Farewell and Good Luck to Mark Dent
Mark Dent has long been a friend to and ardent supporter of the CEA. For those of you who are unaware, Turner Construction has promoted him. He has relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina effective October 1. We want to feature him to wish him and his wife Kim well in their new home and most of all, thank him for all he has done.
The Early Years
One would think with a Grandfather, Uncles, and Cousins in the construction industry the decision to study construction management must have been a natural progression for Mark as he prepared to head off to college.
“Actually, I planned on becoming a forest ranger. I was accepted to West Virginia University and was weeks away from starting my freshman year when I got cold feet,” Mark said. “I began to have questions: Could I really make enough money to pay bills and raise a family? Was there room to grow? Was the career path realistic?” These were questions he could not find satisfactory answers to, so he decided to make a change. He withdrew from WVU, and resolved to take a closer look at the other schools where he was accepted. “While visiting BG (Bowling Green State University), I determined that was the school for me. I no longer wanted to be a forest ranger. I thought I could figure out what I wanted to major in later.” His parents, however, were not as easy going as he was. “They wouldn’t let me leave campus until I decided on a major. Lucky for me, there was a job fair going on at the time. I looked around, saw a tent with a sign for Construction Management, and decided to give it a try.”
BGSU not only gave Mark the foundation for his future career, it is also where he got his first taste of leadership serving as President of the school’s ACG (Associated General Contractors of America) chapter. As he discovered, leadership is a taste he thoroughly enjoyed.
After earning his degree, Mark was immediately hired by Turner Construction. Despite the success he has had with Turner, his start with the company was less than smooth. “At first they told me I was going to L.A. My wife, Kim, and I were engaged, and while it was a big move, she was o.k. with it. Then I received a call a week later and was told that instead of L.A. I would now be sent to New York City. Kim readily agreed. She didn’t care where they sent us, as long as we were together.” “Growing up in NE Ohio, I had no clue about life in the big city. In fact, I had never really been outside of Ohio, let alone to a place that was so immense.”
Mark got his wake up call when a taxi dropped him off at the construction site on 52nd and Broadway. There were 800 people on the site, and he was left standing in the middle of it all with two suitcases, and a awestruck look that let everyone around him know he was completely out of his element.
I was in NYC for two weeks before Turner sent me to Quebec to check out a granite plant in the middle of nowhere. One restaurant, one hotel, and nobody spoke a word of English. It didn’t take long for me to start questioning the decision I had made. What am I doing (here)? What was I thinking (taking this job)? The self-doubt made it an extremely difficult time in my life. Finally, I decided to stop questioning my choice, get out, learn, and explore. I told myself it would get better. It did.”
On Management
While discussing Turner Construction, Mark emphasized that their corporate culture and business model are what keep them among the preeminent names in the construction industry. He grouped Turner’s people, into three categories:
- Veterans: Those individuals who have seemingly been around forever. They exhibit wisdom and confidence that can only be gained through experience. They make everyone’s job easier, because they understand what it takes to do projects effectively and efficiently.
- Those on the bubble: The people who have been around for several years. With additional training and experience they have the potential to gain the wisdom to take them from good to great. If, however, they are not improving themselves, they ultimately get replaced.
- New recruits: New to the company, they seem to possess the basic abilities. It is important to give them the tools to succeed the right way. It is up to them. If they can do it, great. If not…
Mark’s philosophy-It is the manager’s job to identify the skills his or her people possess and place them in a position of greatest opportunity, enabling them to utilize their talent and allow them to succeed rather than being pushed out. It is Mark’s belief that good managers adapt to what motivates each employee rather than forcing employees to adapt to their manager’s style. Human psychology teaches us that not everyone reacts to the same motivational processes.
Some need a kick in the butt; others need a pat on the back or a sympathetic ear. In other words, if you plant an apple seed, no amount of managing will turn that apple seed into a peach tree. However, proper care and attention will transform that seed into flourishing productive apple tree."
On Community Service, Building Relationships, and Being Good Citizens
Dent went on to explain one of the ways the company helps their recruits to grow. “We implemented a process we like to call ‘Leadership Turner.’ It enables new hires to meet and interact with department heads face to face. It is also an occasion to develop leadership, training, and community involvement opportunities. As part of the program, we explain our community service expectations which are: Have our recruits research which community and/or charitable activities they would like to support, as well as the best way in which to support them. If feasible, we provide the resources to get started. As a part of the process that recruiting class is then brought back the following year so they may explain what they did and why, and to teach the system to the new recruiting class. Our success has been tremendous.”
Locally they feel it is important to find out those causes and organizations in which their clients have an interest. “When I took over as GM of Turner Cleveland five years ago, I noticed that while we had great name recognition for our strength in construction, we weren’t involved in the community. I discovered that one of our key clients was heavily involved with and passionate about Youth Opportunities Unlimited (Y.O.U.). We made the decision to collaborate with them in helping Y.O.U.. By doing so we managed to move beyond a company/client relationship into a partnership.” Aside from the obvious benefits to the community, the partnership gives Turner a distinct advantage over competition that would like to add that client to their own portfolio. It was all about what we could do to help the client in an area not directly related to construction.
On Safety
Mark related that after two months into his job at 52nd and Broadway, he watched as a crane collapsed right in front of him, killing several people. The look in his eyes as he told the story revealed that the image is something that will stay with him for the rest of his life. Traditionally, construction workers comprise some of the toughest of individuals. However, Mark has noticed a shift within the last 10 years,
People began to realize that many of the accidents that were happening on the jobsite could have been prevented. People were losing friends and family members, often unnecessarily. They needed to take more responsibility for their own safety as well as the safety of their co-workers."
Turner had data trends indicating that a disproportionate number of accidents were occurring after long, or holiday weekends. In response, after every long weekend they will have a National Safety Stand Down. Across the nation, before anyone can start work, they will bring in coffee and bagels and spend 30 minutes going over safety procedures. Since implementing the program there has been a significant decrease in the number of accidents at minimal cost to the company. More important than the costs were the workers who were able to return home to their families at the end of the day.
On the Future
As mentioned at the outset, Mark was transferred to Charlotte. Ever the good manager, even though he is leaving the area that has been his home for the majority of his life, he did not want to take away the opportunities for the people in his business unit in Cleveland to expand.
The move will give him a chance to grow as a person and leader. “I am going to miss Ohio tremendously. Of all the places I’ve travelled, it has a nice balance of people, lifestyle, work opportunities, and cost of living that you just don’t get anywhere else. During my time at Turner I’ve found that Northeast Ohio is one of the hardest communities to get people to move to and one of the most difficult to get them to move away from.” When talking about his own move the thing that stood out most was when Mark said, “I can’t maneuver down there yet.” The key word being “yet,” it shows the poise and the confidence of someone who is used to triumphing in his endeavors. It may not come easy at first, but it will come in the end.
A wise person once wrote, “Luck is when preparation meets opportunity.” Mark is obviously prepared. On behalf of the CEA, we wish you “Good Opportunity” as well as a safe and prosperous journey as you continue to build upon your success.
Blake J. Minich Marketing Director at Applied Financial Concepts, Inc. Financial Advisors to the Construction Industry since 1971.