno and California.
SERVANT LEADER
Casey is a servant leader. His main goal is to serve those who report to him. “It involves putting people ahead of power,” explains Casey. When he asks his coworkers what he can do to help them, they excel as a team.
Leadership a strength that disabled veterans can bring to an organization, says Casey. “I had numerous opportunities to grow as a leader in the Marines.” Casey received multiple meritorious promotions, Marine of the Quarter awards for his unit, Marine of the Year candidate and runner up for the 1st Marine Division, the Meritorious Mast award, and Certificates of Commendation. As a Corporal, he held the billet of a Staff NCO and was directly charged with leadership of 90 Marines.
Construction has been a good second career for Casey. Like the military, it involves special projects with teams of talent coming together to master a challenge. “Veterans who appreciate the rapport that goes with working on a mission will feel at home in construction. I’ve had the pleasure of working with several veterans in construction, and they always impress me with how they encourage teamwork.”
Teamwork and Community service remain Casey’s guiding principles. In his hometown of Battle Mountain, he volunteers for rodeos, parades and more. He served as board member and chairman of the Battle Mountain Livestock Board. Casey lobbies on complicated land issues and knows the challenges of dealing with wildfire devastation. As a member of Disabled American Veterans, he has supported various veteran initiatives.