Skiles Group Taps Lean Construction Guru for Strategic Growth Role

RICHARDSON, TX – January 13, 2026 – In a move signaling a deep commitment to its foundational principles, construction management firm Skiles Group has appointed renowned Lean construction expert Joe Donarumo as its new Senior Vice President of Client Development. The appointment is more than a leadership addition; it represents a strategic doubling-down on the company’s mission to transform client relationships and project delivery through its Lean-driven “Construction Simplified” approach.

Donarumo, a 19-year industry veteran with a background rooted in complex field operations, will spearhead the firm’s client development strategy. His focus will be on cultivating long-term, collaborative partnerships, particularly within the specialized healthcare and education sectors where Skiles Group has carved out a significant niche. This move strategically embeds a leading voice in Lean construction directly into the firm's growth engine, aiming to align client acquisition with its core philosophy of delivering projects with unwavering clarity, predictability, and trust.

A Partnership Forged in Lean Philosophy

The synergy behind this appointment runs deep, extending beyond a simple professional hire. Donarumo joins a leadership team helmed by CEO Keyan Zandy, with whom he co-authored the acclaimed book, “The Lean Builder: A Builder’s Guide to Applying Lean Tools in the Field.” This shared history as industry thought leaders underscores a unified vision for the future of construction.

“Joe embodies the way we believe builders should show up for their clients and teams,” said Keyan Zandy, CEO of Skiles Group. “He understands construction at a deep operational level and brings a thoughtful, disciplined approach to relationship-building. As a principal and co-author of The Lean Builder, Joe has helped shape conversations around leadership, culture, and delivery in our industry, and we’re excited to have that perspective fully embedded in our growth strategy.”

This shared authorship is significant. Their book, which won the prestigious Shingo Publication Award in 2021, is celebrated for its practical, fable-based approach to making Lean principles accessible to field leaders. It champions a ground-up implementation of Lean tools, empowering superintendents and foremen to drive efficiency and collaboration directly on the jobsite. By bringing Donarumo into this key leadership role, Skiles Group is ensuring that the same principles they advocate for industry-wide are the very foundation of their client engagement and market expansion.

From Field Operations to Client-Centric Strategy

Donarumo's career trajectory provides him with a unique and powerful perspective for a client development role. His extensive experience is not in sales, but in operations, where the promises made during project pursuits are put to the test. Throughout his career, including his previous tenure as Vice President of Field Operations at Linbeck Group, he has focused on developing high-performing teams and applying Lean principles to simplify complex building programs.

This operational DNA informs his approach to building relationships. He understands the realities of execution and the critical importance of aligning a client’s strategic goals with a project team's ability to deliver. His role at Skiles Group is designed to bridge that gap from the very first conversation.

“At Skiles Group, growth isn’t about chasing every opportunity—it’s about finding the right partners and delivering work in a way that respects the realities of execution,” said Donarumo. “This role allows me to connect organizations that value Lean thinking and collaboration with a builder who understands both strategy and the jobsite. I’m excited to help strengthen relationships in healthcare and other complex markets where Skiles Group brings real value.”

His influence extends across the industry. Having recently completed a six-year term on the Board of Directors for the Lean Construction Institute (LCI), Donarumo is a sought-after national speaker at conferences for major industry bodies like AGC, ABC, and TEXO. His work often focuses on demystifying Lean tools like the Last Planner System™, daily huddles, and visual communication, making him a pivotal figure in the industry’s ongoing cultural shift.

Redefining Value in Healthcare and Education Construction

The strategic focus on healthcare and education markets is a critical component of this appointment. These sectors are characterized by immense complexity, stringent regulations, and the need to often work within active, sensitive environments. In such settings, the traditional construction model, which can be fraught with delays, waste, and communication breakdowns, is particularly problematic.

This is where Skiles Group’s Lean-driven approach becomes a powerful differentiator. Lean construction aims to maximize value and eliminate waste by fostering a highly collaborative and predictable project environment. Practices like pull planning, which ensures work is performed only when it is needed, and rigorous constraint management prevent the cascading delays that can plague complex jobs. For a hospital that needs to maintain patient care or a university that must open for the fall semester, this predictability is not just a benefit—it is essential.

Donarumo’s deep expertise in applying Lean principles to healthcare projects makes him an ideal leader to articulate this value to potential partners. He can speak the language of both facility owners and field crews, translating high-level goals into a tangible, reliable project delivery plan that prioritizes the client’s core mission.

A Move from Transactions to Foundational Trust

Ultimately, the appointment of Joe Donarumo represents Skiles Group’s firm stance against a purely transactional business model. The construction industry has long been criticized for its adversarial relationships, where clients, designers, and contractors often work in silos. Skiles Group is actively working to dismantle this paradigm by building a culture centered on transparency and mutual trust.

By placing a leader renowned for collaboration and operational integrity at the forefront of its client development, the firm is making a clear statement: the relationship itself is as important as the final structure. This philosophy is woven into their process, which prioritizes finding the right partners who share a collaborative mindset, rather than simply winning the next bid. This selective, partnership-focused approach is designed to create a more sustainable and rewarding experience for all stakeholders, leading to higher-quality outcomes and fostering long-term, repeat business.

With Donarumo’s influence now integral to its growth strategy, Skiles Group is poised not only to expand its market share but also to continue setting a new industry standard for how construction projects are pursued, planned, and delivered.