Sundt Construction, a Tempe, Arizona-based builder with more than a century of experience, has promoted longtime team member Stew Grauer to senior vice president and district manager of the company’s Southwest Division.

Grauer, who has spent 16 years with Sundt and has four decades of overall construction experience, will now oversee all aspects of the firm’s Building Group operations across Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. His new responsibilities include leading preconstruction, operations, and business development activities in one of the company’s most active markets, according to a company press release.

“Stew’s career in the industry and his experience across multiple leadership roles at Sundt positions him well to lead our Southwest building team,” said Chad Buck, president of Sundt’s Building Group, in the release.

Throughout his tenure at Sundt, Grauer has held numerous leadership positions, including roles as preconstruction project manager, operations manager and division manager for the firm’s Concrete Division. This internal progression, paired with a diverse market portfolio, reflects his deep familiarity with both the company culture and the complexities of major builds in the Southwest.

Grauer’s project expertise spans a wide range of sectors. He has contributed to developments in government, healthcare, higher education, laboratories, courts and detention centers, mixed-use projects and data centers — all areas of specialization for Sundt. This cross-sector experience has helped him develop a comprehensive understanding of market demands and stakeholder expectations.

Grauer is certified by both the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) and the American Institute of Constructors (AIC). He earned a bachelor’s degree in construction management from the University of Washington.

The leadership move comes amid broader shifts in Sundt’s upper ranks. In October 2024, the firm named Cade Rowley as its new president and COO — a sign of continued evolution at the 135-year-old contractor.

Sundt has been involved in a number of iconic and high-impact projects throughout its history. Among them are the construction of the University of Arizona in Tucson, work at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico — famously linked to the Manhattan Project — and a one-of-a-kind project that involved transporting and reconstructing London Bridge in Lake Havasu City, Arizona using 10,000 tons of stone blocks imported from England.

Currently, Sundt is managing the $174 million I-10 widening project in El Paso, Texas — a major infrastructure job aimed at easing congestion along one of the busiest highway corridors in the region.

With 13 offices spanning California, Arizona, Texas, North Carolina, Washington, Utah and Florida, Sundt continues to expand its national footprint while maintaining strong roots in the Southwest — the region now under Grauer’s leadership.

Originally reported by Joe Bousquin in Constrution Dive.