Our Company

Jerry joined Skender as CFO in 2003 and has been a key member of the company’s executive leadership team, directing financial, operational and strategic initiatives. Previously, he held the role of Chief Operating Officer. As CEO, Jerry leads Skender’s corporate leaders and guides the firm’s overall financial, strategic and cultural vitality, setting the tone for leadership companywide to deliver world-class client service and outcomes. 

Andy joined Skender in 2011 and has nearly 20 years of experience in the construction industry. As President, he partners with clients and market leaders to drive growth, guide market strategy and support long-term development. Known for cultivating strong client relationships and leading collaboratively, Andy pairs sharp business insight with a true partnership approach. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Lisa plays an instrumental role in driving the company’s employee-focused culture. Since joining the firm in 2001, she has pioneered a number of acclaimed employee enrichment and talent acquisition programs, leading to the firm’s repeated recognition as a “Best Place to Work.” She leads Skender’s People and Culture team, helping to cultivate the next generation of unrivaled talent, world-class learning initiatives, and employee engagement strategies. Lisa earned a Bachelor of Arts in interdisciplinary studies from Governors State University and a certificate from DePaul University in human resource management.

Since joining Skender in 2012, Stacy has built a cohesive finance and accounting team, helped to introduce and integrate forward-looking financial technology such as Procore and Power BI, enhanced the budgeting process and advanced the company’s financing capabilities. In her role as Chief Financial Officer, Stacy is responsible for overseeing the financial and technology teams and providing strategic leadership to establish long-range goals, strategies, plans and policies, while also managing the preparation of financial statements, audits and tax reports.

Brian joined Skender in 2007 and has over 20 years of experience in the construction industry. As COO, Brian digs in on all operations to improve efficiencies and bolster project and team successes. Across a wide variety of client experiences in Illinois, and nationally, Brian’s focus is always client satisfaction, project success and continuous improvement. He earned his degree in building construction management from Purdue University.

Brian joined Skender in 2007 and has over 20 years of experience in the construction industry. He played an integral role in the development and delivery of Skender’s Lean-focused initiatives for clients. Since 2020, he has led Skender’s Indianapolis office, focusing on delivering the best value for clients. Brian earned a degree in construction management and engineering from Purdue University.

As an executive and strategic leader of Skender, Afshan leverages his 30+ years of construction experience to oversee business operations and collaborate on strategic planning. A founding member and past Chair of the Lean Construction Institute Chicago Community of Practice, Afshan is a frequent speaker and writer on the subject, and also played an integral role in developing Skender’s lean project delivery processes. Afshan is currently an adjunct professor at Northwestern University teaching lean construction within the Master of Science in Project Management program. He also served as president and is currently on the board of the Zoroastrian Association of Greater Chicago. Afshan holds a Master of Science in construction management from Michigan State University.

Since joining Skender in 2010, Ashlee has overseen numerous construction teams on significant projects, including HERE Technologies, Cars.com, SRAM, Echo Global Logistics and Bank of America at 110 N. Wacker. As vice president, Ashlee heads up Skender’s award-winning Interiors group. She earned a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from Iowa State University.

Clay joined Skender in 2006 and has 20+ years of experience in the construction industry. He is the leader of the firm’s Self Perform and Construction Technology group. The group optimizes value, safety, production and quality for Skender clients through offerings such as general labor, demolition, carpentry, BIM, 3D laser scanning and high-definition surveying, intelligent project tracking, drone mapping and immersive reality.  With extensive interior construction expertise, Clay also provides executive-level counsel and client services for tenants and end-users. As an industry thought leader, Clay is frequently cited in commercial real estate news media outlets and is often a featured speaker and writer on related trends. He holds a Bachelor of Science in construction engineering from Purdue University.

The construction industry recognizes Dan as a veteran superintendent who has managed some of the largest and most complex projects in Chicago. Dan joined Skender in 2006 and has played an instrumental role in building collaborative teams, igniting a spirit of camaraderie on our jobsites. He has managed projects for Motorola Mobility, Nokia, Sidley Austin LLP, CVS Caremark, UBS, and other esteemed clients.

Todd joined Skender in 2017, helping the firm develop and deliver new, award-winning marketing strategies. He brings 25 years of marketing communications experience, including 20 years in the construction industry. Todd and his team often partner with Skender clients to enhance the promotions of their new buildings and spaces. In addition to marketing, Todd is an award-winning, bestselling author and editor of American history books and served on the editorial board of Illinois Real Estate Journal. He received his MBA from Roosevelt University and an undergraduate degree in PR from Illinois State University.

Alex joined Skender in 2016 and has 15+ years of industry experience. He leads teams on new commercial construction projects and is responsible for overall quality, strategy and client experience. Alex earned a degree in construction management from Illinois State University.

Brian joined Skender in 2008 and has significant experience leading specialized healthcare and lab sciences construction teams on various hospital, outpatient and laboratory projects. He earned an engineering degree from the University of Illinois.

Since joining Skender in 2017, Dan has helped the firm develop new industry partnerships and expand new and existing markets. He brings 20 years of construction and real estate industry experience. Working as a trusted advisor, Dan has a talent for understanding clients’ perspectives and translating their real estate needs into construction solutions. Dan is co-chair of the Chicago Advisory Board for Little Kids Rock and former president of the CoreNet Chicago Chapter. In 2014, he was named to Building Design+Construction‘s “40 Under 40” class. He graduated from Northern Illinois University with a degree in marketing.

Jamie is a seasoned economic and business development professional and works in Skender’s Indianapolis office. Skender began work in Indiana in early 2020 and has been involved in the construction of significant healthcare, retail, office and municipal projects totaling well over 1 million square feet throughout the state. Jamie earned degrees in marketing and finance from Franklin College in Franklin, Indiana.

Andrew Lehrer is a distinguished engineering leader specializing in critical and resilient infrastructure. He brings deep expertise in high-performance, always-on facilities, advanced laboratory environments, critical operations hubs, high-rise mixed-use and corporate headquarters projects. With past noteworthy leadership roles at Environmental Systems Design, Inc. (ESD) and Cannon Design, Andrew brings a unique perspective that helps clients achieve tangible benefits through the preconstruction and construction process.

Jacob joined Skender in 2016 and has significant experience leading spanning corporate interiors, healthcare, mission critical, and life sciences sectors. As a creative and forward-thinking leader, he has steered many high-profile projects through complex systems, supply chain challenges and sustainable design goals. Jacob holds a bachelor’s degree in construction engineering from Iowa State University and excels at guiding cross‑disciplinary teams to deliver cutting‑edge environments efficiently and on schedule.

Jeff joined Skender in 2015 and has significant experience leading multifamily, adaptive reuse, historic restoration, hospitality and other commercial projects. He earned a degree in civil engineering from the University of Illinois.

Joe is a leading adopter of Lean construction techniques and has helped shape Skender’s Lean-focused culture since joining the company in 2005. Joe oversees Skender’s multi-unit housing team, and his expertise has helped deliver a wide range of successful multi-family residential, affordable housing and senior living projects. He earned a master’s degree in project management from Northwestern University and a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Kevin joined Skender in 2015 and has significant experience leading healthcare construction experience and plays a pivotal role on Skender’s Healthcare team. He is known for his logistical acumen, client-focused approach and proactive coordination with hospital operations. He is trusted by owners, facility staff and end users to deliver complex healthcare environments seamlessly.  Kevin holds a bachelor’s degree in construction management from Bradley University. 

Lauren is a key leader in Skender’s award-winning Interiors group, where she directs high-performing project teams to deliver innovative workspace solutions. She has played an integral role in the successful buildouts of prominent offices for renowned organizations, including Motorola Mobility, 1871, Google, Sprout Social, LinkedIn, PepsiCo, AbelsonTaylor and Mondelez. A recognized expert in her field, Lauren is a sought-after speaker at industry events and has contributed thought leadership articles to respected publications. She holds a degree in computer graphic technology from Purdue University.

Since joining the firm in 2016, Ryan has proven himself to be a true collaborator with Skender’s developers, architects, engineers, consultants and trade partners, and has helped to create a comprehensive vision for the firm’s preconstruction services. In his new role as Preconstruction Executive, Ryan will be further expanding the preconstruction team and enhancing the firm’s estimating and preconstruction services, as well as leading client relations to strategize the estimating of projects company wide.

Brian brings more than 20 years of experience in the construction industry. Since joining Skender in 2011, he has overseen numerous new construction and renovation projects. Some of his projects include Southland Village, North Shore Place, Greenbrier of Prospect Heights and Woodlawn Station. Brian earned his degree in construction management from Illinois State University.

John has more than twenty years in the construction industry. Since joining Skender in 2011, he has helped deliver a wide variety of healthcare projects for Northwestern Medicine. As Director of Field Operations, John oversees field operations and tracks project progression to ensure a timely, on-budget completion.

Since joining Skender in 2015, Patrick has been an invaluable resource in managing field activities and operations for crucial client projects, including recent large-scale buildouts for Salesforce Chicago and Bank of America. Patrick helps oversee field operations, guiding projects and teams to safe, timely, on-budget completions.

Dan Torres has 25 years of experience in the field. As Safety Director, he is in charge of analyzing and administering various components of the environmental, health and safety programs. Dan reviews site-specific safety plans with project managers and subcontractors to assure compliance and performs weekly jobsite inspections. Dan also works with project teams to develop plans that utilize the most efficient construction techniques in order to guarantee quality and efficiency. He holds multiple certifications, including the Construction Site Supervisor Certification from Purdue University, the Construction Health and Safety Technician (CHST) certification, and the Safety Trained Supervisor Construction (STSC) certification.

Clint manages and directs the company’s IT and construction technology operations, ensuring the department provides efficient and effective technical support service across all verticals and corporate teams. He helps position Skender as a solutions-driven firm to stay in front of security matters, create a scalable infrastructure, and provide innovative connectivity and access to all Skender jobsites and offices.

Since joining Skender in 2013, Colleen has grown through a variety of roles into an exceptional HR leader. She brings a unique blend of creativity, empathy and humor to everything she does and her ability to offer thoughtful guidance is valued across teams. Colleen plays a key role in many of our culture-focused programs, consistently leading with care, clarity and heart, and her mentorship has made a lasting impact on her team and broader organization. She earned degrees in communications and psychology from the University of Illinois Chicago.

Courtney joined Skender in 2011 and oversees all creative production aspects of Skender’s brand, marketing campaigns and initiatives. Courtney embodies Skender’s core values through her internal interactions and her external deliverables, and her branding and design talents have long influenced and guided Skender’s marketing initiatives.

Joy started with Skender in 2015 and was soon promoted to manage the risk management department, working closely with operations to identify ways to mitigate risks in daily procedures. Joy is known for her detail-oriented work evaluating and administering insurance programs for all Skender’s business lines, working closely with the executive team to negotiate contracts and promote Enterprise Risk Management throughout the organization. She is a certified Construction Risk and Insurance Specialist (CRIS), Certified Risk Manager (CRM) and member of the Risk and Insurance Management Society.  She earned her master’s degree in integrated marketing from Roosevelt University and a bachelor’s degree in communications and media studies from Northern Illinois University.

Tony joined Skender in 2015 and is a trusted leader within the firm’s interiors practice. He is known for his strong organizational skills, steady leadership and thoughtful, team-first approach to managing complex construction projects. Colleagues and partners alike value Tony for his consistency, efficiency and ability to mentor others while driving successful outcomes for clients. He holds a degree in building construction technology from Purdue University.

Kate joined the Skender team in 2004 and, after a decade in project management, jumped into learning and development, carefully cultivating the new hire onboarding process. Kate is responsible for the effective development, direction and presentation of training and development programs for all operational employees.

Lynn joined Skender in 2006 and has been instrumental in perpetuating Skender’s culture since then. As Director of Workplace Culture, Lynn provides oversight for all activities related to the physical office operations and workplace culture, including the management of reception, concierge and special projects, such as office design and our HQ relocation in 2017.

Matt Nemshick is a business growth executive and strategic account leader with years of industry experience, particularly in the data center market. As Director of Data Center Accounts, Matt develops impactful client relationships to expand Skender’s mission-critical construction footprint, which comprises essential, always-on facilities such as data centers and other high-tech infrastructure.

Matt joined Skender with 17 years of experience in the construction industry. He previously worked in business growth roles at Clune Construction Company, DW Hammer and Kelso-Burnett. He currently serves as Board Ambassador and Past President of the veteran support charity SALUTE, Inc.

With more than two decades of accounting experience under her belt, Jen brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her role. Her remarkable proficiency has been instrumental in ensuring the accuracy and integrity of Skender’s financial statements. Jen is past president of the Construction Financial Management Association Chicago Chapter and holds a master’s degree in accounting from Northern Illinois University and a degree in accounting from North Central College.