Experience

D. Brown Management

• United States
• Business Consulting and Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Group Manager (Field Production Management & Feedback Systems)

  • Jan 2009 - Present

  In 2009, I was introduced to David Brown through a mutual friend and discovered we shared the same passion for helping contractors grow profitably. Every day, I get to work with a great team, serve amazing clients, and apply the toolbox I’ve been building my whole career. My team’s primary focus is helping MEP and other labor-intensive contractors improve their field productivity. We have refined our approach down to an integrated 5-step process that consistently delivers results. We leverage rigorous assessments, deep learning techniques, high-involvement workflow mapping, and technology tools to help contractors streamline operations. Our clients consistently see labor savings of 10% or more, accelerated profitable growth, and an improved ability to recruit the best talent. While my primary focus is on labor productivity, we take a balanced approach to helping a contractor build a stronger business. As a company, we look at the business as a whole and provide a full range of management advisory services; from market strategy development through succession planning and nearly everything in-between. We exist to help contractors build stronger businesses for the next generation. Show less



Sage Software, Construction & Real Estate

• Senior Industry Manager (Specialty Contractors)

  • 2003 - 2009

  Through a series of acquisitions, Sage became the largest provider of fully integrated business management (ERP) software for the construction industry with over $1B in revenue. They wanted to leverage the tools we had developed to help the thousands of specialty contractors using their software. I looked at this as a win-win situation, as it gave me the opportunity to more widely spread the lessons I had learned over the last 20 years. We refined the assessment tools to include a detailed and quantified analysis of how effective a contractor’s workflows were, and whether new or existing technology would benefit them. I developed and lead a training program teaching 100+ representatives the critical operating dynamics of a contracting business and how to use the assessment tools effectively. The graduates of the program were consistently ranked at the top for both new business development and client satisfaction. During this time, I expanded the toolbox related to material management by developing tools and training to help MEP contractors streamline their service management. Additionally I leveraged the training developed for our representatives to help contractors grow their service and special projects business significantly. Through the application of these tools and training, we regularly saw MEP contractors grow their service and special projects businesses while adding 5% or more to their gross margin and improving cash flow. This powerful combination not only helps a contractor’s profitability but enhances their stability in any economic cycle. I enjoyed the wide range of influence I had over thousands of contractors while working at Sage, but missed working hands-on with contractors. Show less



Application Technology Corp

• China

• Founder & President

  • 1991 - 2003

  Leveraging the foundation built at Softworks, we focused on spreading best-practices to the construction industry through our 20-seat training center located in the Pacific Northwest and serving contractors across the United States and Canada. We focused on helping contractors improve three major workflows: + Opportunity-to-Award (Estimating) + Procure-to-Pay (Material Management) + Project Start-to-Exit (Project Execution) I continued implementing that toolbox for helping contractors build stronger businesses. This included a set of rigorous assessment tools to help contractors identify and quantify the key bottlenecks and waste in their processes. Show less



Softworks Data Systems, Inc.

• Founder & President

  • 1984 - 1991

  Mark and I continued pursuing our passion to help contractors grow profitably through a combination of workflow streamlining, best-practice training and technology tools. We served over 250 mostly labor-intensive contractors located throughout the United States and Canada. I quickly developed an even deeper appreciation for the business complexities of Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP) contractors. MEP contractors estimate, design, and build systems with thousands of individual parts selected from hundreds of manufacturers, millions of potential parts, and purchased from dozens of vendors in a complex worldwide supply chain. MEP contractors are an integral part of nearly every construction project, from the underground phase to the ongoing maintenance and operation of the facility. I focused on building the best toolbox in the industry for MEP contractors to improve their estimating and material management workflows. This toolbox included best-practices learned from working hands-on with hundreds of MEP contractors, industry relationships, and customized technology tools. I envisioned a seamless flow of materials from commodity pricing agreements to estimating, as well as budgeting, buyout and delivery into the waiting hands of the crafts person for fabrication or installation at exactly the right time. Show less



NyPlan, Inc.

• Software Architect (Construction Estimating)

  • 1983 - 1984

  This was the job that set my entire career trajectory at a time when the construction industry was being transformed through technology. At this time, nearly 100% of the workflow processes that a contractor managed were paper-based, including estimating, project management and accounting. Our team’s mission was to create an estimating system for contractors by leveraging NyPlan’s spreadsheet technology. We brought in a contractor named Mark Reich to beta test and consult on the development. Mark and I worked tirelessly together to streamline every aspect of the estimating process from opportunity through award. We worked collaboratively with a variety of complex, labor-intensive contractors, including two large electrical contractors that consistently rank among the top 50 in the country. We had no idea that we would spend the next 30+ years helping contractors improve their businesses, and then have a front-row seat for the next wave of technology transforming the industry, including drones, smartphones and virtual construction. Show less