There’s a lot on the line in the construction industry, from multimillion-dollar budgets to critical safety considerations.
That’s why we’ve got to Hire Smart with people like Alex Ayres, our director of technology and development. He’s focused on building our capabilities so The Korte Company can provide the best for its customers and its team members.
For our company to grow and succeed, everyone needs to align with our core values and take on new challenges with commitment, ambition and a collaborative spirit.
There’s no better example of this than Alex.
Hunting down new responsibilities
Alex’s Korte career started with an internship almost a decade ago while studying architecture and construction management at Washington University in St. Louis.
Even then, he did a lot to shape his role, taking on new responsibilities, always finding ways to be useful. “In many ways, internship experience gave me practice for today, because I’ve essentially made up my role, and that’s what I did as an intern,” he said.
After interning, Alex came on as a full-time project engineer and quickly worked his way up to construction technology manager. But he was already improving our workforce development as well, playing a big part reshaping our onboarding process, training plans and performance reviews.
With all that good work under his belt, Alex was an obvious choice for director of technology and development. “Many promotions happen because people are already doing the work before they get the title,” he said.
Now Alex is the one bringing former interns on board as full-time hires. On their first day, he helps new hires attend a series of meetings to learn about different departments at the company. Of course, everyone starts at the IT department to get their laptops and credentials.
As Alex said, “These days, you can’t do much without a computer.”
A day in development
For Alex, no two days are the same. His responsibilities range from onboarding to training plans and developing performance processes.
In all his work, he’s focused on building company infrastructure, creating a smooth experience for new employees from the moment they step into The Korte Company’s facilities.
Just like with our Design-Build projects, we want to consistently add value at every stage of a new team members onboarding and training. From job postings to ongoing performance reviews, Alex aims to make each step clear, concise and consistent.
“If that can all be clean across the board, to me, that’s success,” he said.
Onboarding guided by core values
Alex also makes time to talk with new project engineers about their experiences and expectations. “There’s always a lunch. I’m an admitted foodie, so I try to bring them somewhere exciting,” he said.
For Alex, onboarding is about way more than handing out laptops and paperwork. It’s about providing an experience that represents and promotes Korte’s core values of ownership, commitment, knowledge, trust and ambition. “We’re developing internal courses, mentorship programs, and new initiatives to support continuous learning and improvement.”
Alex thinks of the “Hire Smart” philosophy as our corporate values in action. Everyone at The Korte Company should embody these values:
• Ownership: We take responsibility for our achievements and failures, showing accountability in every project and interaction.
• Commitment: Hard work and dedication are non-negotiables. We need people who understand that every project’s success demands honest effort.
• Knowledge: Learning from experience, sharing insights and continuously improving are at the heart of our culture.
• Trust: We value integrity and transparency, understanding that trust is earned and must be respected.
• Ambition: We’re looking for people who turn every challenge into an opportunity.
Alex sees these values as foundational to every new hire’s success and makes sure these values are communicated and frequently repeated to new team members from day one.
Creating a culture of continuous improvement
The heart of Alex’s work lies in building a culture where everyone can learn and grow. And that starts by providing training opportunities to everyone, whether they work in the office or out in the field.
“We cultivate engagement, and once we’ve done that, we can deliver smarter solutions,” he said. “We’re creating culture from that.”
He wants to do way more than prevent overturn. He encourages people to think independently and tackle real design and construction challenges with confidence.
That’s why he’s so excited to start a new road show training program, which helps build relationships and support continuous improvement. The program, which has been supercharged by the efforts of Development Manager Chris Tubbs, offers on-site training sessions that focus on important skills like effective communication and using construction software like Procore.
“It’s not just about training,” Alex said. “It’s about building relationships and getting to know the people who make this company what it is.”
Looking ahead, preparing for anything
Alex Ayres exemplifies what it means to “Hire Smart,” from how his own career has developed to how he helps others shape their own paths.
His journey from an architecture intern to director of technology and development shows what dedicated people can do if they’re given the right tools, trust and opportunities.
With Alex and his team at the helm, The Korte Company is not just creating better buildings. We’re building a stronger, more connected team that’s ready to face whatever comes next.
“At Korte, it’s not just about what you already know,” he said. “It’s about what you’re willing to learn and how you’re going to grow. The best part of being here is seeing how much we invest in each other’s potential and knowing that every challenge is an opportunity to build something better together.”
