Field team using tablets, augmented reality overlays, drones, and laser scanners to coordinate constructible models and reduce rework.
Greeley, Colorado, August 22, 2025
Hensel Phelps is broadening its digital-construction capabilities across projects while enacting multiple executive leadership changes. The firm has standardized a Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) program on every job, pairing BIM, drone operations, laser scanning, augmented reality, and cloud collaboration to reduce rework, improve safety, and boost field efficiency. A staffed VDC group supports project kickoff through construction with clash detection and constructible models accessible on tablets in the field. The company emphasizes hands-on, in-field training and practical technology use tied to measurable outcomes, including improved risk scores, reduced rework, and recognized safety and innovation performance.
Hensel Phelps, a long-standing, employee-owned general contractor founded in 1937 in Greeley, Colorado, is expanding its digital-construction VDC/AR workflows across its projects while implementing a series of executive leadership changes that take effect on January 1, 2025. The company operates across sectors including aviation, healthcare and transportation infrastructure, and emphasizes that technology should serve practical goals—namely reducing rework, preventing accidents and guiding on-site execution from the outset.
At the core of the expansion is a field-oriented technology strategy that prioritizes a scalable ecosystem of digital tools integrated into everyday construction workflows. The program centers on Augmented Reality (AR) and Building Information Modeling (BIM), with a strong emphasis on turning data into actionable field guidance. The VDC team, led by the director of VDC, numbers 95 specialists across roles such as Senior VDC Managers, VDC Managers, Lead VDC Engineers, VDC Engineers and BIM Engineers. They work from project procurement through kickoff to develop a BIM execution plan that aligns stakeholders with the path to project success.
Hensel Phelps collects BIM data on every project and uses cloud platforms to create end-to-end digital solutions. The central data platform is Trimble Connect, described as the central source of truth for field data, enabling stakeholders to access information and collaborate on data-driven decisions. In the field, teams rely on powerful iPads to display constructible models and AR visualization tools to anticipate conflicts, map out next steps and improve site safety and efficiency.
Two notable AR systems are Trimble SiteVision and the broader AR-enabled workflow that supports decisions across concrete, MEP, civil utilities and framing. On projects like the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center Replacement Program, SiteVision has been used to map floor-removal requirements, visualize spatial constraints in real time and support continuous QA/QC tracking throughout construction. On the LAX T4/5 Redevelopment program, design models were loaded onto field iPads for on-site demolition and utility installation planning, with engineering teams color-coding models in Trimble Connect for collaborative validation as part of safety verification.
Digital tools extend into project cost and document management with Trimble ProjectSight, which handles cost information, RFIs, daily logs, submittal registers, punch lists and the hosting/viewing of contract drawings and specifications. The VDC approach uses 3D coordination and digital collaboration to produce detailed virtual representations before and during construction, enabling early conflict detection and improved cost control. The result is a safer, more predictable jobsite with fewer surprises and less rework.
Training remains a priority, with a focus on onsite, field-based programs led by VDC personnel. Regional training bursts are used to scale up participation, while the best learning often happens directly in the field. The company encourages cross-department adoption, inviting field, safety and quality control teams to leverage VDC tools. As a result, the firm has seen a rise in Trimble Connect licenses and a large number of Trimble SiteVision licenses to support on-site visualization and decision-making.
Data governance and workflow language have evolved, with VDC language integrated into operational protocols and improved safety procedures tied to digital workflows. This has translated into tangible outcomes, including a favorable impact on insurance risk scores and safer job sites where rework-related accidents are reduced.
The Board of Directors announced multiple leadership changes effective January 1, 2025, shaping the company’s strategic direction. Derek Hoffine was promoted to Executive Vice President, with responsibilities that include oversight of the Pacific Northwest, Rocky Mountain and Southcentral regions along with Hensel Phelps Water and Diverge.
In the Rocky Mountain region, Charlie Robben was named Regional Vice President. A separate appointment saw Adam Rogers become General Manager for Mission Critical Integrated Solutions (MCIS). After more than three decades of service, Rick Tucker announced retirement, effective January 1, 2025, and his prior oversight spanned the Pacific Northwest, Rocky Mountain, Southcentral and Southwest regions plus Hensel Phelps Water.
In a broader leadership realignment, Brad Jeanneret was named President and Chief Operating Officer, taking over the role on January 1, 2025. Jeanneret has a long history with the firm dating back to his start as a field engineer in 1996 and has held roles at multiple offices nationwide. The board also added two new executive roles: Chief Administrative Officer and Chief Health and Safety Officer, reflecting a continued emphasis on governance and workforce safety.
The firm’s chairman and chief executive officer, Michael Choutka, expressed appreciation for Tucker’s service, while Krista Henery and Heather Ward served as communications contacts in official releases. In addition to leadership shifts, the firm noted ongoing corporate adjustments, including a planned relocation of the Rocky Mountain Region office and Facilities Services Group from Thornton to a new site in Broomfield by the next summer, with the Business Journal highlighting that the new Broomfield space differs from the one originally eyed five years ago.
Beyond leadership and relocation, the company has also pursued project awards and select services contracts, including a recent pick to provide Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) services for the Concourse A Reconstruction Project in Nashville. The combination of leadership changes, strategic realignment and a robust push on digital workflows marks a new phase for Hensel Phelps as it continues to integrate advanced technology into its construction delivery.
The firm has a history of periodic leadership moves, including notable promotions announced in early 2021 that shaped operations across districts and service groups. The 2021 promotions featured executives stepping into roles across executive leadership, district management and service groups, reflecting a pattern of internal advancement that underpins today’s push for digital integration and safety improvements.
As digital tools evolve, Hensel Phelps continues to report increases in licenses for its digital platforms and to highlight safety milestones awarded by industry bodies, underscoring a sustained commitment to safety, transparency and collaboration throughout its projects and regional operations.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| VDC team size | About 95 professionals with roles spanning Senior VDC Managers, VDC Managers, Lead VDC Engineers, VDC Engineers and BIM Engineers |
| Core tools | Trimble Connect as central source of truth; Trimble SiteVision AR; iPads for field visualization; ProjectSight for project management |
| AR and BIM emphasis | Expanded use of AR and BIM to reduce rework, prevent accidents and improve on-site execution |
| Notable projects | Harbor-UCLA Medical Center Replacement Program; LAX T4/5 Redevelopment |
| Leadership changes | EVP, VP, Regional VP, GM MCIS, President/COO, with new CAO and CHSO roles |
| Safety and awards | Multiple national and local safety awards; improved insurance risk scores due to digital workflows |
| Office moves | Rocky Mountain Region office relocation from Thornton to Broomfield planned for next summer |
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Organization focus | Expansion of VDC/AR workflows and enhanced safety through digital processes |
| Leadership changes | EVP, VP, Regional VP, GM MCIS, President/COO; new CAO and CHSO roles |
| Core technologies | Trimble Connect, Trimble SiteVision, BIM, AR, iPads, ProjectSight |
| Training approach | Onsite field training; regional training bursts; broad staff inclusion |
| Notable projects | Harbor-UCLA Medical Center Replacement; LAX T4/5 Redevelopment |
| Office relocation | Rocky Mountain Region office move from Thornton to Broomfield planned for next summer |
Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin, August 29, 2025 News Summary Marcus & Millichap Capital Corporation arranged an $8.7…
Charleston, SC, August 29, 2025 News Summary The Housing Authority of the City of Charleston closed…
Cape Coral, Florida, August 29, 2025 News Summary Cape Coral city council approved a set of…
Hoboken, New Jersey, August 29, 2025 News Summary A $162 million senior construction loan has closed…
St. Louis, Missouri, August 29, 2025 News Summary Ralph Korte, founder of a prominent Midwestern construction…
Southeast Asia, August 29, 2025 News Summary A global construction software company is expanding its digital…