BSCI Alum Named AGC Young Professional of the Year

For Coady, Director of Pre-construction at G.A. West in Birmingham, the award is deeply personal because it represents the trust and respect of the people he works alongside every day.

“This award allows me to reflect on the great people I have been able to surround myself with during my career, and the opportunities that have been entrusted to me,” Coady said.

He added that being recognized by colleagues and Alabama AGC is especially meaningful after more than 15 years in the industry, where he has built a reputation in heavy industrial, light industrial and commercial markets.

Coady’s professional story began at Auburn, where he first earned a degree in finance before discovering his passion for construction through the McWhorter School of Building Science‘s Master of Building Construction (MBC) program. Looking back, he credits Auburn’s environment with giving him the freedom to explore multiple interests before finding the right fit.

“There is such a diversity of education and career paths that you are exposed to at Auburn,” he said. “It really helped in keeping me curious and engaged in charting the potential courses available to me in life. It was a perfect setting for me to explore different passions and create for myself.”

He calls pursuing the MBC degree one of the best decisions he has made. Faculty mentorship and challenging coursework helped sharpen the leadership and communication skills that now define his role in pre-construction and project delivery.

One experience that still stands out is the Executive Issues course taught by Professor Emeritus Steve Williams, where Coady learned how to present complex ideas with confidence through repeated practice, peer critiques and video playback.

One of his favorite career achievements remains a highly technical air separation unit project for a steel manufacturer in South Carolina. With a 220-foot, 335-ton cold box lift and tight site logistics, the project demanded the collaboration, urgency and problem-solving that have become hallmarks of Coady’s career—and the qualities that earned him this prestigious recognition.

“It’s a great honor to be recognized and nominated by my employer and coworkers, because we work together every day, and to get a positive feedback loop helps me gauge where and when I’m adding value within our organization,” he said.