Case Studies Region: Midwest

Joe Swingle was working toward a graduate degree at the University of Arkansas when a gift from the Tyson family changed the trajectory of his career. The donation set in motion the construction of a new indoor track facility, and when the school needed hands to help host the national indoor championships, Swingle raised his […]

Growing up in East Lansing, Dylan Marinez didn’t just attend Michigan State University — he lived it. As a kid, he ran the hallways of its athletic buildings while his mother and uncle worked within the department. He rooted for the Spartans on Saturdays and dreamed about a future inside the program. Decades later, he’s […]

The sub-basement of University Hospitals‘ newest planned oncology center sits below grade, yet the building was deliberately rotated so that patients receiving chemotherapy can look out floor-to-ceiling windows at a creek winding through the surrounding wildlife. That single detail—a subtle act of design with significant human consequence—captures precisely how Sean Murphy thinks about his work […]

On a gray Chicago morning, Taylor Stapleton walks the halls of DePaul University‘s athletic facilities, past construction crews and the steady hum of renovation work. Not long ago, some of DePaul’s teams had nowhere to call their own, no dedicated locker room to gather in before a game or reset after a tough loss. Today, […]

Building a lasting business along the water requires more than technical skill. It demands an understanding of natural systems, disciplined growth, and a commitment to people who carry out the work. Under the leadership of Mark Schmitt, president of Trident Dock & Dredge, those elements have come together to shape a company that has built […]

Aaron DiBucci did not begin his professional life in public education. His early career was built in the private sector, where sales targets, international travel, and operational scale defined success. Today, as director of facilities and properties for Port Clinton City School District, his focus is measured differently. It is seen in clean hallways before […]

Jeff Mayberry never set out to lead a construction company, but his path to the presidency of D L Morse and Associates reflects a career shaped by hands-on experience, calculated risk, and a deep commitment to relationships that extend far beyond any single project. Today, as president, Mayberry oversees a company built on four decades […]

“College athletics is no longer the industry it was a decade ago. The rise of name, image and likeness — NIL — has rewritten the financial and cultural contract between institutions and student-athletes, leaving athletic departments scrambling to keep pace. Coaches leave. Rosters turn over. Fan loyalty, once built on watching the same players develop […]

David Scarmardo understands that a school district’s most important work often happens quietly. Classrooms open on time. Floors shine. Heating systems run through cold Midwest mornings. Technology connects instantly for students who arrive with Chromebooks rather than notebooks. None of this happens by accident. It is the product of planning, maintenance, and coordination that begins […]

Jeff Leamy’s career in maintenance is defined not just by longevity, but by evolution. Over more than three decades in the field and 26 years with Fiduciary Real Estate Development, Inc., he has transformed from a hands-on technician into a strategic leader overseeing operations across dozens of properties while preserving the instincts that made him […]