David’s career includes his initial time in industry as a superintendent and project manager; then time in the academy as a professor and mentor; and recently returned to industry as a trainer and mentor for workforce development. Over the years he has focused on construction education and integrating his industry knowledge with teaching practices to reach a variety of learning audiences.
When he transitioned to academia in 2006, David brought a wealth of industry knowledge to the classroom and construction education. After his transition from industry, he immediately engaged with ASC at the regional level as a student competition team coach and at the national level as a member of the ASC Doctoral Education Task Force Committee responsible for the research and report Investigating ASC Member’s Construction Doctoral Degrees and Related Program Efforts.
David spent much of his academic career serving ASC in leadership roles. From April 2010 through September 2015, he served as the IJCER Editor-in-Chief and then Managing Editor from 2015 through April 2018. During his time as Editor, David was elected to the ASC Executive Committee. In April 2014 he began serving as the ASC 2nd Vice President, then on to 1st Vice President, and was President until April 2020.
Dr. Andrew McCoy recalls David’s tireless work to strengthen the reach of ASC and bring awareness to the importance of construction education not only to the industry, who desperately needed it, but also to institutions of higher education. Andrew stated that if you have ever met David, you know this is his passion and a fight from which he will not back down.
David’s leadership within ASC has also been instrumental in shaping the organization and driving its mission. In his support for David, ASC’s Past President Dr. Ben Farrow reflected on David’s time as Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Construction Education and Research and how he significantly enhanced the journal’s visibility and impact. Ben also highlighted the fact that in his time as the journal Editor David ensured all ASC institutional members had free access to the publication. He also pioneered the creation of a dedicated editorial team for the journal, expanding its capacity to publish articles and foster a deeper pool of leadership. This innovative approach later served as a model for the ASC Proceedings.
With an outstanding record in construction education and research, David has been recognized with numerous awards, including the ASC National Outstanding Researcher Award and DBIA Distinguished Leadership Award. He has been recognized three times by ASC as an outstanding teacher and educator, receiving both ASC national and Region 7 awards. In addition to ASC teaching awards, his excellence in teaching was recognized by the Washington State University School of Architecture and Construction Management with the Outstanding Teaching Award.
While David may have left his faculty position in higher education, he has in no way left his commitment to ASC or construction education. He was elected to the 2024 inaugural class of ASC Academy of Fellows, a prestigious honor that recognizes faculty who have attained distinction in the areas of construction education. He continues to collaborate with construction faculty on research and dissemination; develop classroom instruction; and provide mentorship for construction educators and industry workforce.
Thank you, David, for your past and ongoing service to ASC and construction education.