Name: Rod Miller
Company/Position: Big-D Construction, Director of Preconstruction
Website: https://big-d.com/

As the Director of Preconstruction at Big-D, my role with the company is to oversee our office’s preconstruction efforts including budgeting, design assistance, and client experience. My favorite part of my role is making our clients happy by providing value along the preconstruction process and beyond. We have the opportunity to give the client custom services to meet their needs. I also really enjoy interacting with other design and real estate professionals to help make our projects a reality. It truly does take a village!

I’ve been with the ABA now for the better part of a decade with different companies. It’s been great to be a part of something for our industry to help us all become a little better. There is something there for everyone in the industry whether you’re in accounting, law, or building.

The ABA provides a platform for many needs in the industry. Some of these are legislative awareness/action, training, and networking. I’ve been blessed to have had the opportunity to teach and guide many conversations at different ABA events throughout the years to help with that. I’ve also been able to help organize events that allow other members to benefit from the ABA’s purpose: to lead members and the construction industry to greater productivity and profitability.

My greatest personal achievement? I finally did something on purpose for longer than 15 years last year. Marriage. It's true. In my college days many people thought I wouldn’t be able to do anything for that long consistently. Along the way we had three beautiful children, a few dogs, a couple of cats, and a gecko. My house is incredibly loud.

My greatest professional achievement has been to stick with it. In my youth, I had issues (didn’t we all) on sticking with something. I graduated from college right as the recession hit. While others decided to pivot to other careers, I felt like I had to stick with construction. It’s a tough industry, but it’s also a rewarding industry. Maybe I set my sights too low but I never thought I’d be given the opportunities I have. I’ve worked on humble 3,000 sf tenant improvements but also had a hand in 50 story office towers. Every project and team member has played a role in my career that I am grateful for.

Personal time is short these days, but it usually involves running kids around, sneaking in a run whenever possible, and trying to learn a new skill when I can.

I had a professor at ASU that talked about the golden rule and the new golden rule: Do unto others as they would have you do unto them. The new golden rule adds to the original in that it forces us to understand the person we are trying to serve. At the end of the day, people just want to be heard and understood. I feel this philosophy goes a long way with clients, employees, family members, and even that lady at church that judges
you for having facial hair.

One more thing I’d like to share: Be kind.