Granite Construction at work on a current project on the American River Bridge.
“I would have said you were crazy if you asked me when I started whether I’d be here for my entire career,” Kelly said with a laugh. “But I have no regrets; I’ve learned a lot on the job. Construction is a great industry that gives you tangible results from your efforts. It’s also very satisfying and rewarding to feel like I’ve been able to give back to the community, help improve the quality of life for people and advance our communities in the areas where we live.”
Career Milestones When he joined Granite full-time after college, Kelly was initially placed in the company’s Reno, NV office. Over the next 24 years he worked his way up from the position of driveway estimator to region- al operations manager, overseeing the estimating, bidding, and operations of a multitude of projects. One of the most notable, the Reno Transportation Rail Access Corridor project, represented one of the earliest design-build projects and the largest civil project the City of Reno had ever undertaken. Kelly oversaw numerous other projects
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CALIFORNIA CONSTRUCTOR MARCH/APRIL 2025
in the Lake Tahoe area and elsewhere in Northern California during his tenure in Granite’s Nevada office. He was active in the Nevada AGC chapter, serving as chair of multiple committees and as a board member for several years. In 2005 and 2006, he also served as president of the Nevada Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America, the largest youth-serving organization in Northern Nevada. In 2007, Kelly accepted a promotion
that returned him to his native California to run Granite’s Southern California Op- erations from the company’s Indio office. He had a hand in overseeing Granite’s extensive work in Coachella Valley, mul- tiple contracts building the international border wall, interchange projects on In- terstate 10, and several highway projects in the upper desert. A few years ago, Kelly’s career took a
different track when he went through Gran- ite’s Continuous Improvement Program, achieved Lean Six Sigma certification, and became the company’s California group strategy manager. Early last year he was promoted to vice president of operational excellence, responsible for overseeing
support teams for Granite’s construction operations across the United States. In this role he oversees qualification-based (QBS) pursuits, project controls, technology and innovation, estimating management, business development and more.
Helping Shape New Talent Supporting project teams and guiding and mentoring individuals, many of whom are newer to the workforce, is something that Kelly particularly enjoys. In fact, he said the people and teams he has worked with throughout his time at Granite represent his single biggest career highlight. “Tere are amazing people at Gran- ite – a lot of very talented professionals who are best in class in the industry, and I love working with them,” he said. “It is also really fun to work with and mentor young people who are new to the industry and in their formative years where they are learning and growing.” With a leadership approach that is
driven by his core values and rooted in integrity and excellence, Kelly said he considers himself a “servant leader” who is there to support and help his team to
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