Everybody’s career path is different. Whether it’s from the start (your high school CTE pathway, entering a trade after high school, getting a college degree) or during your career (what positions you take within a company), how you get to where you want to go will be as unique as you.

Here, you will find the career paths of construction industry professionals. Use these as a guide on possible career choices, but remember that each one isn’t “the way” and not set in stone.

RUSSELL INOUYE

CURRENT: President & CEO, Koga Engineering & Construction, Inc.

SCHOOLING:

• High School: Aiea High School
• College: University of Hawaii at Manoa, BS in Civil Engineering

CAREER PATH:

• Project Engineer, Koga Engineering & Construction, Inc. (4 years)
  • Responsible for engineering documentation, material planning, job accounting.

• Project Manager, Koga Engineering & Construction, Inc. (4 years)
  • Assigned to a project or several projects as the person fully responsible for managing construction.  Project Engineers & Project Foreman report to this position.

• Project Manager, Koga Engineering & Construction, Inc. (14 years)

• Island Manager, Koga Engineering & Construction, Inc. (4 years)
  • Responsible for Project Managers, Project Engineers, Resource Management, Safety and Compliance, for all work on Oahu. Crucial role in ensuring that projects run smoothly and meet all necessary standards and regulations.

• Vice President Operations, Koga Engineering & Construction, Inc. (4 years)
  • Oversee all islands including strategic planning, project oversight, financial management, operational efficiency of the company, team leadership, client relations, compliance, and safety.

• President, Koga Engineering & Construction, Inc. (Current)
  • Responsible for the overall vision, strategy, and operations of the company which includes strategic planning, making key financial decisions, mentoring the management team, building and maintaining client relationships, ensuring operations comply with safety standards, evaluating performance standards of each department and ensuring continuous growth.

PRESTON MATSUO

CURRENT: Project Manager, Koga Engineering & Construction, Inc.

SCHOOLING:

• High School: Mililani High School
• College: University of Hawaii at Manoa, BS in Civil & Environmental Engineering (4.5 years)

CAREER PATH:

• Summer Intern, Rider Levett Bucknall (3 months)
  • Placed on a hotel renovation project in Waikiki where I got to compile weekly progress reports for the owner, attend OAC meetings, field verify RFI’s/takeoffs and setup/participate in various FF&E procurement meetings.
  • Weekly, I’d get together with the other summer interns where we’d review past RLB project estimates and compare them to actual costs to compile a wdatabase for the estimating team.

• Intern, Koga Engineering & Construction, Inc. (7 months)
  • Started with volume and utility takeoffs to assist cost estimators. Assigned to various projects where I’d verify field layouts, coordinate material installations, take progress measurements, and assist with material ordering/deliveries.
  • Would also help with compiling weekly manpower and equipment schedules, schedule flights for workers coming from and going to outer islands and managing military base passes.

• Project Engineer, Koga Engineering & Construction, Inc. (6 years, 11 months)
  • After transitioning from Intern to Project Engineer, I kept the same responsibilities from my internship and assumed a few more responsibilities for my assigned projects. These included the management of RFIs, change orders, submittals, material procurement and cost/production tracking.

• Project Manager, Koga Engineering & Construction, Inc. (Current)
  • In addition to the duties of a Project Engineer, as a Project Manager, I am responsible for scheduling my projects, allocating labor and equipment, negotiating change orders, coordinating with other contractors on my various projects and oversee safety and quality. Generally speaking, all of these responsibilities of the Project Manager help to ensure the profitability, quality and above all, safety of each of their projects.
  • Helps with various company initiatives including staff recruitment, staff development, innovation and computer logistics.

CLAIRE THOMPSON

CURRENT: Manager, Special Projects, Nordic PCL Construction, Inc.

SCHOOLING:

• High School: Punahou School
• College: Cornell University, BS – Civil Engineering with a minor in Construction Management (4 years)

CAREER PATH:

• Buried Infrastructure Specialist/Engineer in Training, ARCADIS (Philadelphia) (4 years)
  • Performed condition assessment, design, and planning for municipal wastewater systems. Completed field inspections and construction administration services for on-going projects.
  • Upon relocation to Hawaii, 1 year, focused on soil testing, environmental permitting reports, unexploded ordinance investigation, and inspection/testing services.

• Field Engineer, Nordic PCL Construction, Inc. (1 year)
  • Completed on-site quantity take-offs, quality control, and material procurement. Oversaw field safety, drafted RFIs, reviewed submittals, drafted redlines, corresponded with subcontractors, completed schedule updates, corresponded with designers, reviewed subcontractor payment applications, and coordinated work with Owner facility staff.

• Project Engineer, Nordic PCL Construction, Inc. (2 years)
  • Oversaw field safety, drafted RFIs, reviewed submittals, drafted redlines, coordinated and oversaw all punch-list and closeout efforts, drafted change orders, completed basic costing controls, completed schedule updates, drafted new schedules, coordinated with subcontractors, coordinated with designers, coordinated with Owners, and drafted payment applications. Responsible for subcontractors and suppliers for duration of project.

• Project Manager, Nordic PCL Construction, Inc. (5 years)
  • Responsible for overall performance of projects. Included safety and quality performance, financial forecasting and reporting, coordination with CMs, Owners, and Designers, oversight of project team, negotiation of subcontracts and POs, schedule and change negotiations with Owner. Responsibilities included growing business development efforts within Hawaii, particularly amongst current designers, CMs, and Owners.

• Manager, Special Projects, Nordic PCL Construction, Inc. (Current)
  • Responsible for the Special Projects department, generally all projects <$15M. Complete business development, determine department staff size, interview potential staff, complete go/no-go decision making and oversee the following: safety, quality, department financial performance, department staff and associated growth/management, estimating for department projects, proposal development, pre-construction for department projects as needed, negotiation of prime contracts, project performance, project closeout. Responsible for forecasting department future metrics.

DALE SAKAMOTO YONEDA

CURRENT: President, S & M Sakamoto, Inc.

SCHOOLING:

• High School: Kaiser High School
• College: University of Hawaii at Manoa, BA in Marketing (4 years)

CAREER PATH:

• Assistant Project Manager, S & M Sakamoto, Inc. (Around 3 years)
  • Creating/Submitting RFI’s (Request for Information) to clarify the project plans & specs.  Reviewing/Processing Submittals to ensure that the materials/equipment the contractors are providing meets the plans and specification requirements.  Work hand in hand with safety director to maintain a safe working conditions at all times.

• Project Engineer, S & M Sakamoto, Inc. (Around 5 years)
  • RFI’s, Submittals, Order processing/tracking with subcontractors and suppliers to ensure timely receipt of materials/equipment. Assist with change order creation/submission/tracking.  Assist field superintendents with all aspects of the onsite work.  Work hand in hand with safety director to maintain a safe working conditions at all times.

• Project Manager/Estimator, S & M Sakamoto, Inc.
  • Estimate new projects, develop relationships with subcontractors & suppliers.  Manage and develop Project Engineers, coordinate/develop project schedules with our field and subcontractors, create and monitor project budgets to prevent cost overruns, Assist field superintendents with all aspects of the onsite work, develop change orders/track change order process for scope revisions to the contract, coordinate and run OAC (Owner/Contractor/Architect) weekly meetings to ensure the entire team is on the same page, develop relationships with the entire team to also ensure a successful project.

• Vice President, S & M Sakamoto, Inc. (12 years)
  • Manage and oversee ALL of our projects to ensure we produce a quality product, complete on time and within budget, while also performing to our clients satisfaction.  Maintain current and develop future client relationships.  Hawaii is a small island and relationships are key.   Create and conduct client presentations of our companies abilities.  Continued to estimate and run projects as well.  Work hand in hand with safety director to ensure all of our projects maintain safe working conditions at all times.

• President, S & M Sakamoto, Inc. (Current)
  • Provide strategic business direction, operational and financial management & oversight, maintain a team spirit in daily operations, maintain current and develop future client relationships, ensure we are compliant is all aspects of our business, ensure a healthy and safe work environment for both our office and field personnel and take responsibility/accountability for our business.