Project success in engineering and construction often builds upon alignment — across teams, goals and the partners who help bring complex projects to life.
For Concast, a Minnesota-based manufacturer of precast concrete products, such alignment has taken a meaningful step forward through leadership’s participation in an executive education program through the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College, an experience made possible through an award from Burns & McDonnell.
“My time at Tuck was truly transformative,” says Ben Olson, Concast president and CEO. “One of the most valuable lessons I took away was the critical role that communication plays within a team.”
Leaders from Concast are among dozens who have received scholarships to Tuck during the past 10 years through the Strategic Partners Program at Burns & McDonnell. Lessons learned and insights gained during the weeklong programs pay off for months and years to come by strengthening work safety, quality and outcomes, all key components in delivering successful projects in engineering and construction.
“When we invest in the right relationships, we create opportunities that benefit everyone: our partners, our clients and our communities,” says Tammy Martin, director of strategic partners at Burns & McDonnell.
Tuck’s immersive sessions are designed to help founders and executives think strategically, boost their financial acumen and strengthen internal dynamics to sustain long-term performance.
“We develop wise and decisive leaders to better the world through business, and we do it in a way that’s personal, connected and transformative,” says Emmanuel Ajavon, associate director of business leadership programs at Tuck Executive Education.
For Concast, the program helped fortify clarity and alignment across the organization. Olson points to a simple but powerful emphasis: seeing that every team member understands not only what the company is working toward, but why.
“The environment at Tuck emphasized collaboration, clarity, and the importance of making sure everyone is aligned with our goals and the best strategies to achieve them,” Olson says. “This reminder has been vital in shaping how we operate at Concast.”
Also picking up real value at Tuck was one of Olson’s classmates and fellow scholarship recipients, Brandon Bell. The senior vice president of operations at Valdes Architecture & Engineering learned about new technologies, which empowered him to streamline and innovate marketing and operations across company offices in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin.
Attending class alongside more than 50 peers — all leaders and owners from other small businesses — built even more momentum.
“No longer was the classroom focused on abstract educational concepts,” says Bell, who has more than 20 years of industry experience. “Rather, the program focused on real-world challenges and discussing solutions to succeed as a business. I was able to see the challenges other small businesses faced and incorporate solutions into our business strategy.”
The Tuck program’s impacts extend well beyond the classroom, Ajavon says. That’s because participants return to work with more than new tools and frameworks.
They also carry a stronger sense of direction and connection.
“Participants leave with clarity, confidence and trusted peer networks that endure,” Ajavon says, noting that cohorts often continue collaborating and supporting one another long after the program ends.
The partnership between Burns & McDonnell and Tuck allows the momentum to continue and expand, Ajavon says, for all parties involved.
“By investing in your growth, Burns & McDonnell is making a clear statement: ‘When our partners grow, we all grow,’ ” Ajavon says. “Stronger suppliers create a stronger value chain — more resilient, more competitive and better positioned for the future.”
For Concast, a company with more than five decades of experience delivering engineered concrete solutions for electrical and construction applications, the Tuck experience reinforced that even well-established organizations must continue evolving.
The work in the classroom aligns with Concast’s enduring commitment to meeting customer needs and retaining a continuous improvement mindset.
“It’s helped us focus on keeping our team engaged, ensuring that everyone understands not just what we’re working toward, but why — and that we’re all moving forward together,” Olson says.