Ray Catlin Interview: Driving LGE’s Texas Growth.

Strategic Leadership Vision

Q: “Ray, as the new regional vice president, what is your strategic vision for expanding LGE Design Build’s presence and impact in Texas? How do you plan to leverage your experience to achieve these goals?”

Ray Catlin: Design-build is a relationship-driven business. Improving collaboration within your network and relationships is key. Leveraging your team’s experience for overall growth involves engaging with partners, clients, and the workforce. Moreover, carry that a step further, it’s essential to connect with craftsmen who do the work, respecting and valuing their profession so it becomes a sought-after career path. LGE has a significant impact on the lives of craftsmen, and we must serve them from the field up. When craftsmen feel valued, the quality of their work improves. This cause-and-effect relationship underscores the mindset that in construction, where the rubber meets the road, design-build puts the craftsman and the idea together from the very start—not just as a means to our end.

Operational Management Approach

Q: “Can you elaborate on your approach to operational management? How will you ensure that all construction, preconstruction, and sales activities are streamlined to deliver projects on time, within budget, and to the highest standards of quality and safety?”

Ray Catlin: My approach to operational management involves working alongside a great team, focusing on collaboration and individual growth. By fostering a collaborative environment, we can tackle the most challenging tasks and projects effectively. Building positive relationships between internal and external teams is crucial, as no one has a monopoly on the best ideas. The greatest ideas come from a talented group of people, leading to the best possible solutions and outcomes.

Challenges and Opportunities

Q: “What do you see as the biggest challenges and opportunities in the Texas construction market, and how does LGE Design Build plan to address and capitalize on them under your leadership?”

Ray Catlin: Market conditions are challenging, with the industry losing efficiencies, more red tape, and tightening capital markets. However, design-build makes it easier to tackle these challenges faster than our competition. LGE Design Build’s well outlined and specific process provides a road map to follow and see progress along the way.  By defining what all our project stakeholders need from the start, we enable the group to take a proactive approach to solve those needs, exponentially increasing the likelihood of a positive outcome.

Team and Culture Building

Q: “How do you plan to foster a strong team culture and ensure that your team is motivated and aligned with LGE’s values and objectives? What strategies will you use to build and maintain a high-performing team?”

Ray Catlin: Individual purpose and organizational purpose should align. When they do, aligning your team with corporate goals comes naturally. It creates a family-like environment where everyone enjoys what they do every day. Empower your team and give them confidence in their abilities to meet market demands, supporting them 100%.

Innovation and Technology

Q: “In your role, how do you see the role of innovation and technology in enhancing LGE’s project delivery and client satisfaction?

Ray Catlin: The world continues to innovate, and whatever technology we utilize should stay true to driving efficiencies and serving from the craftsmen in the field up. It should enable collaboration among the team, subcontractors, and trade partners, without forgetting the craftsmen in this equation. How does technology make the individual performing the work at the job site more efficient? It should provide them with real-time information, so they don’t have to stop and go multiple times, streamlining their workflow. This is the mindset used to evaluate whether or not LGE will implement a new technology in our process.

Connection to the Craftsmen

Q: Ray, you’ve spoken a lot about the importance of craftsmen and the people working in the field. Can you share a personal story or experience that highlights your connection to the craftsmen and how it has influenced your leadership approach at LGE Design Build?

Ray Catlin: It is no secret that the construction industry is confronted with an aging workforce. Coupled with economic downturns, the workforce is leaving the industry. This realization hit me while working on a project with an end user, where the drive was to find more people and work double shifts. Personally, I started to think, I don’t want to work a double shift or weekends. Why is it common practice for us to expect those in the field to work 12-hour days, 6 or 7 days a week? We have an obligation to those in the industry to ensure we are organizing and running our projects in the most efficient and proactive way, so that we can respect their time and limit the chaos of a job site working 6 or 7 days a week in tough conditions.