Biography of Kyle Conrad
Kyle Conrad is currently in his fifth year of study in the Architectural Engineering program at The Pennsylvania State University with an emphasis in Construction Management. He will graduate in the Fall of 2007 with an integrated Bachelor and Master of Architectural Engineering degree and obtain E.I.T status since he successfully completed the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam in the Spring of 2006.
Kyle became interested in construction at an early age due to the career change of his role model. After farming for 52 years, his grandfather retired and began working for a local general contractor, building custom homes. Throughout high school, Kyle, too, became involved in construction. He worked on the road construction crew for the Township where he lived. Additionally, he was the sole designer and draftsman for a house construction project that was eventually built by the high school carpentry class after his graduation.
During college, he interned with three different companies within the construction industry. Each firm played a different role in the industry which allowed him to learn construction knowledge through a variety of approaches. The first two experiences were primarily service based companies. The Duggan Rhodes Group from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania provided construction consulting services while Forman Program and Construction Managers out of Zelienople, Pennsylvania focused on providing value to their clients through the role of CM Agents. His most recent experience took him to Washington D.C. where he worked for a large scale general contractor in the renovation of the Pentagon Wedges 2-5. Hensel Phelps Construction Company offers construction management services to their clients while maintaining their reputation as builders by continuing to self-perform quality work at no expense to safety.
Kyle is actively involved in the Penn State Student Chapter of the Partnership for Achieving Construction Excellence (S:PACE) and serves as one of two job placement officers for this academic year. He is tasked with attracting industry professionals to visit Penn State and recruit students for positions in the industry. He also acts as the Treasurer for the Penn State Chapter of the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA), through which, he will be traveling to Washington D.C. this semester to compete in a nation wide design-build or construction management competition.
When given the opportunity, Kyle can be found outdoors participating in recreational sports. He enjoys activities including, but not limited to, hiking, backpacking, camping, hunting, fishing, and canoeing. The week prior to the commencement of Fall 2006 classes, Kyle backpacked through the Presidential Range in the White Mountains, on a return trip to accomplish the goals that mother nature and the Park Service prevented him from reaching two springs earlier.
Kyle prides himself in his strong work ethic while continually challenging himself to excel academically and on a personal level. His hard work was recognized earlier this spring with his acceptance of the PACE Group Award and the Ewing Cole Award that acknowledge outstanding performance in the area of construction management. Kyle looks forward to a promising career in the industry that, for him, evokes so much passion.