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money on their subs’ and suppliers’ backs; take the lowest bid and then squeeze every penny out of them after. That’ s not how we roll. We want our subs and suppliers to do well, and we encourage that.”
The standards HEI Civil apply when selecting partners are reflected in the way it measures performance across the business. Rather than relying on broad statements about values, the company uses a framework.“ We call the framework Critical Success Factors. The six categories are safety, people, client service, quality, production, and equipment. Not only are they critical to our success, but the degree to which we perform in each category makes us even more successful. Every year we spend time figuring out how we can improve in each one,” JP continues.
The framework serves as a guide for decision-making across the business, creating a common understanding of what success looks like and where improvement efforts should be directed. Alongside operational priorities sits a set of values summarized through the acronym GRIT. JP shares,“ GRIT stands for Growth, Raising the Bar, Integrity, and Teamwork. We feel like those summarize our philosophy.”
Those values become tangible in the company’ s approach to safety and workforce wellbeing. JP consistently links safety to people, arguing that strong performance begins with creating an environment where employees can succeed.“ We have a history of performing well in the category of safety. Safety and people are closely related. It’ s about taking care of our people. We came up with six initiatives we want to advance. We’ re developing KPIs, building a more robust occupational health program, and developing safety recognition programs that drive results,” JP elaborates.
Sustainable growth
Beyond expanding occupational health resources, HEI Civil is exploring telehealth capabilities and continuing to build on initiatives such as early intervention and defensive driving. The objective is not simply to reduce incidents, but to support employees throughout their careers.
Ultimately, what stands out most about JP’ s leadership philosophy is his view of experience itself. While studying construction management at Colorado State University, he remembers a professor warning students that costly mistakes would be part of their professional development. Years later, the lesson continues to influence how he thinks about leadership:“ Mistakes in construction can be looked at as an education. If you learn from them, you can prevent them from happening again. Better still, share those lessons with the people coming up in the industry so everyone
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