Q&A with Florida Project Executive Tim Smith
Tim Smith, project executive for Sundt’s Water & Wastewater Group, brings a wealth of experience and a passion for delivering top notch work in his home state of Florida. In this Q&A, Tim shares insights into his journey to Sundt and his vision for fostering growth and maintaining Sundt’s strong culture as the company solidifies its presence in Florida and beyond. Learn more about how Tim brings experience, an innovative approach and a commitment to excellence to Sundt’s Florida team.
Can you share a bit about your background and what led you to a career in construction?
My dad was a carpenter. Instead of going to summer camp like the other kids, I’d tag along with my dad to his jobs. He was incredibly skilled and seeing him work sparked my interest in construction. Watching a project go from an empty lot to a finished home that people could live in — it was cool.
After graduating from the University of Florida with an engineering degree, my first job was with an engineering and environmental services firm. I managed a lot of the materials testing and inspection work on construction sites. That experience solidified my passion for this industry.
How did you find your way to Sundt?
To be honest, it was a bit of an unexpected yet exciting journey. I was pretty content at my previous company and wasn’t looking to leave. But David Rieken, who had recently been hired on as vice president and regional manager for Sundt’s water & wastewater group in the Southeast, was insistent on me flying out to Sundt headquarters in Arizona to meet some of the team. Eventually, I agreed, but more out of curiosity than an intention to interview for a job.
I spent time with folks from Florida who’d recently joined Sundt, and then over the next couple of days, I met with key leaders like Alex Charland, Steve Bradford and Brad Tackett. I was immediately impressed by the team. What struck me beyond their obvious depth of industry expertise was their passion for the work. Everyone was genuine and down-to-earth, yet incredibly serious about the work Sundt was doing.
What really opened my mind to the idea of joining Sundt was meeting with Cade Rowley, Sundt’s COO. I asked hard-hitting questions about Sundt’s vision, specifically in Florida. Cade was open, honest and straightforward. He didn’t try to dazzle me with an extravagant sales pitch; he simply outlined the goals and acknowledged the challenges that still needed to be worked through. That conversation made me realize that I could actually see myself at Sundt, working with people like Cade who value transparency and were genuinely invested in spearheading innovation and progress in the industry. That’s why I’m a proud Sundt employee-owner today.
What unique strengths does Sundt bring to the water and wastewater market in Florida and the Southeast?
What sets Sundt apart is that we are exceptionally skilled in running projects with alternative delivery methods. With this comes the shared value of creating and maintaining strong partnerships and enabling collaboration among all stakeholders.
Additionally, Sundt is a nimble organization, highly focused on remaining adaptable to meet client needs. We don’t approach projects as “hard-bid” contractors; we want to be collaborative and deliver exceptional value — not just in cost, but in quality. This mindset builds trust with clients, especially on complex, large-scale projects like many of our water and wastewater jobs.
How do you plan on maintaining our adaptability and culture as Sundt expands in the Southeast?
Sundt is focused on culture from day 1. New employees attend Sundt orientation for three days at our KAPBCS Training Center in Phoenix, Arizona, which is a great way for them to feel connected from the moment they start. It helps build and maintain that cultural unity.
We are transparent and communicative about what’s expected of us and solicit feedback from our teams, so culture isn’t just top-down, but is shaped by people on the ground. When people feel seen and valued, they’re more motivated to contribute to our shared goals. That’s what keeps our culture strong.
How do you see Sundt’s presence in Florida evolving over the next five years?
In the next few years, I envision us building strong relationships with clients who share our vision for transformative infrastructure. We’re already seeing potential clients approach us to learn more and invite us to be a part of the bidding process — a testament to Sundt’s blossoming reputation in the Southeast. Once we secure a few more projects, I’d love to partner with Sundt’s other groups, like Transportation, Building, and the Concrete Division, to expand our self-perform capabilities here in Florida. We aim to be a trusted partner in the community and a leading contractor for quality infrastructure that will serve Florida for decades.
With Tim Smith’s leadership and Sundt’s commitment to innovation and collaboration, Florida’s infrastructure future is looking bright. Learn more about our water and wastewater expertise.