2016 Carolinas AGC Top Young Leader Award Winners

Derrick Morgan began working for State Utility Contractors as an intern and after graduating from Western Carolina University with a BS in Construction Management joined the team full time. 10 years later he is now a project manager with the company. He has been an active member of the CAGC Young Leaders since the start of the group and is a current member of the Young Leaders Action Team Committee. When he isn’t spending time on jobs sites, dedicating his time to the young leaders, or staying overtime to make sure the young leaders community service projects get done right, he enjoys golf and spending time with his wife Lindsey and two beautiful daughters, Olivia and Hadley.

2016 Top Young Leaders Award Ceremony

Michelle Reed began with Eldeco as their receptionist while completing her degree and now 12 years later heads the HR department. In additional to completing her degree, she has also obtained dual HR industry certifications of SPHR and SHRM-SCP. With a lifelong passion for giving back to her community and industry, she serves as a member of the CAGC Board of Directors, Chair of the Young leader’s action team, CAGC HR Committee, and Habitat for Humanity Young Professionals. Originally from Ohio, but after 12 years in South Carolina, she has adapted well and enjoys life with her husband Jon of 9 years and their 3 dogs, Bailey, Turkish and Zoey. Her favorite professional quote is “Treat employees like they make a different and they will.”

2016 Top Young Leaders Award Ceremony

Now Senior Vice President of Young & McQueen, Damien Hollifield has grown from laboring in the ditch, to running equipment, to supervising crews, to running the overall operations of the company. He serves on the NCDOT/CAGC Structure Design Joint Committee and is a part of the CAGC Young Leaders. His service to the community is abundant and has included serving on an artist review panel for the Toe River Arts Council and being a NC Rhododendron Festival Donor. He also serves as the Tall Pine Ridge POA President in Spruce Pine, NC where he loves spending time with his wife Amanda and daughter Chloe. 

2016 Top Young Leaders Award Ceremony

Tara originally wanted  to teach high school English she took a temp job with a subcontractor. 17 years later she now teaches and helps develop talent in the construction industry. She has spent half of her career on pharmaceutical jobsites and the second half teaching SOP’s, project systems and CPR, assisting with change management and the rollout of new company initiatives. She has now been with Balfour Beatty Construction for 9 years and loves bringing her high energy, positive attitude, and her smile to work every day. She is an active member of the Project Supervision Committee, the CAGC Young Leaders, and the youngest Chair of the National AGC TED Forum Steering Committee. Originally from Rhoda Island, she now resides in Charlotte when she isn’t traveling for work and loves being with her husband of 9 years James and their 3.5 year old daughter Eden.

2016 Top Young Leaders Award Ceremony