Jason Schneider
Executive vice president of construction
VJS Construction Services
Age: 44
Hometown: Brandon, Wisconsin
Education: Bachelor’s in construction management from Milwaukee School of Engineering
Previous position: Vice president of construction
What does your role entail?
“I oversee all aspects of construction operations – both in the field and in the office – as well as contribute to business development. One of the most rewarding parts of my role is helping clients navigate a project from the earliest concept and budgeting stages through breaking ground. Guiding them through the preconstruction process, aligning their vision with budget realities, and building a roadmap for success is something I take great pride in.”
What’s kept you at VJS?
“Culture and leadership. I started my career here in 2002 as an intern, and even back then, I was fortunate to experience the servant and empathetic leadership of Tom Schueler and Gary Jorgensen. They created a family-like culture that still defines who we are today – and it’s carried forward through our current leadership team.”
Favorite and/or most challenging projects you’ve worked on:
“One of the most memorable and formative projects in my career was Saint John’s on the Lake South Tower. It was the first project I had the opportunity to lead, and it came with a lot of challenges – it was built during the recession and was VJS’s first high-rise building. At the time, I was young and eager to prove I was ready to take on something of that scale. Fortunately, I had a team that was just as driven. We were all hungry to succeed, and what made it special was the strong relationships we built with each other and our project partners. We had lunch together every day – simple moments like that built trust and camaraderie that carried us through the tougher days.”