Featured Department: Business Development

In construction, every project has a clear beginning and end. Once the grass takes root and the asphalt is cured, a milestone is reached, and with the completion of our work on site, one chapter closes and another begins. For Brubacher to thrive, there always needs to be more projects on the horizon—another site to prepare, utility to upgrade, client to serve, and partnership to build.

Every Brubacher team member contributes to earning that trust, and Business Development focuses specifically on building and cultivating the relationships that make new opportunities possible. By opening doors, strengthening connections, and listening to client needs, the Business Development team helps ensure Brubacher continues to be the trusted excavating company, utility contractor, and paving contractor of choice across the region.

Led by Director of Estimating and Project Management Allan D., Director of Business Development Chris S., and Director of Construction Client Services Mitch N., the team works ahead of our field operations, cultivating opportunities, aligning Brubacher’s services with client needs, and keeping the pipeline flowing so our crews stay busy and the business thrives.

More Than Sales, It’s About Relationships

Ask Allan, Chris, or Mitch what Business Development really means, and you won’t hear a simple sales pitch. Instead, you’ll hear about relationships, patience, and teamwork.

“Construction is full of uncertainty,” Allan explained. “Projects may face hurdles with permitting, timing, or funding. Out of 15 or 20 projects we track, only a few may move forward, which makes steady relationship-building and early engagement all the more important.”

It is Chris and Mitch who work in coordinating roles to achieve this relationship-building. Chris describes his role as more “upstream,” scanning the market for opportunities and introducing Brubacher to potential partners who may not even yet realize that they need an excavating contractor or site preparation team. Mitch works closer to the details—helping clients shape ideas into workable projects, often providing preliminary budgets or guidance in the early planning stages. His background in estimating and business development prior to joining Brubacher is key to this work.

Together, the team makes connections across markets, clients, and projects. Sometimes, that means identifying entirely new industries Brubacher could serve. Other times, it means walking alongside a client for years before the right project opportunity materializes.

Excellence in the Everyday

In many ways, excellence in Business Development looks different from excellence on the jobsite. Benchmarks of progress are sometimes difficult to quantify, as relationships are much more complex to measure than daily loads hauled or tons of asphalt placed. It’s strategic instead of tactical, and there’s a quiet grind: making calls, attending meetings, and following up on earlier conversations with patience.

Chris shared, “It can take two, three, or even five years for an opportunity to turn into a project. Excellence means showing up consistently, investing time and energy to build trust so that when a client is ready, Brubacher is top of mind.”

This work is about more than winning projects. It’s also about helping clients think through risks early—environmental concerns, rock conditions, municipal approvals—and positioning Brubacher’s site planning, risk management, and site development expertise to meet those needs.

Teamwork that Opens Doors

Some projects call for rapid attention and quick-turn insights. With Mitch’s estimating and project management background recently added to the team, Business Development can deliver those early-stage budgets and feasibility checks, giving clients the confidence to move forward or reconsider a project.

“My background in estimating and project management means I can give a client a quick conceptual budget in hours, not weeks,” Mitch explained. “That frees up our estimating team and gives clients what they need at the early stages. It’s about meeting them where they are.”

It’s a powerful illustration of high-performance teamwork: Chris opening doors at the strategic level (including with our comprehensive COSTARS service offerings), Mitch providing hands-on solutions, and Allan steering the overall approach. Together, they ensure Brubacher can serve both long-term markets and immediate project needs.

Everyone Plays a Part

One message these business development professionals want every Brubacher team member to hear: Business Development may be led by three people, but it’s a team-wide effort.

“Every Brubacher team member has a part in Business Development and Client Relations and is part of the promise we’re making as a company,” Allan said. “The way we interact with clients, inspectors, and the general public shapes how Brubacher is seen. Keeping our core values in mind at every step and as the foundation of every interaction helps us remain the uncommonly refreshing partner.”

Chris agreed, pointing to everyday examples: a safe jobsite, a clean truck, and being courteous to neighbors. Each action contributes to Brubacher’s brand and reputation, which in turn makes it easier for Business Development to open doors. In that sense, Business Development is woven into every corner of the company. From the operators who move the earth to the office staff working behind the scenes, everyone plays a role in sustaining trust and creating opportunity.

Turning Today’s Connections Into Tomorrow’s Work

Chris noted that Business Development doesn’t keep regular office hours. It’s a demanding activity that extends into evenings and weekends at community events, and early morning meetings with clients. It’s a role that demands flexibility and persistence but also offers the reward of seeing Brubacher teams thrive on projects that began as just a conversation months, and often years, earlier.

As the department looks ahead, Allan, Chris, and Mitch are energized by opportunities in both established and emerging markets. Whether it’s expanding Brubacher’s role as a leading excavating, utilities, and paving contractor, exploring new avenues in site planning and development, or further cultivating close alliances with related organizations in the industry, their focus remains the same: to build lasting partnerships, one relationship at a time.