About Oftedal

In his 31-year career at Oftedal, Greg has seen and done it all. He has worked his way through the ranks—from a Laborer/Grade Checker Trainee to Laborer Foreman, Pipe Foreman, Grading Foreman, Project Superintendent, Project Manager, Estimator, Chief Estimator, Operations Manager—and now leads the company as its President. His knowledge of the industry and past experience in performing many of the duties his employees perform now provide him with a profound understanding of the issues his team faces on a daily basis.

Greg says that he has always had an interest in construction, even at a young age. After graduating from Campbell County High School in Gillette, Wyoming, he began working for a local handyman who was renovating trailer houses. From there he moved to Minnesota where he spent a year working for a contractor building pole barns in Minnesota and South Dakota.

Knowing that he wanted to build a career in construction, Greg then enrolled in Casper College (Wyoming) where he earned an associate’s degree in Construction Technology. Though he planned to continue his education and pursue a degree in Construction Management after a summer of working as a Quality Control/Quality Assurance Inspector performing soil testing for a California engineering firm, he scraped his plans to return to school in order to keep working on the large earth-moving project for the engineering firm until it was complete.

Once that project ended, he accepted a position as a Soil Technician on the Denver International Airport project in Colorado on which Kiewit Corporation was the general contractor. Greg discovered his passion working around all the large equipment and it was then that he decided to transition from the engineering side of the business to the construction/contractor side.

Greg explains that he fell in love with the grading and excavation side of construction because they are the first ones on the project, providing a solid foundation for the rest of the project. “Seeing a project unfold from the start all the way through to the finish gives me a sense of pride and accomplishment,” he says, adding, “Besides, what is better than getting paid to play in a giant sandbox with big toys? It’s priceless!”

When he came to Oftedal, Greg began to work his way up through the ranks. He also went back to school and earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, with a minor in Project Management, from Colorado Technical University.

Greg says that he does not regret one minute of his 31 years with Oftedal and that he is truly honored to have the opportunity to lead the company into the future, keeping the Oftedal families legacy alive and well. He explains that, although he loved working in the field, he is happy to now be in a position to help others build their careers. “My first love will always be working in the field, contributing to building the project and being a part of the day-to-day progress,” he says. “On the other hand, my transition to management gives me the opportunity to grow the company and provide the same opportunities I had to others.”

As President of the company, Greg is focused not just on the project portfolio, but on the people. He leads by example, displaying his passion for the industry and company as well as confidence, integrity, honesty, good listening skills, decision-making skills, and problem-solving ability. He fosters innovation and values safety above all else—aiming to ensure that each and every member of the Oftedal team goes home at night in the same or better condition than they showed up in. As a leader, he tries to make every employee feel as if they are a part of a family, not just a number. 

Describing his leadership philosophy, he says, “I have two favorite quotes that have always stuck with me when it comes to leadership: ‘Integrity is doing the right thing when no one else is watching’ and “The role of a leader is not to come up with all the great ideas but to create an environment in which great ideas can happen.’ ”