Project Manager John Lewis has been with Sundt since 1996, filling a variety of roles: Field Engineer, Project Engineer and Superintendent.
Born in Tacoma, Washington to a military family, John moved every couple of years, setting him up for a career of going from one jobsite to another.
How did you get involved in construction?
I started in architecture at Arizona State University and quickly learned that I would rather be building and managing projects than drawing and designing them. After two short years of architecture school I changed my major to construction management. One of the best decisions I ever made!
What was it about Sundt that convinced you to work here?
My first intention, some 20 years ago, was to get an internship. I heard from several people that Sundt was a good company that specialized in several kinds of work. Once on board, I quickly learned that Sundt is a good company with a great reputation in the community. It was also nice to see that several employees had been with the company for many years, a testament that Sundt has created a good culture with good people that I wanted to be a part of. The ESOP was also a good motivator to join the Sundt team.
Which project are you working on?
I’m currently working on the Biomedical Sciences Partnership Building in downtown Phoenix. I’ve had the good fortune to be able to work on this campus for the last five years. The project is a 10-story research/administrative labs, roughly 245,000-square-foot cast-in-place concrete structure. The copper façade matches the previously completed phases. It’s a must-see project in the downtown area.
What do you like to do when you’re away from work?
The family and I enjoy travelling; we try to take a significant trip each year. We also enjoy spending time at the kids’ sporting events. My son plays competitive basketball and my daughter is in competitive cheer and volleyball. We also enjoy camping up north as well as at the sand dunes in California.
What’s the best advice you’ve been given?
Treat people like you want to be treated. As we all know, in this business, the likelihood of dealing with the same person sometime down the road is inevitable. There are many occasions where I see someone years later and they always have something nice to say because even in cases when interactions are not positive, I’ve always treated them with respect.