Case Studies Region: Midwest

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 […]

A master electrician by trade, Jason Brummett did not arrive in college athletics through a traditional administrative track. He built his career running his own electrical contracting company and solving problems on job sites across Kansas. Today, as senior associate AD for facilities at Kansas State University, he applies that same practical mindset to one […]

Bill Yord’s work at the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority is grounded in a simple yet far-reaching idea: infrastructure matters only if it connects people to opportunity. As senior project manager, he operates at the intersection of engineering, public service, and regional coordination, helping translate large-scale transit ambitions into practical systems that serve thousands of […]

Joshua Ekstrom understands facilities in a way that cannot be taught in a classroom or learned from a distance. His leadership is rooted in lived experience, shaped by years spent in the day-to-day realities of school operations, and refined through a steady commitment to doing the work the right way. At Valley Park School District, […]

Dariusz Molek believes Facilities leadership is built on accountability long before it is built on tools, budgets, or technology. Across a US footprint of offices, plants and operational spaces, his job is to make sure every environment works exactly as intended, every day, for every person who walks through the door. That mindset guides his […]