Grow With Weitz: Intern Turned General Manager, Ben Bunge Charts A Path For A Growing Aviation Construction Team
The Weitz Company’s aviation division is soaring to new heights, and with Ben Bunge at the helm the group has seen transformative success. Working in collaboration with our offices nationwide, our aviation division brings new and innovative solutions and services to airport partners across the country. Our aviation team is delivering the quality Weitz is known for, while simultaneously pushing the envelope in project delivery and cross collaboration on every project.
While Weitz’s aviation division wasn’t established when Ben started with the company nearly two decades ago, it’s evident he’s been preparing for a role like this his entire career.
‘Ben started with The Weitz Company as an intern, working while he earned his Construction Engineering degree at Iowa State University. He started full-time in January 2006 as a project engineer. After multiple operations roles over two decades, Ben was named General Manager of Weitz’s rapidly growing aviation division last fall.
Ben’s résumé illustrates how he is never satisfied with the status quo; rather, Ben is always looking for ways to drive efficiencies and promote quality on his projects, even if that means taking a chance and trying something new.
Shane Bauer, Chief Operation Officer, The Weitz Company
With every chance Ben has taken in his career, his family has been beside him. While large airport construction projects give employees the opportunity to leave their mark, they often require travel for employees and sometimes, their families.
When my wife and I left Iowa for the Kansas City International Airport New Terminal job, she was sad to leave our home, friends, and the life we’d built behind. Flash forward, 5 years later, we were heading back to Des Moines for the Des Moines International Airport job and she is sad all over again to leave our Kansas City life. Traveling every few years for an aviation construction job is never easy, especially with a family, but the people you meet, the community you cultivate, and the projects you build make the experience truly rewarding.
Ben Bunge, General Manager – Aviation, The Weitz Company
Ben has worked on seven projects during his nearly two decades with the company. Among the most notable are the Des Moines Downtown Hilton Hotel and the $1.5B Kansas City International (KCI) Airport. His exceptional leadership on the 1.1 million square feet single terminal at KCI helped to significantly impact the company’s aviation construction portfolio, providing the needed experience and momentum to support the launch a dedicated aviation division.
The success of The Weitz Company’s aviation team doesn’t stop there. The group is currently underway with exciting projects at the Greater Orlando Airport, Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, and the Des Moines International Airport. With the many airport construction projects on the horizon, Ben and the aviation division are showcasing how taking advantage of growth opportunities at Weitz can transform your own career and the company!
The Grow with Weitz campaign spotlights talented employees that have grown professionally in ways they wouldn’t have imagined while at The Weitz Company. These profiles illustrate our team’s commitment to growing from within and investing in our people at every stage. Interested in Growing with Weitz? Learn more at: https://www.weitz.com/careers/.
