AGC’s ‘40 Under 40’ Features AU Faculty and Alumni
For the past three years, the Alabama Associated General Contractors (AGC) has released an annual list of 40 of the top industry professionals under the age of 40. This ‘40 Under 40’ list frequently features alumni of the McWhorter School of Building Science, including seven in 2020, nine in 2019 and 11 in 2018. The AU alumni and faculty listed below are just a few of the brightest rising stars in the building construction industry in Alabama. We will continue to highlight McWhorter faculty and alumni who are recipients of this award.
Megan (Hurst) Smith
2020 AGC 40 Under 40
Position: Project Manager at Hurst Construction in Munford, Alabama
Education: Bachelor of Science in Building Construction, Auburn University, 2018
Megan Smith is one of the youngest people to ever be featured on the 40 Under 40 list. Since graduating two years ago, she has managed school renovations, health care additions and employee welfare renovations for several Koch Food locations and has also worked on the sales side of construction with projects in the poultry, cabinet and health industries.
Eric Wetzel
2020 AGC 40 Under 40
Position: Assistant Professor, McWhorter School of Building Science
Education:
Ph.D. in Environmental Design and Planning, Virginia Tech
Master of Building Construction, Auburn University, 2009
Bachelor of Science in Construction Management, Western Kentucky University
Eric Wetzel has been on the faculty at Auburn for four years and currently teaches BSCI 4610, Scheduling and Field Operations, to first-semester seniors. Dr. Wetzel was a 2019 recipient of the Auburn University Alumni Undergraduate Teaching Excellence Award.
Aaron Wright
2020 AGC 40 Under 40
Position: Founder and CEO of the Construction Channel
Education:
Bachelor of Science in Building Construction, Auburn University, 2003
Master of Building Construction, Auburn University, 2004
Aaron Wright, who specializes in building construction communications, is the founder of the Construction Channel, which since its launch in 2016 has gained 23,000 followers on YouTube. He uses video storytelling to provide an in-depth look at construction projects while celebrating the accomplishments of the industry. Wright also teaches at Auburn as an adjunct faculty member.
Mitch Pate
2019 AGC 40 Under 40
Position: Project Manager at Stuart Construction, LLC, in Mobile, Alabama
Education:
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Auburn University, 2004
Master of Building Construction, Auburn University, 2014
Mitch Pate has worked on projects in healthcare and academia in Mobile and Fairhope as well as retail, warehousing and institutional construction. He currently serves on the Mobile section of the Construction Leadership Council Steering Committee.
Lauren Redden
2019 AGC 40 Under 40
Position: Assistant Professor, McWhorter School of Building Science
Education:
Bachelor of Science in Building Construction, Auburn University, 2008
Master of Building Construction, Auburn University, 2009
After working in both commercial and residential markets for six years, Lauren Redden returned to Auburn as a tenure-track faculty member. She currently teaches BSCI 1100, Introduction to Construction, and BSCI 2200, Construction Documents. She is the faculty advisor for the Construction Management Summer Academy for Young Women, a weeklong residential camp for high school students who are considering careers in construction management. Redden was honored as a 2019–20 outstanding faculty member by Auburn’s Student Government Association.
Sara Beth Wilcox
2019 AGC 40 Under 40
Position: Senior Project Manager at Brasfield & Gorrie in Birmingham
Education: Bachelor of Science in Building Construction, Auburn University, 2004
Sara Beth Wilcox has been a project manager on several large building projects on Auburn’s campus, including the Bailey Small Animal Hospital in 2013 and the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2015. In her nine years at Brasfield & Gorrie, she has managed projects with a combined worth of $210 million dollars. In addition to Auburn University, her clients include Regions Bank, Motion Industries, the Exceptional Foundation, Highlands School and Northrup Grumman.
Brad Tew
2018 AGC 40 Under 40
Position: Senior Project Manager at Brasfield & Gorrie in Birmingham
Education: Bachelor of Science in Building Construction, Auburn University, 2007
Brad Tew is currently the chair of the Birmingham Construction Leadership Council, vice president of the Birmingham section of Alabama AGC and a member of the AGC State Board of Directors. He also serves on the National AGC Construction Leadership Council Steering Committee. In his role at Brasfield & Gorrie, he serves on the recruiting and steering committees and enjoys meeting students when recruiting at Auburn.
Related people:
Lauren Redden,
Eric Wetzel