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Meet Our New Program Director, Daniel Rodriguez for Southern California Inland Empire at Kitchell!

Throughout his career, Daniel has honed his skills in program leadership, learning and growing through various roles. These include his beginnings as an Assistant Project Manager, followed by his tenure as the Assistant Director of Facilities for the Riverside Unified School District, and his recent role as the Director of Construction for a General Contractor.

To gain deeper insights into our newest Program Director for Southern California Inland Empire, check out his interview with Marketing Executive and Communication Director Veronica Delgado.

Veronica: Thank you for joining us today, Daniel. Let’s start by discussing your role at Kitchell. Can you tell us more about your position and what you’re most excited about in this role?

Daniel Rodriguez: Of course, I’m the new Program Director for SoCal, Inland Empire. I’m excited to work alongside the teams and see what we can accomplish together. I’m particularly looking forward to the business development aspect of the role and expanding our Inland Empire portfolio.

Veronica: That sounds like a great opportunity. Now, what initially inspired you to work in the construction industry, and what do you love most about it?

Daniel Rodriguez: My journey into construction was quite accidental. I originally went to school to become an architect, but I decided to get a job in construction, thinking it would make me a better architect. However, after just one year in the construction field, I was hooked. I realized that construction offered something new and exciting every day, with fresh challenges and opportunities for success.

Veronica: It’s fascinating how your career path evolved. As a Program Director, what do you view as the strongest asset you bring to a project team?

Daniel Rodriguez: I strive to provide engagement and guidance as a team lead. Building strong relationships with the team, both professionally and personally, is crucial to me. I also aim to offer mentorship wherever possible, fostering growth and collaboration.

Veronica: What is your favorite type of project to work on, and why?

Daniel Rodriguez: My favorite type of project is when we are both the Program Manager and the Construction Manager. Being involved in the design kick-off and seeing it through to the Dedication Ceremony is incredibly rewarding.

Veronica: Can you share an example of a significant challenge you faced on a job and how you handled it?

Daniel Rodriguez: One of my biggest challenges was being the CM on three new ground-up elementary schools during the 100-year storm in 2005. We lost three months due to the rain, and it was a tight construction schedule. It came down to managing the expectations of the District and site Administration. It was a tough conversation to let them know they couldn’t get what they wanted due to the weather. We had to make creative decisions, like using CAB instead of concrete walks, which we had to replace repeatedly. Despite the challenges, all three schools opened on the first day of school, which was a big relief.

Veronica: Those sound like memorable experiences. What do you believe are the characteristics of a team member that contribute to the greatest level of project success?

Daniel Rodriguez: Passion is the main characteristic I look for. Regardless of experience, if someone has passion and truly cares about what they do, the experience will follow. It’s hard to teach someone who doesn’t care, and you can’t teach someone to care.

Veronica: That’s a great insight into team dynamics. In your opinion, what are five key factors that make a project successful?

Daniel Rodriguez: The five key factors that make a project successful in my view are: 1. Client satisfaction, 2. Staying on budget, 3. Staying on schedule, 4. Achieving profitability, and 5. Fostering community pride.

 

Hear from our Kitchell interns on National Intern Day

What’s a Kitchell internship like?

 

For most students, it begins in the summer with an on-campus immersion at either our Phoenix or Sacramento offices. There, the students hear from our Kitchell employee-owners from a wide range of areas and learn about the many facets of our work, including project estimating, virtual design/construction, project management, engineering studies, facilities conditions assessments and close-out processes. Our interns are then assigned to project teams, jobsites and offices where they apply their educational experience in a practical, real-world environment.

And the unprecedented heat in our Arizona, California and Texas markets hasn’t deterred them.

“The single most important thing I’ve learned since I’ve been with Kitchell is to be proactive and not reactive. Make sure you are looking ahead at the next sequence of construction or task and be planning how to get to that next activity successfully!” – Audey Yarbrough, Northern Arizona University

“It’s nice to find certain spots that are now unrecognizable because of how they’ve developed since I’ve gotten here. I think the most important thing I’ve learned is how involved the process to building parts of a project are and how amazing it is when everything connects, even if it’s just for a few walls or columns.” – Ronaldo Mendoza, UC Davis

“I am extremely blessed to be part this team. With the million questions I’ve had they are always more than happy to help me with anything. I have been able to witness what true teamwork is. Here I have learned how important it is to be honest, communicate and how to take responsibility. Before this I questioned if I were truly able to be in this business and now my confidence has boosted to a whole different level, and I give all the credit to this Austin Kitchell Team. They are super helpful and knowledgeable.” – Antonio Ponce, Texas State University

“Highlights throughout my internship would have to be watching the first/last structural beam placed on my project, seeing the pour of a concrete slab and conducting a tour for my fellow interns. Although it was just a simple tour, I surprised myself with the amount of knowledge I learned throughout the summer, and it gave me more confidence and reassurance that I will do great in this field even though I didn’t grow up in construction.” – Jessica Roth, Northern Arizona University

“I have learned so much about the nuances of construction that I could never have received in school. Construction is an interdisciplinary field – a project can only be completed through all its internal roles functioning as a composite unit.” – Jacob Risko, University of Arizona

“The highlight has been working on-site and seeing pre-development sites I’ve been working on. I’ve learned how in-depth and coordinated facilities conditions assessments are and how a project schedule is laid out.” – Jack Evans, Cal Poly SLO

“I’ve enjoyed being able to work on various jobsites and earning about the process and discussions that happen at the various stages of construction.” – Kyle Lee,  CSU Sacramento

“One of the biggest highlights of my internship is the trust I have received from my team, building my confidence and specifically how to professionally interact with client and trade partners in the field and office” – Morgan Donnelly, Northern Arizona University

“The highlight that stands out the most for me is testing the controlled burn features at the Hayward Fire Training Center. Purposely setting things on fire – in a safe way – is always a blast. I’ve also learned that this is about managing people as well.” – Daniel Cervantes, San Jose State University

These are just a few of the 40 interns spending time at Kitchell jobsites and offices this summer. Some of our students are with us year-round, but the majority soak up as much as they can during their two- to three-month assignment. We are fortunate to have several former Kitchell interns among our corps of employee-owners today, including many in leadership roles!