Team Member Spotlight: Tim Michel

The safety of our team members is and always will be ADB’s number one priority. Our robust safety program, ADB Safe, guides everything we do and empowers our A-Team to do everything they can to stay safe and get all team members home safety at the end of the day. Tim Michel, Vice President of Risk Management, drives this program with a passion and dedication to educating our people on the latest safety trends while encouraging team members to embrace this unmatched safety culture wholeheartedly.

“Safety is always number one for me. There is nothing more important than getting our people home safely every day. The belief in ZERO comes straight from the highest levels of ADB. It not a goal, it is an expectation.”

Tim began his safety journey in 2017 when he was hired as a Safety Manager for ADB’s then sister company, Keeley Construction. He worked on a large project for about a year before moving into a role that supported the safety efforts of both Keeley and ADB. The teams quickly realized that each company needed their own dedicated safety professional, so Tim moved into the Safety Director role at ADB. Soon after taking on this position, Tim knew the team needed someone who could grab the safety program by the reigns and take control. This experience of building and fostering a true culture of safety has given Tim a clear and strong vision for the future.

“My team and I are working hard to build an organization that is tolerant and resilient to mistakes. We understand that we will drive ourselves crazy trying to prevent every mistake, so we are focused on reducing the outcomes post-mistake. If we can build a culture that has the appropriate defenses in place, that is when ZERO becomes the norm.”

Tim was raised in a blue collar family, so construction has always come naturally to him. He worked as a carpenter for a few years after college when an opportunity came his way to work on a project in St. Louis cleaning up radioactive contaminants from the Manhattan Project. This sparked his passion for not only construction, but for keeping team members safe on every project he is a part of. He has enjoyed his journey in the construction industry, but his favorite thing is that it is a constantly changing environment. ADB has been hard at work building our technology infrastructure in communities across the country. This has allowed Tim to travel to jobsites and interact with our teams outside of St. Louis. ADB is rapidly growing and in need of some great talent, so if Tim could give a piece of advice to those wanting to join the industry, it would be:

“Life is more about building relationships than being ‘right’. Our field team members are not coming to work trying to get hurt, yet injuries still happen. Understand why and build defenses to protect your people as they are your most valuable asset.”

Throughout his safety career, Tim has learned a lot of valuable lessons. However, the most important one for him has been staying curious about others’ points of view rather than combatting the ideas he disagreed with. He has realized that it is much more interesting to understand how others get to their decisions and thoughts because by listening, you can actually reach a similar point of view that benefits both parties. He has found this to be especially true with ADB’s family culture and excitement for everyone to succeed and grow their career. ADB has hundreds of open positions across the country, so if you are interested in a culture known for safety and family, then ADB will become your second home. This is just the beginning of the bright future ahead for ADB and there are endless opportunities for personal and professional growth.

“The A-Team is the place to be. I can’t imagine another with as much opportunity as ADB. Our national footprint is continuously growing and we are consistently expanding and showing no signs of slowing down, which leads to more and more opportunities every day. It’s a fun ride on this rocket ship to the moon.”

Tim, thank you for your dedication to our people and all things ADB Safe. Our growth would not be possible without your guidance!