Innovation, progress, leadership and vision were a few of the key themes that James Benham, CEO of JBKnowledge, addressed to the group of construction industry leaders on Dec. 3. AGC Houston members attended the second Distinguished Speaker breakfast series, which brings thought and business leaders to discuss innovations in their respective fields.
Entitled "How to Build A Mad Scientist", Benham's presentation focussed on technological advancements in the construction industry and five underlying principles that elevate and help to grow companies. They included the following:
"It takes a visionary CEO who believes in technology and the future and that person has to set bold, audacious goals," he stated. "President Kennedy set a bold and audacious goal when he declared that we would send man to walk on the moon." He also cited a construction firm based in Wisconsin that dramatically changed its productivity rate from 42% to 64% in seven years. Lean principles played a large part in their success rate as did a team approach to implementing change.
"We're excited to be able to bring a caliber of industry leaders to talk to us about their business and how if affects us, this city, and event the country," stated Stan Marek, Marek Brothers Systems, Inc., who chairs the breakfast lecture series.