How Todd Oliveira Built a Team That Builds Each Other
Spend five minutes with Todd Oliveira, and one thing becomes clear. He isn’t interested in talking about himself. Ask about his accomplishments, and he’ll point to his team. Ask what he’s most proud of, and he’ll tell you about the people who helped make it happen. Sharing the credit has shaped his career at Gray.
In four years, Todd has helped expand Gray’s presence in the Pacific Northwest while building a regional team that takes joint ownership of every project. Around him, trust isn’t just a leadership principle; it’s the foundation for how the work gets done.
Finding the Freedom to Build
Todd began his career as an electrician, spending more than a decade on complex industrial projects and leading crews of dozens of electricians. He built a reputation for quality work, moving fast without sacrificing craftsmanship.
When he transitioned into general contracting, something felt off. The companies he worked for didn’t lead the way he believed they should. Trust was limited. People weren’t empowered to do their jobs. As Todd considered returning to electrical work, a recruiter connected him with Gray.
The interview felt different from the start. Todd clicked with the people he met, but before accepting the offer, he did something unexpected. He asked for a second interview. He wanted to know who he would be working with.
The conversations confirmed what Todd was looking for: leaders who trusted their people and asked, “What do you need to succeed?” instead of telling them how to do every part of the job. The trust he sensed at the beginning has continued ever since. With the freedom to build his own regional team, Todd surrounded himself with local professionals who care about the work they do and their community.
Leadership Starts with Showing Up
Todd likes staying busy. He’d rather have too much going on than not enough. Most mornings start before sunrise with coffee, planning, and a head start on emails. Getting those tasks out of the way early leaves more time for what he considers the most important part of his job: being present with his team.
Safety leads the day. Todd uses the morning plan-of-the-day meeting to understand what lies ahead, coordinate with trade partners, and identify potential risks before work gets underway.
“I always try to start my day with risk management. I want to find out what risks we have and what challenges we’re going to have,” says Todd.
Todd’s attention continues well beyond the morning meeting. He walks the jobsite on foot, checking conditions, talking with his team in the field and looking for things that are easy to miss from behind a desk. It’s how he puts Gray’s first core value into practice while staying connected to the people doing the work.
That presence also shapes how Todd leads. He makes himself available when challenges come up and encourages others to do the same when they need help. His advice to people building a career in construction is simple: follow the process, keep learning, ask questions and own your mistakes.
Todd holds himself to that same standard. He maintains his electrician’s license, completes continuing education, and continues looking for opportunities to sharpen his skills. No matter how much experience he gains, there’s always something more to learn.
Recognition Belongs to the Whole Team
One of Todd’s proudest moments at Gray came when he received the Key Player Award for helping guide a challenging project to a successful finish. The recognition meant a great deal, but what he did next says even more about who he is.
“The first thing I said was, ‘Thank you. I appreciate this, but it should have my team’s name on it, not mine,’” Todd said.
Almost immediately, Todd decided to have the plaque updated to recognize his team instead of him. For him, the award represented everyone who showed up, solved problems, and pushed through the difficult days together. Todd believes that recognition matters.
When people know their work is valued, they stand a little taller. They take more ownership and become more willing to step in for one another. It’s a lesson Todd carries onto every project. Individual accomplishments are worth celebrating, but lasting success belongs to the team.
Take Care Of Your People
The Values Behind His Work
When he isn’t leading projects, Todd is spending time with his wife, four children, and their many animals, or heading outdoors to hunt, fish, guide, or attend rodeos. These activities are an expression of growing up on a small farm in Oregon, where hard work was simply part of everyday life.
Over the years, Todd’s values haven’t changed. Work hard. Stay humble. Take care of your people. As Gray continues to grow, Todd is focused on building strong teams that trust one another, solve problems together, and take pride in what they accomplish.
That’s the kind of work Todd wants to be remembered for.
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Some opinions expressed in this article may be those of a contributing author and not necessarily Gray.