The third week of September is Construction Appreciation Week—a time to honor the hard work and dedication of those who build and shape our communities. At Crain Construction, we believe that the strength and integrity of a building is only as strong as its foundation. For us, that foundation is our people. Every structure we create, and every relationship we build, is a testament to the talent, commitment, and camaraderie of our team.
Our culture is rooted in the idea that team members aren’t just co-workers—they’re friends and family. We value continual learning and listening, empowering our employees to share ideas and take initiative. Our leadership embraces a servant leadership model, focusing on personal and professional growth for everyone on the team.
Construction Innovation Powered by Our People
In this spirit of collaboration and innovation, we’re proud to highlight just a few recent employee-driven initiatives that have made a significant impact at Crain.
1. Finding New Ways to Create Safer Working Environments
Safety is paramount on any construction project, especially in urban settings like Nashville, where navigating tight sight issues such as traffic control can be a challenge. Recently, Foreman Tony Watkins proposed using a device called Guardian Angel to enhance safety in areas where traffic was particularly hazardous.
Guardian Angels are personal LED beacons that can be worn, placed, or mounted on traffic cones. These beacons have made a marked difference in how traffic approaches our construction zones. The first night we used them, cars noticeably slowed down to around 10-15 miles per hour as they entered the construction area. Tony’s initiative has increased safety on our sites and demonstrated how simple, innovative ideas can make a difference.
2. Embracing New Technology for Quality Assurance and Control Tasks
Quality assurance and control are vital aspects of our responsibility on projects. But for major, multi-story projects, inspections and QA/QC processes can be challenging. Thanks to Assistant Project Manager Don Duong, we’re embracing new ideas and technology to navigate these challenges.
Don just started at Crain a little over a year ago and immediately offered up some great ideas on how to utilize drone technology to document progress and perform QA/QC on exterior elements. We implemented the idea for our work on The Crestmoor at Green Hills project, and we are already utilizing it on another project.
Thanks to Don, we are also using 360-degree cameras and OpenSpace capture technology to document progress and perform QA/QC for interior elements of The Crestmoor project. Don’s contributions have improved our quality assurance processes and demonstrated how embracing new technology can lead to better outcomes for our clients.
3. Implementing New Tools and Methods for Project Management
While our company relies on timeless construction principles to guide our work, we also know that new methods and technology can help us work more effectively. We believe that every project is unique and want to find the best approach to help our team and trade partners collaborate more effectively so that we can exceed expectations.
One example of this is the work of Alex Ward, a Senior Superintendent who has brought valuable insights into how we schedule and manage projects. Alex introduced a new software for scheduling and “pull” planning on our BNA Hilton Hotel that made a significant impact on the project management process.
Our team learned a lot from this experience, and many of Alex’s ideas will influence the tools and methods our superintendents use for planning and executing future project schedules. By fostering a healthy team-oriented culture, we continue to discover ways to create more successful outcomes.
Join Us in Building the Future
At Crain, we believe in the power of synergy and celebration, recognizing that our greatest successes come from working together and appreciating the contributions of every team member.
Whether you’re a developer seeking a contractor who values innovation and collaboration or a construction professional looking for a place to build your career, we’d love to connect.
Take a moment to learn about our process or discover what it’s like to work at Crain.
