I’ve been working with the airport for more than 25 years, so over time, you learn what’s important to the client — not just what’s written in the standards and requirements, but also the unwritten rules and preferences that come with a long-standing relationship. That knowledge helps you deliver better value because you already understand many of the things they’re looking for and can anticipate their needs. It also helps build trust because they know you understand their priorities and don’t have to explain every detail each time.

The Phoenix SkyTrain, without a doubt. I joined GFT to work on that project and stayed with it through the final phase, which opened in 2022. I worked on it from 2008 to 2022, so it was a big part of my career.

I’m proud of the impact it has. Millions of people use it every year to get where they need to go — whether that’s a vacation, a business trip, or visiting family and friends. Knowing I played a role in something that touches so many people is pretty special.

The best advice I ever received came from my dad: never be afraid to try new things. That’s something that’s stuck with me throughout my career. I moved to Arizona without ever having been there before and took a job with a company I knew very little about at the time. Later, I made the jump from construction to design after spending most of my life on the construction side of the industry.

Looking back, taking those chances opened a lot of doors for me. If I hadn’t been willing to try something new, I probably wouldn’t be where I am today.

Every project is a little different. It’s always a balancing act between what’s important to the stakeholder, how it affects functionality, and what it means for the user experience. At airports, user experience is often a big focus, but you also have to consider cost and schedule impacts. Having a long-term relationship with a client helps because you understand their priorities and can make better decisions when those competing factors come into play.

My wife and I spend a lot of time outdoors. Almost every weekend, we’re off-roading, camping, hiking, or up at our cabin in the woods. We hand-built most of the cabin ourselves, so that’s become a big part of our lives and takes up a lot of our free time. We enjoy being out there, away from the city, and working on something together. That’s how I recharge.