Part 3: Construction

As Phase Three went into construction, Reed was promoted first to project manager, then senior project manager. His primary task was to coordinate efforts by the design team, engineers, and general contractor Flintco to quickly solve problems that arose during the three-year construction process.

“ ’Time is money’ is an old saying, but it’s never been more true – and I’m pretty sure it originated – on a job site, when you’ve got 500 people trying to build a facility in order to make a season-opening game,” said Reed. “There’s a lot of stress and pressure there, so just being able to work with contractors, understand when they come up with issues and work with them to solve them as fast as possible so that guys aren’t standing around or being sent home. They’ve got a daily schedule, and every day they’re expected to get so far because nobody’s going to move that first game back.”

Reed’s efforts drew praise from Flintco’s Dave Kollmann.

"It was amazing to see how one person, David Reed, was able to step into the role of senior project manager and make a difference,” said Kollmann, now president of Flintco’s Central Region. “It was incredible, the impact one person had on a $180 million project (Phase Three). His ability to work with the construction team and client to advance the project and help everyone work together was very impressive."

Reed enjoyed the work, though it gave him “a few grey hairs.”

“I started out spending one day a week in Stillwater,” Reed noted. “By the end, I was spending three to four days in Stillwater each week.

“This process reminded me a lot of the five years it took for me to get my architectural degree. During those first two years, you feel like you’re never going to finish, and then by the time you’re in that fifth year, you’re thinking, ‘Man, where did the time go?’ In that third year of construction, you really are seeing all the finishes and seeing just how amazing this facility is going to be. The excitement that’s generated is amazing as players and coaches all want to come in and see the stuff as soon as they can. I probably gave 200 tours through that facility during the construction and up through the first year of being open, all to people who were so excited and so anxious to be there.”