A self-proclaimed passionate builder, Mike Hoover, executive chairman of Sundt Construction, rose through the ranks in the industry, eventually landing a role that was practically written for him.
Hoover joined the Tempe, Arizona-based construction company 38 years ago, shortly after graduating from the University of Arizona with a degree in mechanical engineering. But his time as CEO from 2016 to 2025 was his defining chapter. His 10-year strategic plan, “Sundt 2025,” led the company to a quintupling of revenue and record profitability, with the company rising to No. 46 on ENR’s Top 400 Contractors list and growing from $850 million in revenue to more than $4 billion.
A second-generation Sundt employee, Hoover left his post-college engineering job to become a carpenter, developing his career through work as a project engineer, project manager, chief estimator and manager of the company’s heavy civil (now transportation) group.
“He has the knowledge of the business and its people because he really is one of them,” says Sundt board member Mike Kemper. “The combination of these [attributes] they are what make him a great leader.”
As CEO, Hoover oversaw many successful initiatives, including expanding Sundt’s geographic reach from four states to 24. He also led Sundt into the renewable energy market.
“We’re on a better footing today for what we can build and the kind of work we can do,” Hoover says. “We’ve moved from being a mostly vertical builder to a more diverse position, and we’re leaning more toward industrial and transportation-type work.” All this was part of this ten-year plan, he adds.
Beyond motivation and an iconic motto, Hoover’s legacy extends to workforce development. The G. Michael Hoover KAPBCS Training Center in Phoenix is Sundt’s state-of-the-art facility designed to train the next generation of skilled builders.
Photo courtesy of Sundt Construction
“We got our mojo back”
“I like the kind of work we do. As I was growing in the company, projects were averaging a year and a half to two years, so just as you get tired of one project, you’d move on to another. All of that motivates me,” says Hoover.
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Early in his tenure as CEO, Hoover coined the phrase KAPBCS (Kick Ass People Building Cool Sh*t), and “that became a rallying cry for all of Sundt’s employee-owners to work with pride and confidence,” says Stefanie Teller, Sundt’s senior vice president and communications office.
“Before you know it, it took off. KAPBCS was on the back of our trucks, our safety vests and equipment … and it made us think we could win,” says Hoover. At his wife’s suggestion, Hoover got a KAPBCS tattoo — his only one, he notes — and today at least a dozen other employees have followed suit.
Hoover’s leadership extends to roles in the community and throughout the construction industry. In 2018, he served as president of the Beavers, an organization of heavy engineering contractors, and received its prestigious Golden Beaver Award in 2024. He chaired AGC of America’s Highway and Transportation Division and is a past president of AGC’s Arizona chapter. Last year, he was named one of the Phoenix Business Journal’s Most Admired Leaders.
it also makes community service contagious. The Sundt Foundation, established in 1999, has contributed more than $18 million to local charities, especially for children and families who are struggling.
“We gave away over $3.3 million last year, and that number continues to grow,” says Hoover. “Part of our strategic plan was to determine our purpose for being in business. And that is to create environments where our employees and communities thrive. That means helping our communities by donating man hours and funds, so our foundation has grown over time.”
it reminded us of what we want to be as builders. It’s hard, dirty and even dangerous work, but it’s always honorable and always worth it,” says Ronald Stuff, general manager and board member of Sundt.
“A truly great leader is someone who inspires you to do more than you think you can do. Mike has a lot of that. The key thing about leadership is that it’s not about revenue or growth for growth’s sake, but how to do it without losing our culture,” adds Stuff. “It gave us our mojo back and it was magical.”
“A truly great leader is someone who inspires you to do more than you think you can do. Mike has that very well.”
—Ronald Stuff, General Counsel and Board Member, Sundt
“It’s always up to the people,” Hoover insists. “We have a great leadership team and a very good board that is making good decisions. We believe we can win and we are.”
survived the pandemic era with a very steady hand on the wheel. He was thoughtful about what people were going through and what would be best for them, for their health, and for the company as a whole,” says Conrad Prusak, a management consultant and executive coach who has worked closely with Hoover and Sundt’s leadership team for several years.
“No one was ready and, like all the other leaders, he had to figure it out immediately as a team. [but] crisis management is one of his strengths,” says Prusak.
Hoover says innovation and construction projects are what drive him. One of his favorites, Multnomah County’s Sellwood Bridge Replacement Project, involved removing a bridge over a river in Portland, Oregon, by sliding it on temporary piers so the old bridge could be used as a diversion while the new one was built.
He also recalls the sophistication it took for Sundt to build a $1.7 billion advanced water reclamation facility at an Austin semiconductor manufacturing plant in a “fairly short period of time.”
“People think that construction is a conservative industry, and that’s a mistake,” adds Prusak. “There’s a lot of innovation, and Mike made it real, operational, and an area of focus at the highest level, and that was refined.”
“I love what I do,” says Hoover. “We have great people here, and it’s a lot of fun to come to work. This industry is loaded with people who work hard but like to have fun — it’s been that way my whole career.”
