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AUSTIN INDUSTRIES »
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SENIOR LEADERSHIP
BOARD OF DIRECTORS »
INDEPENDENT MEMBERS

David Walls

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PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER; PRESIDENT, AUSTIN COMMERCIAL

LEADERSHIP

David Walls

President and Chief Executive Officer; Board of Directors

David Walls
Professional History

Mr. Walls is president and CEO of Austin Industries, the parent company to Austin Commercial, Austin Bridge & Road and Austin Industrial. He began his career with Austin Commercial in 1980 as a project engineer. He advanced to become one of Austin Commercial’s premier field project managers before being named vice president and director of operations in 1988. He has served as president of Austin Commercial and president of Austin Bridge & Road, in addition to his current CEO position. Mr. Walls currently serves a co-chair on the commission leading implementation of the Safety Certification for Transportation Project Professionals™ (SCTPP) program. He also serves as a trustee of Baylor Scott & White Health Care System.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. Walls holds a B.S. in Construction Technology from the University of Houston, an M.S. in Building Construction from Texas A&M University, and a Ph.D. in Leadership from Dallas Baptist University.
At Austin, you really own a piece of the business. Everyone here works for the betterment of the company and the success of each other. For more than a century, our employee-owners have been our greatest asset. They are the core of our business.

Bernard Hewett

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EVP - OPERATIONS, AUSTIN INDUSTRIES

LEADERSHIP

Bernard Hewett

Executive Vice President of Operations, Austin Industries

Bernard Hewett
Professional History

Bernard Hewett serves as executive vice president of operations for Austin Industries, and served as president of Austin Industrial from 2020-22. He brings significant leadership experience, previously serving as senior vice president of operations at Austin Commercial and president of Austin Bridge & Road. Since joining Austin in 1982, Bernard’s experience includes serving in estimating, project management, and project executive capacities for projects across the U.S. A significant part of Bernard’s service includes working closely with teams at each operating company to make improvements to process, platforms, and people systems (3P). In 2005, Bernard helped to commission Austin Industries’ Leadership Development Group and has served to develop current and future leaders across the enterprise.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. Hewett earned a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and completed the Texas Executive Education Program for General Management at the Institute for Managerial Leadership.
We seek operational excellence through the industry’s best platforms, the relentless pursuit of best practices, and developing highly trained and motivated employee-owners.

Gregory McCoun

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PRESIDENT, AUSTIN INDUSTRIAL

LEADERSHIP

Gregory McCoun

President, Austin Industrial; Board of Directors

Gregory McCoun
Professional History

Named President of Austin Industrial in 2022, Greg McCoun has more than 25 years of industrial experience on both the owner and contractor sides for Fortune 500 clients in the refining, petrochemical, paper, energy, and specialty markets. He has held executive leadership roles in business development, strategic accounts, marketing, and operations for other mechanical and SIPA contracting organizations. Greg worked directly in plant operations and process improvement for both GE and Honeywell (formerly AlliedSignal). He started his career as a process engineer and worked his way up through technical and operations roles, including plant management and direct oversight of multiple facilities.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. McCoun holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Louisiana State University and is a Six Sigma Black Belt in process improvement.

Joe McLaughlin

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CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, AUSTIN INDUSTRIES; PRESIDENT, AUSTIN BRIDGE & ROAD

LEADERSHIP

Joe McLaughlin

Chief Financial Officer, Austin Industries; President, Austin Bridge & Road; President of British American Insurance Company; Board of Directors

Joe McLaughlin
Professional History

Joe McLaughlin is Chief Financial Officer of Austin Industries and President of Austin Bridge & Road. He began his career at Austin in 2002 and has held several financial management roles, most recently serving as Chief Accounting Officer for Austin Industries. Prior to this, he served as Austin Industries Corporate Controller and Operations Controller for both Austin Commercial and Austin Bridge & Road.

Mr. McLaughlin is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in the State of Texas and became a Certified Construction Industry Financial Professional (CCIFP) in 2015. He has more than 27 years of accounting experience, with 21 of those years in the construction industry.

Mr. McLaughlin served as the 35th National Chairman of the Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA). He has been a member of the CFMA for 16 years, and served two years as Chapter President for the Dallas/Fort Worth CFMA Chapter. Mr. McLaughlin is also a Director on the Board of the CMiC Users Group, which includes IT and financial professionals from 27 of the top 100 construction companies ranked in Engineering News-Record magazine’s Top 400 Contractors.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. McLaughlin earned his B.B.A in Accounting and Executive M.B.A from the University of Texas at Arlington, College of Business. He also earned a Graduate Certificate in Asian Business Studies from the University of Texas at Arlington, College of Business.

Steve Henry

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SVP AND CHIEF LEGAL OFFICER

LEADERSHIP

Steve Henry

Senior Vice President And Chief Legal Officer; Board of Directors

Steve Henry
Professional History

Mr. Henry is the Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer for Austin Industries. Prior to joining Austin, he served as the Chair of the Construction Practice Group for the law firm of Gardere Wynne Sewell. He was regularly Chambers-rated in Construction Law while in private practice.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. Henry received a B.S. from Texas A&M University and a J.D. from Texas Tech University.
One cannot overestimate the importance of employee-ownership at Austin, how strongly it drives behavior, and how deeply it is ingrained in our culture. When we say, "We Are Austin," we are truly saying that "We Own Austin."

Janya Kieffer

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Chief Information Officer

LEADERSHIP

Janya Kieffer

Janya Kieffer
Professional History

Janya Kieffer serves as Chief Information Officer for Austin Industries. Before joining Austin, she served as Vice President of Technology for Acme Brick, and in prior leadership roles with PrimeSource Building Products. She is a collaborative IT leader, business partner, and solution visionary who excels at driving value through strategic and transformative business projects.

CREDENTIALS
Ms. Kieffer earned a Master’s degree in Information Systems from the University of Texas at Arlington, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and Chemistry from Texas State University.

Robert Kasubinski

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VP - PEOPLE, AUSTIN INDUSTRIES; VP - PEOPLE, AUSTIN INDUSTRIAL

LEADERSHIP

Robert Kasubinski

Vice President of People, Austin Industries and Austin Industrial

Robert Kasubinski
Professional History

Robert (Bob) Kasubinski leads human resources, employee relations, craft and staff hiring, training, retention, and workforce development strategies in his role as vice president of people for Austin Industrial. Bob has helped streamline the delivery of human resources services for Austin. Prior to joining the company in 2016, Bob spent 26 years in positions of increasing responsibility for Marathon Petroleum and Marathon Oil Corporations, managing corporate human resources both domestically and internationally. He was integrally involved in HR supervision and administration at several Marathon Refining operations in Louisiana, Texas, and Ohio.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. Kasubinski earned a B.S. degree in Human Resources from The Ohio State University and a Master’s degree in Labor and Industrial Relations from Cleveland State University. He has also completed several industry-relevant certification programs.

Mike Morris

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VP - SAFETY, AUSTIN INDUSTRIES

LEADERSHIP

Mike Morris

Mike Morris
Professional History

Mike Morris is the Vice President of Safety for Austin Industries. He has more than 38 years in the chemical, refining, transportation and construction industry, including 31 years of leadership experience in operations, health, safety and environmental. He began working for Austin Industrial in 2003 as Director of Health, Safety and Environmental before becoming Vice President Safety for Austin Industries in 2016.

Mr. Morris is a professional member of American Society of Safety Engineers and Executive Program of Safety Management.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. Morris earned a B.S in Safety and Operations Management from University of South Alabama.

Joe McLaughlin

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CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, AUSTIN INDUSTRIES; PRESIDENT, AUSTIN BRIDGE & ROAD

LEADERSHIP

Joe McLaughlin

Chief Financial Officer, Austin Industries; President, Austin Bridge & Road; President of British American Insurance Company; Board of Directors

Joe McLaughlin
Professional History

Joe McLaughlin is Chief Financial Officer of Austin Industries and President of Austin Bridge & Road. He began his career at Austin in 2002 and has held several financial management roles, most recently serving as Chief Accounting Officer for Austin Industries. Prior to this, he served as Austin Industries Corporate Controller and Operations Controller for both Austin Commercial and Austin Bridge & Road.

Mr. McLaughlin is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in the State of Texas and became a Certified Construction Industry Financial Professional (CCIFP) in 2015. He has more than 27 years of accounting experience, with 21 of those years in the construction industry.

Mr. McLaughlin served as the 35th National Chairman of the Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA). He has been a member of the CFMA for 16 years, and served two years as Chapter President for the Dallas/Fort Worth CFMA Chapter. Mr. McLaughlin is also a Director on the Board of the CMiC Users Group, which includes IT and financial professionals from 27 of the top 100 construction companies ranked in Engineering News-Record magazine’s Top 400 Contractors.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. McLaughlin earned his B.B.A in Accounting and Executive M.B.A from the University of Texas at Arlington, College of Business. He also earned a Graduate Certificate in Asian Business Studies from the University of Texas at Arlington, College of Business.

Brian Salerno

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SVP, AUSTIN BRIDGE & ROAD

LEADERSHIP

Brian Salerno

Brian Salerno
Professional History

Brian Salerno currently serves as Senior Vice President of Austin Bridge & Road. He joined Austin in 2014 as Vice President. He oversees Austin Bridge & Road’s preconstruction operations and brings more than three decades of experience in heavy/civil construction managing project life cycles from pursuit to planning to execution. Brian's background consists of experience in large technical structure projects, high-production concrete paving projects and complex earthmoving projects. The extent of his career has been on the contractor side of the civil infrastructure business.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. Salerno earned a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University.

Bill Heathcott

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Senior VP - Austin Bridge & Road

LEADERSHIP

Bill Heathcott

Bill Heathcott
Professional History

Bill Heathcott currently serves as Senior Vice President of AustinBridge & Road, having joined Austin in 2022. He brings more than three decades of construction  experience inall phases of utility, roadway and  heavy civil  infrastructure, with particular expertise in managing large projects. His background includes multiple large infrastructure and heavy highway projects via multiple delivery methods, and extensive experience in all phases of construction operations.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. Heathcott holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Texas A&M University in Construction Science.

Mike Landen

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VP - ESTIMATING, AUSTIN BRIDGE & ROAD

LEADERSHIP

Mike Landen

Mike Landen
Professional History

Mike Landen currently serves as Vice President of Estimating for Austin Bridge & Road. Mike joined Austin in 2004, and has also held roles as Project Manager and Director of Estimating. He has 32 years of experience in project management, project scheduling, procurement, estimating and contract administration for major transportation projects.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. Landen holds a B.S. degree in Engineering Management from Southern Methodist University.

Troy Morrison

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VP - Asphalt Plants Operations, Austin Bridge & Road

LEADERSHIP

Troy Morrison

Troy Morrison
Professional History

Troy Morrison currently serves as Vice President of Austin Bridge & Road. He joined Austin in 2023 and manages the company’s asphalt plants, QCQA, sales, and trucking departments. He has been in asphalt plant production for more than 40 years and has worked with most of the major asphalt producers in the U.S. during his service technician years. Prior to joining Austin, Troy spent 20 years of his career building his former company from 15 to 40+ plants as the Corporate Asphalt Plants Manager overseeing capital projects, designing metrics, developing operational guidelines, and due diligence on all acquisition and greenfield expansions.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. Morrison is a seasoned veteran of the asphalt industry, having served in a variety of leadership roles during the past 40 years. He previously owned an asphalt plant consulting and service company for 10 years and was awarded two U.S. patents in asphalt production.

Bob Stevens

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VP/Project Director - Major Projects, Austin Bridge & Road

LEADERSHIP

Bob Stevens

Bob Stevens
Professional History

Bob Stevens currently serves as Vice President/Project Director for Austin Bridge & Road's Major Projects Division. Having joined Austin in 2020, he has more than 30 years of industry experience to the company and has overseen some of the largest design-build projects in Texas, including the TxDOT Dallas Southern Gateway project, the TxDOT Dallas Horseshoe project, and the State Highway 161 project for the North Texas Toll Authority. Part of Bob's role includes the strengthening and broadening of the company's alternative delivery capabilities.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. Stevens holds a degree from Montana State University.

Bill Thomas

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VP - South Texas, Austin Bridge & Road

LEADERSHIP

Bill Thomas

Bill Thomas
Professional History

Bill Thomas currently serves as Vice President of Austin Bridge & Road for the South Texas region. He joined Austin in 2022, bringing more than three decades of construction and engineering experience in all phases of utility, roadway, heavy highway, asphalt, and construction aggregates. His background includes multiple large infrastructure and heavy highway projects, major quality and restructuring initiatives, and asphalt/ready-mix production.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. Thomas holds Bachelor of Science degrees from Texas A&M University in Civil Engineering and Construction Management.

David Walls

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PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER; PRESIDENT, AUSTIN COMMERCIAL

LEADERSHIP

David Walls

President and Chief Executive Officer; Board of Directors

David Walls
Professional History

Mr. Walls is president and CEO of Austin Industries, the parent company to Austin Commercial, Austin Bridge & Road and Austin Industrial. He began his career with Austin Commercial in 1980 as a project engineer. He advanced to become one of Austin Commercial’s premier field project managers before being named vice president and director of operations in 1988. He has served as president of Austin Commercial and president of Austin Bridge & Road, in addition to his current CEO position. Mr. Walls currently serves a co-chair on the commission leading implementation of the Safety Certification for Transportation Project Professionals™ (SCTPP) program. He also serves as a trustee of Baylor Scott & White Health Care System.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. Walls holds a B.S. in Construction Technology from the University of Houston, an M.S. in Building Construction from Texas A&M University, and a Ph.D. in Leadership from Dallas Baptist University.

Brian Andrews

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EXECUTIVE VP - OPERATIONS, AUSTIN COMMERCIAL

LEADERSHIP

Brian Andrews

Brian Andrews
Professional History

As Executive Vice President of Operations, Brian works with Austin leadership to plan and direct operations for Austin Commercial.

In addition to helping to direct the company’s strategic initiatives, he is involved in evaluating business opportunities and process improvement to streamline operations.

Brian began his career with Austin in 1998 and helped lead preconstruction efforts on some of Austin Commercial’s most notable landmark projects, including JW Marriott San Antonio, TCU Amon Carter Stadium, Baylor McLane Stadium, and GlobalWafers America. In addition, he has served in various leadership roles in preconstruction and estimating, as well as in project management.

Brian serves on several university advisory councils and has spent many years as a board member on several non-profit institutions.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. Andrews earned a B.S. degree in Construction Science from Texas A&M University and an M.B.A. from the University of Texas at Dallas.

Chuck Cleveland

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SENIOR VP - BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, AUSTIN COMMERCIAL

LEADERSHIP

Chuck Cleveland

Chuck Cleveland
Professional History

Chuck Cleveland is currently Senior Vice President of Marketing/Business Development for Austin Commercial. He started with Austin in 1979 as a Field Engineer, and has held roles as Estimator, Project Engineer, Project Administrator, Chief Estimator, Vice President of Preconstruction and Senior Vice President of Preconstruction.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. Cleveland earned a B.S. degree in Architecture from the University of Texas at Arlington.

Peter Durbin

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SENIOR VP - AVIATION, AUSTIN COMMERCIAL

LEADERSHIP

Peter Durbin

Peter Durbin
Professional History

Peter Durbin is currently Senior Vice President of Aviation for Austin Commercial. He began his career with Austin in 1987 and has since served as Project Manager, Director of Risk Management and Vice President of Aviation Operations. Prior to joining Austin, he spent four years as a Civil Engineering Officer for the United States Air Force.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. Durbin earned a B.S. degree in Architectural Engineering from the University of Texas.

David Graham

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SENIOR VP - OPERATIONS, AUSTIN COMMERCIAL

LEADERSHIP

David Graham

David Graham
Professional History

David Graham is Senior Vice President of Austin Commercial. He begin his career with Austin as a Project Administrator in 1990. The majority of his career has been concentrated on healthcare construction. He also serves as a director on the TEXO board. TEXO is the largest commercial contractors’ association in Texas and is affiliated with the national Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) and The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC).

CREDENTIALS
Mr. Graham earned a B.S. degree in Construction Technology from Mississippi State University.

Elliott Goodman

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SENIOR VP - DALLAS/FORT WORTH, AUSTIN COMMERCIAL

LEADERSHIP

Elliott Goodman

Elliott Goodman
Professional History

Elliott Goodman serves as Senior Vice President and oversees large construction programs in North Texas. He has served in many project management positions since beginning his construction career with Austin Commercial in 1994.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. Goodman earned an MBA from the University of Texas at Arlington and a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin.

Chris Guice

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SENIOR VP - BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT & MARKETING, AUSTIN COMMERCIAL

LEADERSHIP

Chris Guice

Chris Guice
Professional History

Chris Guice serves as the Senior Vice President of Marketing and Business Development for Austin Commercial. He oversees all marketing and business development for North Texas and provides business development expertise for Austin Commercial’s offices throughout the U.S.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. Guice earned a B.S. degree in Construction Science from the University of Louisiana at Monroe and an MBA from the University of Phoenix. He also completed the Executive Education Program at The University of Texas at Austin. He is a 2016 graduate of Leadership Dallas and a 2017 graduate of Leadership Fort Worth.

John A. Martin

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SENIOR VP - HOUSTON, AUSTIN COMMERCIAL

LEADERSHIP

John A. Martin

John A. Martin
Professional History

As Senior Vice President of Austin Commercial's Houston region, John Martin oversees all Austin Commercial operations in Houston, Waco, College Station, and Galveston. He has more than 30 years of experience leading teams of construction and design professionals to exceptional work in both public and private sectors.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. Martin earned a B.S. degree in Construction Management from Oklahoma State University and is a DBIA Accredited Professional.

Kent McNorton

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SENIOR VP, AUSTIN COMMERCIAL

LEADERSHIP

Kent McNorton

Kent McNorton
Professional History

Kent McNorton is Senior Vice President of Austin Commercial. He began his career with Austin in 1985 working in project management before becoming Vice President of Preconstruction, Senior Vice President of Operations and Senior Vice President of Estimating.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. McNorton earned a B.S. degree in Construction Science from Kansas State University.

David Yeagy

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SENIOR VP, AUSTIN COMMERCIAL

LEADERSHIP

David Yeagy

David Yeagy
Professional History

David Yeagy serves as Senior Vice President for Austin Commercial, overseeing the company's operations in the Southeast region, Austin, Texas, and the western U.S. He has 27 years construction industry experience, all of which have been with Austin Commercial. Joining Austin in 1995, he quickly moved through the ranks of the project management career path and now oversees our Southeast operations. David has a wide variety of experience in the following market segments: advanced technology, aviation, healthcare, higher education, hospitality, office, tenant finish out, and themed entertainment.

Most notably, David’s experience includes JW Marriott Lanai, JW Marriott Hill Country Resort and Spa, UT AT&T Conference Center, and DFW International Airport Terminal D.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. Yeagy holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin.

Simeon Terry

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VP - DIVERSITY AFFAIRS, AUSTIN COMMERCIAL

LEADERSHIP

Simeon Terry

Simeon Terry
Professional History

Simeon Terry is currently the Vice President of Diversity Affairs for Austin Commercial. Simeon and his team work to ensure procurement and economic development opportunities for small, minority, disadvantaged, historically underutilized and women-owned businesses (MSWBEs) on Austin projects. Through innovative methods of providing opportunities for these businesses, the Diversity Affairs department helps Austin achieve its commitment to workplace diversity and inclusiveness at every level of the organization. Austin’s Diversity Affairs team won two national awards in 2018: The AGC Diversity & Inclusion Award and the 2018 Airport Minority Advisory Council - Airport Design Innovation & Inclusion Award.

During his 30+ years in the industry, Simeon has served in many capacities, including Construction Engineer, Safety Manager, Purchasing Manager, Operations Manager, Assistant Project Manager, Surety Consultant, Estimator and Project Manager.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. Terry earned a B.S. degree in Industrial and Safety Engineering from Kansas State University. In addition, he holds an MBA degree from the University of Phoenix at Dallas with a concentration in Business Finance, and he is also Certified by Morgan State University as a Master Contract Administrator.

James Augustyn

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VP - OPERATIONS, AUSTIN COMMERCIAL

LEADERSHIP

James Augustyn

James Augustyn
Professional History

James Augustyn currently serves as Vice President of Operations for Austin Commercial. James joined Austin in 2004 and has served in various project management roles, assisting with several high-profile projects in the aviation and wafer fab/semiconductor markets. He continues to assist the company expand its presence in the advanced technology space.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. Augustyn earned a degree from the State University of New York at New Paltz.

Jim Hall

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VP - AVIATION, AUSTIN COMMERCIAL

LEADERSHIP

Jim Hall

Jim Hall
Professional History

As Vice President of Aviation, Jim oversees Austin Commercial’s strategic planning and project acquisition. He has more than 40 years of industry experience in design, construction, and maintenance project delivery.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. Hall earned a B.S. degree in Building Construction from Purdue University and an A.S. degree in Architectural Design from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Steve Penson

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VP, AUSTIN COMMERCIAL

LEADERSHIP

Steve Penson

Steve Penson
Professional History

Steve Penson serves as Austin Commercial’s Vice President, specializing in advanced technology and aviation markets. He brings more than 30 years of extensive experience in aviation, biohealth, laboratories, and advanced technology projects.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. Penson earned B.S. and M.S. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University.

Monica Schoenemann

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VP - PROJECT SERVICES, AUSTIN COMMERCIAL

LEADERSHIP

Monica Schoenemann

Monica Schoenemann
Professional History

Monica Schoenemann currently serves as Vice President of Project Services for Austin Commercial. Monica joined Austin in 1993, and she has served in multiple capacities during her time with the company, including Estimator, Project Manager, Director of Project Controls, and now Vice President of Project Services. Monica was recently named the 2018 LUNA Awards Outstanding Executive, which recognizes a Woman Senior Executive in construction, architecture or engineering in the North Texas area. These awards celebrate the achievements of women, women-owned businesses and advocates in the industry.

CREDENTIALS
Ms. Schoenemann earned a B.S. degree in Construction Science from Texas A&M University.

Gregory McCoun

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PRESIDENT, AUSTIN INDUSTRIAL

LEADERSHIP

Gregory McCoun

President, Austin Industrial; Board of Directors

Gregory McCoun
Professional History

Named President of Austin Industrial in 2022, Greg McCoun has more than 25 years of industrial experience on both the owner and contractor sides for Fortune 500 clients in the refining, petrochemical, paper, energy, and specialty markets. He has held executive leadership roles in business development, strategic accounts, marketing, and operations for other mechanical and SIPA contracting organizations. Greg worked directly in plant operations and process improvement for both GE and Honeywell (formerly AlliedSignal). He started his career as a process engineer and worked his way up through technical and operations roles, including plant management and direct oversight of multiple facilities.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. McCoun holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Louisiana State University and is a Six Sigma Black Belt in process improvement.

Dean Gronnerud

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VP - TECHNICAL SERVICES, AUSTIN INDUSTRIAL

LEADERSHIP

Dean Gronnerud

Dean Gronnerud
Professional History

Dean Gronnerud is vice president of technical services for Austin Industrial, where he leads commercial pricing, proposal development, and negotiations for reimbursable contracts. Dean also manages quality, the equipment division, and contractor licensing. Dean first joined Austin in 1994 as a project engineer and has been responsible for estimating, contracts, project controls, and procurement during his tenure, while providing extensive support to maintenance and construction operations. Dean has helped establish, refine, and implement many of Austin’s operating procedures. While a construction project manager, Dean managed projects in the petrochemical, refining, power, and semiconductor industries, in locations from New Mexico to Florida. He is a member of the University of Houston Construction Management Industry Advisory Board.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. Gronnerud earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from The University of Texas and holds an MBA from C.T. Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston.

Allen Hall

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VP - BUSINESS CONTROLS, AUSTIN INDUSTRIAL

LEADERSHIP

Allen Hall

Allen Hall
Professional History

An 18-year Austin employee-owner, Allen Hall began his career as a project engineer with Austin Bridge and Road in 2002, advancing to General Controls Manager there, before transferring to Austin Industrial in 2019 to assume a newly created role as Vice President of Business Controls. Allen oversees capital project controls and operational technologies, leading integration, training, and compliance of several systems and platforms that drive business operations. He is a company subject matter expert on Primavera P6, HCSS HeavyJob & HeavyBid, and CMiC construction software. Allen has 26 years of industry experience.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. Hall is pursuing a B.A. in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix.

Jim Hodges

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VP - PRECONSTRUCTION SERVICES & SPECIAL PROJECTS, AUSTIN INDUSTRIAL

LEADERSHIP

Jim Hodges

Jim Hodges
Professional History

Jim Hodges possesses more than 30 years of heavy industrial construction experience in the petrochemical, chemical, refining, power, and pharmaceutical industries. Jim first worked for Austin from 1997 to 2007, when he served as project manager, manager of marketing, and project controls manager. He returned to Austin in 2016 and led the deployment of several technology solutions as vice president of operational technology. In his current role as vice president for preconstruction, he oversees estimating, fabrication, construction contract negotiations, and pre-project planning for capital projects. Jim assists with special projects across all areas of Austin’s services as needed.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. Hodges earned a B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Project Management from Colorado Technical University, an Executive Education General Management Certificate from the University of Texas, and an A.A.S. in Construction Management from San Jacinto College North. He has also completed programs in: Project Management at Rice University, Advanced Project Management at Colorado State University, and Value Engineering and Cost Control at the University of Florida. He holds a PMP license from Project Management Institute.

Robert Kasubinski

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VP - PEOPLE, AUSTIN INDUSTRIES; VP - PEOPLE, AUSTIN INDUSTRIAL

LEADERSHIP

Robert Kasubinski

Vice President of People, Austin Industries and Austin Industrial

Robert Kasubinski
Professional History

Robert (Bob) Kasubinski leads human resources, employee relations, craft and staff hiring, training, retention, and workforce development strategies in his role as vice president of people for Austin Industrial. Bob has helped streamline the delivery of human resources services for Austin. Prior to joining the company in 2016, Bob spent 26 years in positions of increasing responsibility for Marathon Petroleum and Marathon Oil Corporations, managing corporate human resources both domestically and internationally. He was integrally involved in HR supervision and administration at several Marathon Refining operations in Louisiana, Texas, and Ohio.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. Kasubinski earned a B.S. degree in Human Resources from The Ohio State University and a Master’s degree in Labor and Industrial Relations from Cleveland State University. He has also completed several industry-relevant certification programs.

Tony Sanderson

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VP - Maintenance & SIPA, Austin Industrial

LEADERSHIP

Tony Sanderson

Tony Sanderson
Professional History

Tony Sanderson serves as Regional Vice President of Maintenance and SIPA for Austin Industrial, serving the company’s Central Region. He joined Austin in 2018 and has 32 years of experience in the refining, petrochemical, paper, energy, agriculture, and specialty markets, with 18 years in executive management roles. He began his career in field operations and worked his way up through project management, contracts management, and regional management roles, paving the way for his executive management roles.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. Sanderson holds a Bachelor’s degree in Project Management from Colorado State University.

Michael Taranto

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VP - Business Development, AUSTIN INDUSTRIAL

LEADERSHIP

Michael Taranto

Michael Taranto
Professional History

Michael Taranto serves as Vice President of Business Development and Marketing for Austin Industrial. He joined Austin in 2018 as a Sr. Business Development Manager, responsible for growing Austin’s footprint within the petrochemical, refining, pulp/paper, and power markets. Currently, he oversees all business development and marketing initiatives for the Industrial Division. Michael brings to Austin more than 22 years of industrial sales and marketing experience throughout the U.S.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. Taranto holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Communications from Southeastern Louisiana University.

Matt Boyles

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Regional VP - Maintenance & SIPA, Austin Industrial

LEADERSHIP

Matt Boyles

Matt Boyles
Professional History

Matt Boyles serves as Regional Vice President of Maintenance and SIPA to the Southeast region. Matt joined Austin in May 2019 as the SIPA Operations Manager based out of Austin’s Louisiana office, bringing 16 years of industry experience to the company.  During his time with Austin, Matt has helped grow the business with key customers, including LyondellBasell, Honeywell, Arlanxeo, ExxonMobil, and International Paper. Previously, Matt held several leadership roles in SIPA maintenance and construction services, fabrication, and manufacturing.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. Boyles holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management and Marketing from McNeese State University.

Mike Smith

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REGIONAL VP - Maintenance & SIPA, Austin Industrial

LEADERSHIP

Mike Smith

Mike Smith
Professional History

Mike Smith serves as Regional Vice President of Maintenance and SIPA for Austin Industrial’s Southwest Region. In his role, he oversees the execution of reimbursable mechanical and soft craft maintenance, customer relationship management, and bid pursuits within the region. Prior to joining Austin in 2017, Mike spent 11 years in the United States Navy, serving as a nuclear submarine officer.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. Smith holds a Bachelor’s degree in Ocean Engineering from the United States Naval Academy and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Texas. He is a Certified Maintenance and Reliability Professional (CMRP).

Tom Leppert

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CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD / INDEPENDENT MEMBER

LEADERSHIP

Tom Leppert

Tom Leppert
Professional History

Tom Leppert has a distinguished record of accomplishment that includes high profile leadership positions in both the private and public sectors. Leppert has led major national and international corporations in the areas of construction, financial services, home building, real estate, and education. These include serving as Chairman/CEO of The Turner Corporation, the nation’s largest general building company; CEO of Kaplan, Inc., the global multi-billion-dollar educational services company; and CEO of Castle & Cooke Properties. Earlier, he was a principal with McKinsey & Co., and from 2007-2011, he was the elected Mayor of Dallas. He made the city a national focal point in the areas of public safety, economic development, education, and the environment.

Leppert is a noted speaker and has appeared regularly in the media. He has been recognized nationally for his leadership, including CEO of the Year by D Magazine, the Texas Businessman of the Year by the Texas Association of Business, Outstanding Director of the Year 2020 from the Dallas Business Journal, the George Benson Distinguished Alumni Award by Claremont McKenna College, the Torch of Conscience Award from American Jewish Congress, the Russell H. Perry Free Enterprise Award from Dallas Baptist University, the Global Cross Millennium Award for Corporate Environmental Leadership from Global Green and Father of the Year recipient in Dallas (2010). He has also been inducted into the Energy Efficiency Hall of Fame as well as the Dallas Business Hall of Fame.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. Leppert served as a White House Fellow in 1984. He holds an MBA with Distinction from Harvard Business School and graduated cum laude from Claremont McKenna College. He has also received several Honorary Doctorate degrees. He has served on a wide range of corporate boards on three continents.

Deborah Adams

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS / INDEPENDENT MEMBER

LEADERSHIP

Deborah Adams

Deborah Adams
Professional History

Deborah Adams has joined the Board of Directors of Austin Industries. She brings more than 30 years of experience in the oil and gas industry with her to Austin, including roles at Conoco, ConocoPhillips and Phillips 66. Prior to her retirement in 2016, Ms. Adams served in a number of roles and capacities, including, most recently, Senior Vice President - HSE, Projects and Procurement, President - Transportation, General Manager and Chief Procurement Officer, General Manager - International Refining, and General Manager - Global Downstream Information Systems among many other postings with the company.

CREDENTIALS
Ms. Adams earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering from Oklahoma State University, where she has been named a distinguished alumna. She sits on the school’s Board of Governors and in 2014 was inducted into the OSU College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology Hall of Fame.

Ron Nicol

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS / INDEPENDENT MEMBER

LEADERSHIP

Ron Nicol

Ron Nicol
Professional History

Ron Nicol joined the Austin Industries Board of Directors in 2018. Prior to this, he was a Senior Partner and Managing Director for The Boston Consulting Group (BCG), serving the company in numerous leadership roles for 28 years and serving on the BCG Executive Committee for 10 years. Nicol served more than seven years on the Board of Visitors for Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, including three years as Chairman. He currently serves on the board of directors of several companies. In addition, during the Trump Administration transition, he served as the Director of Agency Action, where he and his teams were responsible for the transition of all agencies of the U.S. government.

Nicol worked in consulting for nearly 30 years and has authored several articles on organization, business, and management. In 2006, he was named one of the Top 25 Global Consultants by Consulting Magazine.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. Nicol earned an MBA from Duke University, where he was named a Fuqua Scholar by faculty of Fuqua School of Business. He also holds a B.S. in Physics with honors from the United State Naval Academy. His military service includes nearly seven years active duty as a U.S. nuclear submarine naval officer.

Dave Scullin

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS / INDEPENDENT MEMBER

LEADERSHIP

Dave Scullin

Dave Scullin
Professional History

Dave Scullin joined the Austin Industries, Inc. Board of Directors in 2017. He brings with him more than 40 years of extensive leadership experience with prominent global professional service firms, including Deloitte and Arthur Andersen. Mr. Scullin currently serves as the president and CEO of Communities Foundation of Texas (CFT), the state’s largest public foundation. CFT professionally manages more than 900 charitable funds for families, companies and nonprofits to strengthen the North Texas region and beyond. Mr. Scullin has an extensive record of service to public and private companies as an audit leader and as a trusted consulting adviser. He has also held multiple high profile positions, including lead partner for global clients, industry leader and managing partner in Fort Worth and Phoenix.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. Scullin graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from Marquette University and is a licensed CPA in multiple states. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Fort Worth Chamber, Greater Phoenix Economic Council (mayor appointment) and Greater Phoenix Leadership.

Nina Vaca

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS / INDEPENDENT MEMBER

LEADERSHIP

Nina Vaca

Nina Vaca
Professional History

Nina Vaca is the Chairman and CEO of Pinnacle Group, which she founded in 1996. Today, Pinnacle is a workforce solutions powerhouse providing multiple service lines to industry leaders in the telecommunications, financial services, transportation, and technology industries serving clients throughout North America, and in Europe, Latin America, and the Asia Pacific region. Pinnacle has been included in the Inc. 500/5000 list of fastest-growing companies 13 times and in 2015 and 2018 it was named the fastest-growing women-owned/led company by the Women Presidents’ Organization. In addition to her work with Pinnacle, Ms. Vaca is among the few Latinas currently serving as a director of publicly-traded corporations and is working to help increase the presence and participation of more women and minorities on corporate boards. She currently serves as a director on the boards of Comerica, Inc. and Cinemark Holdings, and was previously a director of Kohl’s Corporation. Ms. Vaca is also a committed civic leader and philanthropist. In 2014, she was appointed by the White House as an inaugural member of the Presidential Ambassadors for Global Entrepreneurship (PAGE) program. In 2016, she became a Henry Crown Fellow at the Aspen Institute. She is also a lifetime member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Ms. Vaca is particularly focused on expanding opportunities for women and girls in STEM fields as well as for women and underrepresented minorities in business.

CREDENTIALS
Ms. Vaca is a 1994 graduate of Texas State University with a bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies and a minor in Business. She has been named a Distinguished Alumna of the school (one of the youngest in school history) and has since established the Nina Vaca Innovation & Entrepreneurship Award. A lifelong learner, she completed the Corporate Governance Executive Program at Harvard University to prepare for service on the board of directors of publicly traded companies. For her work in the community and business success Ms. Vaca has received three honorary doctorates from Northwood University, Mount Mary University, and Berkeley College.

Admiral Pat Walsh (ret.)

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS / INDEPENDENT MEMBER

LEADERSHIP

Admiral Pat Walsh (ret.)

Admiral Pat Walsh (ret.)
Professional History

Pat Walsh joined the Austin Industries, Inc. Board of Directors in 2021. Following a 34-year career in the U.S. Navy, Walsh retired from the Navy in 2012 as an Admiral, last serving as Commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, the largest naval force in the world with 180 ships, 2,000 aircraft and 125,000 people. He previously served as Vice Chief of Naval Operations, where he was responsible for national defense requirements and represented department operations, readiness and personnel issues in testimony to Congress. His other notable commands include U.S. Fifth Fleet, Carrier Group Seven/USS John C. Stennis Strike Group, and VFA-105.

Walsh served as a naval aviator with more than 4,700 hours of flight time and 750 carrier arrested landings. He flew 77 combat and combat support missions and flew as a member of the Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron – the Blue Angels. Prior to joining Austin, Walsh served as vice president of United States Navy and Marine Corps Services for Boeing Global Services. Previously, he served as senior vice president and general manager of ThreatSPACE (R) of iSightPartners, where he developed an offering of live-fire, cyber crisis-simulation services. After acquisition by FireEye, Inc., he developed a cybersecurity, enterprise readiness framework for commercial partners and government agencies.

CREDENTIALS
Admiral Walsh is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and holds a Master of Arts and doctorate degrees from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He was a White House Fellow in the Office of Management & Budget.

David Walls

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PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER; PRESIDENT, AUSTIN COMMERCIAL

LEADERSHIP

David Walls

President and Chief Executive Officer; Board of Directors

David Walls
Professional History

Mr. Walls is president and CEO of Austin Industries, the parent company to Austin Commercial, Austin Bridge & Road and Austin Industrial. He began his career with Austin Commercial in 1980 as a project engineer. He advanced to become one of Austin Commercial’s premier field project managers before being named vice president and director of operations in 1988. He has served as president of Austin Commercial and president of Austin Bridge & Road, in addition to his current CEO position. Mr. Walls currently serves a co-chair on the commission leading implementation of the Safety Certification for Transportation Project Professionals™ (SCTPP) program. He also serves as a trustee of Baylor Scott & White Health Care System.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. Walls holds a B.S. in Construction Technology from the University of Houston, an M.S. in Building Construction from Texas A&M University, and a Ph.D. in Leadership from Dallas Baptist University.

Steve Henry

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SVP AND CHIEF LEGAL OFFICER

LEADERSHIP

Steve Henry

Senior Vice President And Chief Legal Officer; Board of Directors

Steve Henry
Professional History

Mr. Henry is the Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer for Austin Industries. Prior to joining Austin, he served as the Chair of the Construction Practice Group for the law firm of Gardere Wynne Sewell. He was regularly Chambers-rated in Construction Law while in private practice.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. Henry received a B.S. from Texas A&M University and a J.D. from Texas Tech University.

Joe McLaughlin

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CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, AUSTIN INDUSTRIES; PRESIDENT, AUSTIN BRIDGE & ROAD

LEADERSHIP

Joe McLaughlin

Chief Financial Officer, Austin Industries; President, Austin Bridge & Road; President of British American Insurance Company; Board of Directors

Joe McLaughlin
Professional History

Joe McLaughlin is Chief Financial Officer of Austin Industries and President of Austin Bridge & Road. He began his career at Austin in 2002 and has held several financial management roles, most recently serving as Chief Accounting Officer for Austin Industries. Prior to this, he served as Austin Industries Corporate Controller and Operations Controller for both Austin Commercial and Austin Bridge & Road.

Mr. McLaughlin is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in the State of Texas and became a Certified Construction Industry Financial Professional (CCIFP) in 2015. He has more than 27 years of accounting experience, with 21 of those years in the construction industry.

Mr. McLaughlin served as the 35th National Chairman of the Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA). He has been a member of the CFMA for 16 years, and served two years as Chapter President for the Dallas/Fort Worth CFMA Chapter. Mr. McLaughlin is also a Director on the Board of the CMiC Users Group, which includes IT and financial professionals from 27 of the top 100 construction companies ranked in Engineering News-Record magazine’s Top 400 Contractors.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. McLaughlin earned his B.B.A in Accounting and Executive M.B.A from the University of Texas at Arlington, College of Business. He also earned a Graduate Certificate in Asian Business Studies from the University of Texas at Arlington, College of Business.

Gregory McCoun

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PRESIDENT, AUSTIN INDUSTRIAL

LEADERSHIP

Gregory McCoun

President, Austin Industrial; Board of Directors

Gregory McCoun
Professional History

Named President of Austin Industrial in 2022, Greg McCoun has more than 25 years of industrial experience on both the owner and contractor sides for Fortune 500 clients in the refining, petrochemical, paper, energy, and specialty markets. He has held executive leadership roles in business development, strategic accounts, marketing, and operations for other mechanical and SIPA contracting organizations. Greg worked directly in plant operations and process improvement for both GE and Honeywell (formerly AlliedSignal). He started his career as a process engineer and worked his way up through technical and operations roles, including plant management and direct oversight of multiple facilities.

CREDENTIALS
Mr. McCoun holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Louisiana State University and is a Six Sigma Black Belt in process improvement.
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