The Real Harris: Meet Cody Harris

Tell us about your background. How did you get your start in the construction business?

After high school I started a sheet metal apprenticeship in SLC, Utah. While doing my apprenticeship I started working for a small local contractor where I worked in various roles such as shop fabrication and field installation. After a few years with that company, I decided to make the switch to Harris and finished out my apprenticeship in a BIM/VDC role.

What drew you to Harris? What makes you stay?

The size and scale of the company. I really love the fast-paced high-profile large-scale megaprojects.

What do you enjoy about working at Harris (what about the company itself made you want to work here)?

Working for the National Operations team has allowed me to travel around the U.S. working on various projects. I enjoy experiencing new cities and all they have to offer.

What is the best part about your position (the day-to-day, people, a special project you were involved with)?

Moving to a new city and being able to build a high functioning team from start to finish. This allows me to be surrounded by likeminded individuals who thrive in a fast-paced environment and are eager to learn. With that, I work with a great executive leadership team who allow me to oversee all aspects of the project and continue to grow into my career.

What traits do you think are important for someone in your role to be successful?

Communication, leadership and rapport.

What are your main responsibilities and initiatives that you lead?

Some of my main responsibilities include setting up strategic team meetings to ensure that communication and scheduled activities between various departments within Harris are aligned. Reviewing changes to the contract documents and pricing change orders with estimating software. Provide duration and tasks to the General Contractor or owner to develop an overall project schedule. Develop weekly work plans with the field team that drives the project. Ordering equipment and coordinating shipping schedules. Manage, track and report labor productivity. Track, update and report job financial status. And finally build and develop relationships with the General Contractor and owner.

What are you passionate about at work?

I’m passionate about mentoring incoming coworkers and helping people find the information they need and solving problems in creative ways. Whether it’s through providing insights, answering questions or generating content, I enjoy the process of making complex ideas more accessible and assisting others in achieving their goals. It’s rewarding to be a part of someone’s learning or decision-making process.

How do you like to re-charge?

I recharge by starting my day with an early morning workout.

What keeps you up at night?

The drive to continuously improve and ensure that the information and assistance I provide are as accurate, helpful and as relevant as possible. I want to make sure that I’m consistently meeting the needs of those who rely on me, so I’m always thinking about how I can better understand context, adapt to new situations and provide the best possible support.

What are you most proud of at Harris?

The high profile work the National Operations team does. I love driving down the road and seeing the Raiders stadium or a large hospital on OSU’s campus and knowing that I was an integral part of that building come to life.

What is one thing Harris employees wouldn’t know about you?

I like to spend my free time brewing and coming up with new craft beer recipes.

What drew you to this industry?

I have lots of family in the industry and have been passionate about construction from a very young age.

What do you wish the public knew about Harris?

The dynamic of the teams traveling across the U.S. working on various projects.

What inspires you? What motivates you?

The challenge and thrill of achieving hard goals. A lot of the time we work on very difficult and complex projects with very demanding deadlines.