A Chat with Scott Wilkins, Senior Project Superintendent at The Christman Company

Communicating expectations, navigating challenges & delivering a job well done

By Chris Maday Schmidt

With nearly three decades working in the construction industry, Scott Wilkins joined The Christman Company in 2019 and serves as senior project superintendent. His background includes oversight of large-scale projects, including industrial parks, multi-unit and custom residential and office buildings and municipal and higher education projects. Wilkins is an effective communicator with strong leadership skills, committed to fostering a positive and productive work environment through the development of staff and the encouragement of teamwork. Join Construction Superintendent as Wilkins shares the best advice he received early on in his career, solutions to navigate today’s industry challenges, his “in” with the Baltimore Ravens and more.

(Q) Share a little about what drew you to a career in construction.
I was introduced to construction opportunities in high school and started working as a carpenter. After graduating, I was invited to play football at Western Michigan University, and the school had a construction management program, which I pursued for my degree. That program expanded my knowledge that grew into my career.

(Q) What is the best advice you’ve received working in the industry?
Early on, there was an older foreman who told me, “You need to plan your work, then work your plan.” That always stuck with me and has proven to be really good advice. Plan your day, week and month, then work it the best you can.

(Q) Who would you say has made the biggest impact on you over the course of your career? In what way?
So many people have positively impacted my career. I listened to those who had been in the industry and learned from them. I also learned so much by having the good fortune to work alongside some great individuals who were the best at what they did. Working with those folks, day after day, improved me as an individual and in my profession.

(Q) Describe the most unique or memorable project you’ve worked on during the past three decades.
Southwestern Community College in Sylva, North Carolina, was a recent project and also the most memorable. It was a unique project with a beautiful result, and we built it during the COVID-19 pandemic – having to manage through all of the uncertainty that came with that.

(Q) Your background includes a variety of building types — from educational facilities to retail and industrial developments, to healthcare. Which project has proven the most rewarding? Why?
Every project brings some level of reward. When you’re done with a job, you forget the woes and long hours and headaches and celebrate a great end product. I especially like the more complicated jobs with higher-end finishes.

(Q) Talk a bit about the lead role you played on the $17.6-million contract for Southwestern Community College, including the unique opportunity it presented.
I was honored to be chosen to build that project for Christman. There were several unique aspects for that job, starting with the location. It was built on the side of a hill, surrounded on three sides by existing buildings, and we had to remove a lot of rock just to build the foundation for the three-story structure.

Additionally, we had to navigate all of the new processes and procedures as a result of COVID-19. We even had to shut down for a few days. In the end, we delivered a great looking building on time – a great feat considering the challenges.

(Q) How has your knowledge and background in stormwater pollution and prevention benefited you on the job?
I worked for most of my career in my home state of Michigan, where I was trained and licensed in stormwater pollution and prevention at both a state and federal level. Having that background gives me good insight to make sure our team and the contractors we hire are taking the proper steps and implementing runoff protection correctly.

Christman is a responsible builder. We want to be good stewards for the environment and within the building community. I’m also a fisherman, so I have a personal interest in keeping rivers and lakes clean. I want to do my part to keep the sites I manage protected and prevent issues from runoff.

(Q) What is a little-known fun fact you’d like to share with Construction Superintendent readers?
My football coach at Western Michigan University was Jack Harbaugh. He has two famous sons – Jim, head football coach at the University of Michigan, and John, who is the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens. I got to work out with both of them during college.

(Q) How do you ensure your team consistently meets quality and safety expectations?
First, I have to ensure that our team and contractors know what the expectations are – so there’s an educational element that requires clear communication. Setting those expectations is the biggest thing. Then, I follow up throughout the project to make sure the teams are delivering on those quality and safety expectations.

(Q) When you’re not planning site logistics and coordinating subcontractor activities, what’s your favorite way to unwind?
I like to fish when I can and I enjoy long walks with my wife, Michele, and dog, Dewey, a Maltese/Yorkie mix.

(Q) What has been the biggest change and/or challenge you’ve experienced as a 28-year veteran in the trades?
I think the supply chain issues we’ve endured in the past couple of years has been a great challenge. We’re still experiencing exceptionally long lead times in electrical gear and other building materials.

(Q) What do you enjoy most about your job?
When a project is completed and we get to present the beautiful, final product to a happy customer; it’s exciting and the biggest satisfaction. All of that time, effort, sweat and brain power pays off in the end. Delivering a job well done is a good feeling.

(Q) How has The Christman Company navigated the worker and materials shortage over the past few years?
Worker and material shortages, as well as unprecedented cost escalation, have significantly added to the complexity of planning our projects. It is critically important that we properly plan and advise our clients to ensure both schedule and budget expectations align with the current challenges within our industry. We now must order building materials much earlier in the project, and track them tighter throughout the process. For smaller projects, this can mean the start of construction gets pushed back while we wait on materials to arrive. One of our top priorities when starting a job is purchasing all major items, then placing an emphasis on ensuring it’s all being delivered as promised. We also work closely with our trade contractors to ensure schedules are properly planned to account for trade labor shortages.

With worker shortages, our corporate and local operations teams have ensured that we’re recruiting skilled and qualified team members and offering the right mix of pay and benefits to entice workers to join the company and enhance retention. Christman is continually recruiting new talent and, within the past year, we have added a talent acquisition manager to our team. This new position is strictly focused on attracting and acquiring the best talent for the growth of our organization.