Spotlight on Reggie: Protecting our future
Based in the US, Reggie has only been with us for a little over a year but his meteoric rise has already seen him step up into a senior construction manager role. At BayWa r.e. we know talent when we see it, and it wasn’t long after him coming on board as a contractor that we realized we needed his skills full time.
Reggie’s journey so far has been one of hard work, dedication, and commitment. After 21 years as a police officer in Fulton County, Georgia, he handed in his badge for a well-earned retirement. But all it took was one phone call from his brother to get him excited for a new challenge and a new adventure in renewable energy.
Reggie Never Stops Learning
Coming from a family with construction in its DNA, many of Reggie’s relatives work as builders, electricians, and carpenters. As a younger man, he fought tooth and nail to forge his own path in life outside of the family business. His time in law enforcement saw him engaging with people from all walks of life, and he’s translating those people skills into his role today.
Coordinating with other construction managers, he sets a baseline for quality and safety for each project. Those are two areas where he won’t compromise. The willingness to hold up a multi-million-dollar project over safety concerns doesn’t only call for incredible self-belief. It also demands the kind of respectful diplomacy that secures the best outcome for everyone.
That respect is ingrained into his interpersonal approach. There’s an old saying, ‘measure twice, cut once.’ Taking the time to learn the people involved in a project as well as its technical specifications means Reggie can get things right the first time.
“The inclusiveness of the company gives me confidence to do my job right. At first, I felt like a fish out of water, but the team embraced me. I had people I’d never met reaching out, asking if I needed anything. I know construction, but I don’t profess to be an engineer. So, if I have questions, I can talk to the engineering guys about anything. I respect their professional opinion, and I trust they respect mine in return.”
My dad’s my greatest inspiration. He was a disabled veteran with a 6th grade education, but he made no bones about it: you had to work. He showed us what that looked like, building a business to support his family, something they could take over. That’s what leadership looks like to me. As I get older, I’ve even started using some of the phrases he’d use. I’ve come to understand them now.
Reggie
Senior Construction Manager, United States
Reggie is Leading from the Frontline
Switching industries and roles so quickly gave him a lot to learn in a short space of time. But there are plenty of skills Reggie has translated seamlessly to his new life in renewable energy. No-nonsense leadership is a big example.
Arriving on site half an hour before it opens, and one cup of coffee later, he’s busy conducting hands-on quality checks to ensure everyone is safe and supported.
His work entails a lot of meetings and video calls, but it’s important to Reggie that he’s setting a visible example for his team on the ground. That’s a lesson he picked up from his dad.
A family man himself, Reggie spends a lot of time on the road. But he’s thankful for the time he spends with his wife and kids, and he is optimistic about his professional future in renewables.
