Passion for Construction, Commitment to Family: Don Gerlach’s story

Tell us about your career and how you found yourself with Gray. 

I’ve always known I wanted to work in construction—it’s in my blood. I come from a legacy of construction professionals, so seeing the industry from all angles was natural for me. My journey began at 14 when I spent my summers working for a small general contractor. I did everything from framing houses to plumbing and painting, mostly on smaller residential projects like houses and condos. Later, I picked up finish carpentry and tile work through connections in my network, gaining hands-on experience in various trades. I’ve always loved working with my hands.   

After graduating college, I started work in the landscaping business but soon realized I wanted to pursue a more traditional career. I moved to Dallas in 2014 to take on an assistant superintendent role with a steel and precast erection company. My first project was a redevelopment job at Texas A&M University—a $250 million project that was a big deal at the time. It was a high-stakes environment with old-school construction professionals, strict hierarchies, and intense stakeholder involvement. It was a challenging yet invaluable experience that gave me a deep understanding of the industry.   

From there, I moved into project management but soon felt the need for a new challenge. I joined a new office for an established Design-Build construction company as the eleventh employee in their Dallas office and helped grow the team to 150 people over nearly nine years. This experience was a launchpad for my career, exposing me to every aspect of building an office from the ground up, including the challenges of maintaining culture and scaling operations. It was a sink or swim environment, where I learned directly from senior leaders and managed multiple projects simultaneously. The rapid growth gave me opportunities to excel in my career and gain experience that typically takes a decade to accumulate. Looking back, I realize how fortunate I’ve been to work in dynamic, high-growth environments that prepared me for my role today. 

What does a project executive do? 

With the opening of the new office, I have a unique role within the manufacturing group under Gray. My primary responsibility is overseeing the manufacturing group at the project level. This includes serving as the project executive, which involves managing either a group of projects or a larger project valued at $250 million or more.   

From the Dallas office perspective, my focus is on building Gray’s presence in the area by collaborating with the regional manager to attract quality talent. Having lived in Dallas for 10 years, I have a lot of local knowledge and connections. I act as a liaison, leveraging my network within the subcontractor community, professional organizations, and soon, on the customer side as well. It’s a dual responsibility that balances project oversight with regional growth and relationship building. 

What advice would you give to new team members? 

My advice to new team members is to focus on people and strive to be the best version of yourself. One of my favorite mantras is a quote by John Maxwell, “You can’t lead others until you can lead yourself.” One piece of wisdom that changed my perspective was when someone at Gray told me, “We’re a construction company, but a people business.” When you break down what we do every day, it’s all about relationships and communication. Our second core value is being customer and relationship driven. Technical skills and capabilities are essential, but what makes a real difference in a leader is the soft skills and their ability to motivate their team.   

Invest in yourself and prioritize building strong relationships. The skills and technical knowledge will come, but it’s the connections you make and how you treat others that will set you apart and ultimately define your success. 

What makes Gray stand out as an employer? 

The culture at Gray is truly exceptional. During my onboarding, the thing that stood out the most was meeting many people who had been with the company for 15 or even 20 years. I think that kind of loyalty speaks volumes about the culture here. It shows that Gray is a place where people genuinely want to stay and grow.   

What’s even more impressive is the sense of comfort and camaraderie you feel as soon as you walk into a Gray building or interact with the team. It feels like a family, which is rare, especially in a larger company. Maintaining that close-knit culture through rapid growth over the past few years is remarkable and truly sets Gray apart as an employer. 

If you were talking to someone about Gray, what would your pitch be? 

Joining the Gray team means being part of something truly special. In Dallas, you have the unique opportunity to be foundational to the growth of this office and create a legacy, regardless of your role. Across all locations, Gray offers a supportive culture where you genuinely enjoy working with your colleagues—both professionally and personally. You’ll be surrounded by intelligent, driven people who inspire you to learn and grow every day. On top of that, you get to work on cutting-edge projects, from leading solar manufacturing initiatives to collaborating with international clients. It’s a place where you feel valued, challenged, and excited to contribute to impactful, meaningful work. 

Gray is a company that, despite their growth, still cares about you as an individual.