Keeley’n Spotlight: Pete Lombardo
At Keeley Construction, we are incredibly grateful for our Veteran team members and the sacrifices they have made for our country. They are truly an invaluable part of the Keeley family and their hard work and dedication do not go unnoticed. Pete Lombardo, Project Manager for Civil Infrastructure, is a proud Veteran and Keeley’n who strives for excellence every single day.
Pete joined Keeley in July 2022 after running his own residential construction company for ten years. He was beginning to realize that he no longer wanted to work for himself when he was working on a home renovation project for his friend Dave Debord, Director of Civil Energy – National. Dave suggested that Pete check out Keeley’s open positions and after an interview with Ron Roellig, SVP of Civil Infrastructure, he was offered the job and hit the ground running. In June 2023, Pete was part of a four-month military deployment that took him all over the Middle East. He celebrated his one year anniversary with Keeley while on deployment and the team was accommodating and understanding during that time. Now, he is back in the office and picked up right where he left off with new projects. Being on active duty while also working as a full-time Keeley’n has given Pete an immense sense of empowerment in all aspects of his life.
“From the beginning, I have truly felt that the people around me have given me the resources and information to succeed. The group has been supportive, made me feel welcomed, and made it clear what our mission is. I am given various perspectives and methods on to successfully get from point A to point B and I am allowed to make my own decisions. This has been a very effective and empowering way to learn and grow at all levels. The more people are allowed to think, analyze, and decide, the better.”
Growing up, Pete’s dad was a designer/builder who owned his own company, so he was constantly around construction. He’s always been fascinated by how things work and loves to work with his hands – whether that be his career as a professional guitarist, love of working on classic cars and engines, or the various construction projects he has been a part of. Construction made sense for him because it allowed him to combine these interests while tapping into his creative side as an artist to bring designs to life.
“My favorite thing about working in the construction industry are the opportunities to learn and constantly be involved in new and interesting projects. As a Project Manager, I enjoy getting to be involved in the entire scope of a job. I've always had a fascination with the craftsmanship that goes into turning nothing into something. It's an art form that is often lost among people in today's fast-paced world. The buildings, streets, and bridges around us are more than meet the eye and many hands have gone into making those what they are. All of that had an influence on my career in construction.”
Pete proudly serves in the Air Force and has gained many valuable skills and experience that translate directly to his journey as a Keeley’n. Functioning at a high level as part of a team, working towards goals that are bigger than himself, and navigating unique challenges as they arise are all things that are important in the military that he finds to be valuable as a Keeley’n. The Air Force values are integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all they do, and Pete has found that these core value align perfectly with being a Keeley’n. Pete’s favorite part of being a Keeley’n is being part of an organization that is growing and constantly looking towards the future. There is always opportunity for growth, so if he could give one piece of advice to those just starting out, it would be:
“Be someone that others can depend on and when you say you’re going to do something, do it. Work hard, always give your best effort, and listen. Everyone has different professional experiences and skills and we can truly all learn and grow from each other.”
Keeley Construction lives by our core values every single day and the value Pete resonates the most with is Empowerment. Empowering people to thrive will lead to increases skill sets, self-confidence, and ability to perform tasks at high levels. Pete has seen firsthand how Keeley provides countless opportunities to learn and sharpen skills, empowering him to be the best version of himself. As an active member of the Air Force, Keeley has empowered Pete to work hard at his job and serve his country without having to worry. Pete believes he has found his career destination at Keeley and he wants other Veterans to know that it is a great, adaptable, and flexible place to work.
“Keeley has proven to be an organization that supports Veterans and people actively serving, such as myself. Skills and experiences gained in various careers in the military can be utilized in every position at Keeley. As a Veteran working at Keeley, you’ll know that you are valued, supported, and encouraged to be your best. I cannot stress enough how grateful I am for the support I received from everyone at Keeley over this past summer while I was deployed in the Middle East. The undoubtedly difficult situation being away from my wife, daughter, and career at Keeley became much more manageable when I experienced firsthand how every Keeley’n is treated like family.”
Pete, thank you for your service to our country and thank you for truly exemplifying what it means to be a Keeley’n. We are grateful for all that you do and feel incredibly lucky to have your positivity, skills, and experiences on our team. Your future is bright!
