Derek may have ended up in construction by happenstance, but his interest and curiosity in design and construction go back to his early days, when he would spend countless hours playing with LEGO sets to develop complex designs. He also grew up with a love of sports, playing actively throughout his secondary education.
As he began to shape his passions into a potential career path, he faced a choice between continuing his Lego exploration by moving into architecture or leaning into sports. Ultimately, the choice was simplified by process of elimination, as his alma mater, the University of Connecticut, did not offer an architecture degree. Derek chose a degree in Sports Promotion and, after graduation, began his career at ESPN.
His interest in the intricacies of architecture and building never truly faded, and later, Derek’s passions came together when he joined the architecture firm SLAM. There, he had the opportunity to work intimately with the design and development of sports facilities.
Throughout his career, he has had the opportunity to work in different parts of the A/E/C industry, where his natural charisma and ability to connect with others led him to business development.
“I’ve always considered myself a ‘people person’ and enjoy making connections and helping others,” Derek said. “That’s a big part of business development – being a resource to others and connecting the right experts to those in need.”
When Derek had the opportunity to take on the Director of Business Development role at Dimeo, working closely with the Vice President of Business Development, Anthony Dematteo, he was immediately intrigued.
“To be able to learn from an industry legend like Tony was incredibly appealing, and working for a third-generation family-owned company with the reputation of Dimeo was an easy decision.”
Now settled into his role at Dimeo, he finds that what he enjoys most about working in construction is the strategy behind logistics and phasing and watching a project materialize. He sees this stage as his first opportunity to engage with the operations team and help them understand the client’s vision and the project’s challenges, goals, and needs.
Strapping on a pair of boots and PPE and walking onto a site brings a unique kind of energy. Getting to talk with the tradespeople and the project team who are completing the work he’s been so invested in bringing together never gets old.
“There’s nothing more fulfilling than seeing a project go from groundbreaking to ribbon cutting, where it can have a positive impact for our clients and the clientele they serve.”
Derek’s career is a prime example that there is no one way into the construction industry. For anyone interested in the industry, his advice is simple: network. There are endless opportunities in business development, marketing, finance, human resources, virtual design and construction, estimating and preconstruction, construction management, and the trades.
“Network, network, and network some more,” Derek said. “There are countless organizations available to you in your quest to learn more about careers in construction.”
