ON THE LEVEL: Adam Jelen steps in as president and CEO of Gilbane

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Adam Jelen, who was the longtime leader of Gilbane Building Co.’s Midwest division, will step into the role of president and CEO.

“It all started for me in the trades,” Jelen remarked, adding he has a deep love for building combined with a deep passion for building impactful teams. He’s had 33 years of experience in construction and has been at Gilbane for more than 19 years, where he moved up the ranks from director of the Midwest division to chief operating officer.

Jelen has also served as an executive committee member for National Construction Safety Week. He’s also a founding board member of the ACE Mentor Program, which started in Milwaukee and since rebranded to the ACE Mentor Program of Wisconsin.

Jelen succeeded Thomas Laird, the previous president and CEO, starting Jan. 1, 2024, according to company officials. Laird will be the next executive chairman at Gilbane.

Jelen said it was a “tremendous honor” becoming president and CEO, and was ready to build off the company’s more than 150-year history.

Questions and answers have been edited for style and brevity.

The Daily Reporter: Can you share a bit about your career journey leading up to this position?

Adam Jelen: I have this deep love for building combined with a deep passion for great teams that win together, raise the bar together and make an impact together along the way. It all started for me in the trades, and working through the ranks from engineer, to superintendent, to project manager and ultimately running business here in Wisconsin, the Midwest, nationally, internationally, onto the COO role and ultimately to the president and CEO.

I believe that Gilbane and its leadership help teams and people achieve their personal best by providing dynamic opportunities, incredible mentorships and investing in people. I’m one of these examples.

TDR: How will you foster a positive and productive work culture at Gilbane?

Jelen: The heart of Gilbane is our people. What makes us special is our culture of care. I talk about this in our offices and job sites, it’s something that makes us special. We have the most talented teams in the industry and as president and CEO, I’m laser-focused and excited about building our team and investing in our deep bench of leaders so we can collectively move the company forward and deliver the ultimate building experience.

I say ultimate because it never stops raising that bar, but it’s about delivering a great experience.

TDR: What role does the construction company play in contributing to the local community?

Jelen: The construction industry plays a vital role and plays a huge impact in building stronger communities. We’ve built world-class facilities that move our communities forward, from education, to health care, to advanced manufacturing and on and on. While we build, we build sustainable capacity both in businesses and in the workforce. When I say workforce, I mean professionals and the skilled craft.

For example, all our projects have an economic inclusion plan to build this respective capacity. We give back in all our offices. I can cite two examples I’m passionate about: One is the ACE Mentor Program. Most of our offices are engaged with the ACE Mentor Program and I’m proud of being a founding member of ACE Mentor Program of Milwaukee, which is now ACE Mentor Program of Wisconsin.

Another example is our Rising Contractor Program. We just kicked off our sixth group and we have 72 businesses throughout the nation involved in mentoring and helping grow businesses in the future. So, I’m very passionate about building stronger communities and making a difference.

TDR: On technology’s growing role in construction, can you tell me what the next 10 years might look like for projects?

Jelen: Leveraging and maximizing technology is a top priority for our enterprise and teams. Technology enables our teams to deliver safer, with higher quality, on time and on budget. I see rapidly increasing leverage in all facets of our industry with technology. I’m energized about our AI test projects that are underway in our space.

TDR: Based on your experiences, what advice would you give to aspiring construction leaders?

Jelen: Believe in yourself. Seek dynamic opportunities and mentorship. Be curious and learn everything that’s around you. It’s possible, and I’m an example, here at Gilbane you can achieve anything.