DPR Construction announced this week it has appointed Mark Whitson as president, effective this month. He will lead the firm with CEO George Pfeffer to “guide DPR’s shared leadership team and the organization into the future,” according to a press release. The Redwood City, California-based general contractor and construction manager specializes in life sciences, healthcare, higher education and commercial markets. 

Whitson, who is now based in Cary, North Carolina, has been with DPR for more than two decades. He started right out of college in 2001 working as a carpenter on a drywall crew, then transitioned to project engineer

Later he led project teams on healthcare and mission critical projects, including a $1.2 billion NSA data center in Camp Williams, Utah. In 2013 Whitson shifted to business unit leader, and most recently, increased integration and collaboration among DPR regions as a member of the management team.

Last year Whitson and Pfeffer led DPR’s Culture Con Roadshow, which brought administrative and craft employees together in person to ask questions. The company used feedback from that forum to implement a suite of improvements, according to the release, including comprehensive benefits packages for those working in the field. Whitson believes it’s that kind of connection that makes DPR a success.  

“At the core, our success and ability to build great things are team driven,” said Whitson in the release. “We all play a critical part in the delivery of projects, and our proven model of shared and focused leadership exemplifies our collaborative spirit that helps build raving fans both internally and externally.”