Katie Kiester

Our Aviation & Transportation Center of Excellence and Suffolk Estero teams are making steady progress on the Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) Concourse E Expansion project. The team recently completed the installation of augercast piles for the deep foundations. Pile caps, grade beams and shear walls, concrete form and pour activities are ongoing in advance of the structural steel erection. This project is set to redefine the airport's landscape, both functionally and aesthetically, with the scope including a new ticketing lobby, bag claim area, and a new baggage handling system, which will include a CBIS (Checked Baggage Inspection System) and CBRA (Checked Baggage Reconciliation Area). This new concourse will include a ticketing lobby, bag claim area and baggage handling system in addition to 14 gates with the infrastructure to support 19 gates in the future.

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Our Suffolk Southeast and Sustainability teams were proud to sponsor and attend the Urban Land Institute Florida Summit in Bonita Springs, Florida. Suffolk Southwest Florida General Manager Ben Wilson kicked off the summit and introduced the opening session, and Senior Director, Sustainability Steven Burke spoke on a panel titled "Rising Stronger: Strategies for Resiliency and Renewal in Florida." This presentation underscored the importance of proactive, phase-specific planning and technology adoption to improve resilience in the face of severe weather risks. Steven highlighted real-world resiliency strategies, emphasizing adaptive design measures and emerging tools like EHAB that use climate data to inform scheduling and reduce weather-related risks. Director of Business Development Megan Kohan, who is a member of the Hospitality & Recreational Council, also introduced the Women's Leadership Initiative Luncheon as the new incoming Chair.

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A Quick Dive into the Florida Constuction Hiring Data (Last 90 Days) The demand for skilled, white-collar construction professionals is far outpacing the available supply. A quick market analysis reveals a clear trend: 📊 Intense Demand: Across major hubs like Miami, Tampa, and Orlando, there have been thousands of open postings for senior-level roles. Project Manager and Superintendent roles, in particular, consistently represent the highest volume of vacancies. 📈 Experience Scarcity: The most sought-after candidates—those with 10+ years of experience leading high-value commercial, multifamily, or industrial projects—are almost entirely passive. They aren't applying; they're being headhunted. ⏳ Prolonged Hiring Cycles: Companies relying on traditional methods are seeing their time-to-hire stretch from weeks to months, often losing their top choice to a competitor who moved faster or presented a more compelling offer. ***Why the "Post and Pray" Method Is Failing*** This data confirms what many of us feel: the best talent is already employed and in high demand. They are fielding multiple calls a week and won't be moved by a simple job description. To secure these key individuals, a reactive approach is a recipe for frustration. You're likely competing with multiple offers, aggressive counter-offers, and a general candidate hesitancy to move unless the opportunity is exceptional. Winning the War for Talent Requires a Multi-Strategy Approach Building an A-team in this market isn't about luck; it's about a deliberate, relationship-driven strategy. Success requires: - Proactive Sourcing: Actively and consistently identifying and engaging passive candidates long before you have a critical opening. Building a Talent Pipeline: Nurturing relationships with high-potential individuals over time, so you're their first call when they decide to make a move. - Leveraging Deep Networks: Tapping into established industry relationships to gain referrals and insights that you can't find on a job board. - Strategic Partnership: Working with a specialist who understands the Florida landscape, knows the key players, and can navigate the complexities of attracting and closing top-tier talent. Simply put, you can't just advertise for the best people anymore. You have to build connections and create a strategic advantage. #FloridaConstruction #ConstructionHiring #TalentAcquisition #ProjectManager #Superintendent #ConstructionRecruiting #Florida #BuildingFlorida

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Some exciting news coming out of #SouthCarolina... Balfour Beatty US has topped out a new 24,000-square-foot psychiatric residential treatment facility in Columbia, SC, marking a key construction milestone. The one-story, 24-bed center, led by the South Carolina Department of Behavioural Health and Developmental Disabilities’ Office of Mental Health (OMH), will serve justice-involved youth with complex psychiatric needs. With LCK as Construction Manager Agent and Balfour Beatty US as the general contractor, the facility is being built in collaboration with OMH, the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), and Recovery Solutions. The center will feature secure therapeutic spaces, educational areas, and modern accommodations to support rehabilitation and reintegration. Interior work is now underway, with completion expected in late 2025. Once finished, the facility will be operated by Recovery Solutions. #BehavioralHealth #YouthJustice #HealthcareConstruction #MentalHealthFacility #BalfourBeattyUS #SouthCarolinaConstruction #ToppedOut #JusticeReform #HealthcareInfrastructure #RecoverySolutions #LCKConstruction #ConstructionMilestone Photo Credit : LCK

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The commercial and residential sitework industry in the Carolinas is evolving rapidly. Here are 10 trends shaping the market: ✅ Sustainable & Green Building – More energy-efficient materials, LEED certifications, and solar integration. ✅ Smart Technology – IoT and automated systems boosting efficiency. ✅ Modular & Prefab Construction – Reducing costs and accelerating project timelines. ✅ Labor Shortages – Workforce gaps are delaying projects across NC. ✅ Mixed-Use Developments – Charlotte is booming with projects like Queensbridge Collective (luxury apartments + retail). ✅ Affordable Housing Push – Addressing rising property values with mixed-income communities. ✅ Resilient Design – Storm-resistant materials and elevated foundations in flood zones. ✅ Adaptive Reuse – Preserving historic structures while modernizing them. ✅ Community-Centered Growth – More public spaces, parks, and walkable urban areas. ✅ Workforce Development – Investing in apprenticeships and vocational training to fill labor gaps. As the industry faces challenges, innovation and smart planning are driving growth. Which of these trends are you seeing impact your projects the most? Let’s discuss! 👷‍♂️🏗️ Follow: Raven Mestas Follow: Tiello #Construction #Sitework #Carolinas #CommercialRealEstate #ResidentialConstruction

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For government contractors, compliance isn’t a “check-the-box” activity; it’s an ongoing discipline. Earning a certification is only the first milestone. Staying compliant every day is what keeps your contracts safe, your audits clean, and your business eligible for future awards. At iQuasar LLC, we help GovCon organizations build processes and controls that don’t just pass audits once but keep them consistently audit‑ready throughout the year. Whether it’s documentation, internal reviews, policy updates, or ensuring your team stays aligned with evolving requirements, proactive compliance is the strongest way to protect revenue and reduce risk. #GovConCompliance #AuditReady #GCCS #iQuasar #FederalCompliance #AuditSupport #RiskManagement #GovConExperts #FederalContractors #DFARS https://lnkd.in/gEEUgMPP

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MKH Search's 2026 South Carolina Buildings Construction Salary & Talent Insights Guide is coming out soon. It is packed with valuable insights into salaries, worker motivations, trends, and market data. Designed to help clients secure talent and inform people what they are worth on the current market. Keep an eye out next week for the release.

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Multi-Phase Campuses Need a Different PM Skillset Large U.S. campuses are no longer single builds, they’re multi-phase programs running over several years. Construction PMs who can manage overlapping schedules, multiple contractors, and evolving scopes are becoming invaluable. If you’re staffing for long-term campus delivery, this is a key capability to look for. #GS2 #DataCenters #US

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CBRE's upcoming North America Data Center Trends report highlights the tightest market conditions in over a decade. Northern Virginia remains king (538.6 MW absorbed, 80% more under construction). Atlanta, Dallas, and other low-power-cost markets are seeing explosive growth. Current vacancy is at just 1.6% with 74% of all capacity under construction already pre-leased. What does this mean for our industry? Construction pipelines are stretching, skilled talent is in even higher demand, and new markets are heating up due to power constraints. For those of us recruiting in the data center construction space, the pressure is on. Projects are bigger, timelines tighter, and the demand for top talent has never been higher. The future of data centers will be built not just on power and land, but on the people who deliver them 💡 #datacenterconstruction #datacenters

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South Carolina's Upstate market is proving its resilience. From office to industrial, the region continues to attract demand thanks to its flexibility, affordability, and adaptability to new workplace trends. , CBRE South Carolina Market Leader, shares why the Upstate stands out in a shifting national landscape. Read the full feature: https://cbre.co/3IZt61O

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Meta is building Data Centers made out of wood. DPR Construction built Meta's first mass timber administrative building on its Aiken, South Carolina campus. Meta will commence construction of more mass timber buildings at their Cheyenne, Wyoming location with Fortis Construction, Inc. and Mercer Mass Timber later this year, as well as their Montgomery, Alabama facility with HENSEL PHELPS and binderholz group. This will save carbon emissions associated with manufacturing steel and concrete, and exemplifies the push towards sustainable Data Centers. With mass timber products largely being pre-fabricated, it can also increase the speed at which buildings are constructed by several weeks!

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How did North Carolina's construction market perform last year? North Carolina’s construction sector delivered another strong year of growth contributing $41 billion to the state’s economy and making up 4.9% of NC’s GDP. The industry’s momentum is clear, driven by major activity across private development, public investment, and a steadily expanding workforce. Where did the growth come from? • $18B in private nonresidential spending • $11B in state and local construction activity • Construction employment climbing to 269,900, up 4% from last year and 15% above pre-pandemic levels With such solid gains, it will be exciting to see how the market plays out in the final months of this year especially as demand in data centers, infrastructure, and advanced manufacturing continues to build. The outlook remains strong, and North Carolina is well-positioned to carry this momentum forward. For more insights like this, follow the link in the comments to read our North Carolina Civil Salary & Talent Insights guide.

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