Team Nelson Logo




(360) 668-3800

Team Nelson Logo

(360) 668-3800


ABOUT TEAM NELSON MANAGEMENT

The leadership at Team Nelson Earthwork & Utilties has an unprecedented combined experience level. Our individual team members posses great skill, technical know-how, customer service and management ability, and a comprehensive knowledge of the industry to support the needs of any project that comes our way.

LEADERSHIP
Don Nelson

DON NELSON, President

"If we consistently keep our customers happy by exceeding their expectations from the first phone call through completion of the project, they will continue to call back.”

What began as a one-man operation over 18 years ago, has grown to be a company of over 130 educated and talented employees with over 300 pieces of top of the line machinery and a stellar reputation that keeps our clients coming back.

Company President Don Nelson began cultivating his construction know-how at the early age of 16. After 14 years spent working nearly every aspect of site work and utilities for a large construction outfit in Alaska, Don settled down, started a family, and decided to go back to school.

In 1994, Don graduated summa cum laude from Seattle University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting. He spent two years working in public accounting before combining his skillsets and founding Nelson & Sons Construction Co. in May of 1996.

The combination of field experience and formal business education proved to be one his greatest assets as he built Nelson & Sons Construction into the successful company it is today.

In 2013, Don updated the company name to Team Nelson Earthwork & Utilities to acknowledge the efforts and accomplishments of the employees that now make up Team Nelson. Don and his talented team take great pride in the work they do and in the relationships they create, and as a team will continue to provide their partners with a service that is unmatched in this industry.


Mike Gilbert

MIKE GILBERT, Operations Manager

“If we align our goals with that of our client’s expectations, we will succeed together.”

Mike moved to Washington in 1999 and began working as a laborer on a utility crew at a large earthwork and utility company. In the summer of 2002, Mike began his employment with Team Nelson – then operating under the company name Nelson & Sons Construction. He steadily developed a wide skillset and accepted multiple promotions as he rose through the company ranks, proving his leadership skills in positions as Foreman, Project Manager, and General Superintendent.

In 2009, Mike was named the Operations Manager for Team Nelson Earthwork & Utilities. His duties include overseeing the day-to-day operations of the company, ensuring that the team communicates well and works together to achieve the goals of the company.


Eric Rathbone

ERIC RATHBONE, Chief Estimator

Eric has been a key member of the Team Nelson organization since the spring of 2000, responsible for estimating the earthwork and utilities for the company’s commercial projects, mixed use sites, plat development and multi-family projects.

Along with providing bid proposals, Eric also oversees the Estimating Department and its employees. Providing timely proposals is the main focus at Team Nelson but the Estimating Department is also capable of offering its services to help the client with preliminary budgeting to determine the viability of a site.

Eric is a native of Western Washington and upon graduating from high school joined the Marine Corps where he received an Honorable Discharge. Eric started in this industry as an operator in 1976 and worked through various positions until settling on the estimating division.

Eric’s higher education studies include education at Bellevue Community and South Seattle Community College.


Tracy Gregg

TRACY GREGG, Estimator/Project Manager

“By partnering with our clients and understanding their needs, Team Nelson Earthwork & Utilities can provide highly competitive and comprehensive project proposals. Thus creating long lasting Owner/Contractor relationships.”

Tracy has been working in the construction industry for nearly 20 years and brings a wide variety of skills to Team Nelson. Having served in the US Navy from 1989 – 1992, Tracy graduated with an Associates of Sciences Degree from Wenatchee Valley Community College in 1993 and received a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Construction Management from Central Washington University in 1996.

Upon graduation, Tracy started his career working in Wenatchee, WA for a heavy civil contractor. After two and half years in the Eastern Washington construction market, Tracy decided to expand his career and moved to the Greater Seattle area where he worked for a premier residential site development contractor. During his years in the Puget Sound construction market, Tracy has worked on numerous residential and commercial projects and has maintained excellent relationships with both customers and vendors.

Hired as a Project Manager, Tracy was a key member of the management staff for Team Nelson’s commercial projects through 2012. In January of 2013, Team Nelson needed to expand the estimating department in order to meet customer needs and Tracy was selected for the job, easily transitioning into the estimating department. As needs arise, Tracy will occasionally manage commercial projects to help out the Operations team.


Chris Pierce

CHRIS PIERCE, Project Engineer

“Great teamwork is the only way we create the breakthroughs that define our careers.” -Pat Riley

Chris brings a variety of industry experience to Team Nelson Earthwork & Utilities. After returning to Washington State in 1993, he began work as a laborer for an underground utilities contractor. Quickly rising through the ranks as a top man, tail man, and pipe layer with past hands-on utilities field work and experience with a Los Angeles-based oil company, Chris was promoted to a purchase position.

In 2005, he came to work with Team Nelson Earthwork & Utilities as a project manager. Taking leave to focus on home building and land development projects for two years, Chris returned to Team Nelson in 2008.


Chad Christensen

CHAD CHRISTENSEN, Project Manager

Raised in the Pacific Northwest, Chad began his construction experience as a laborer for a heavy civil contractor. Shortly after, he decided to further his education and enrolled at Arizona State University. While attending college, he interned with a multifamily builder & developer named Wood Partners.

In 2009, upon receiving his Bachelors of Science degree in Construction Management, he was offered a Project Engineer position with a Mechanical Contractor in the Seattle area. He quickly excelled into a Project Manager position and began estimating as well. In 2012, he accepted a Project Manager position with a Heavy Civil contractor in Bellingham where he managed projects across the State of Washington. These projects included roads, bridges, utilities, railroad track extensions, fish acclimation facilities, commercial buildings, and concrete structures.

Chad was welcomed to Team Nelson in the spring of 2015 as Project Manager. His well-diversified background makes him an asset to our management staff.


Duane Oswald

DUANE OSWALD, Commercial Operations Manager

Duane was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. He began his career in the earthwork industry in 1985, working for 12 years as a laborer for a large contractor.

With the knowledge he gained through this employment, Duane accepted a new position with a large earthwork and utilities company. His skill and expertise allowed him to rise through the ranks, when he ultimately accepted a Utility Superintendent position overseeing five utility crews for the next nine years.

From there, Duane took on a variety of leadership roles, including General Superintendent, Estimator, and Project Manager, for various companies, and ultimately was named General Superintendent of Team Nelson in 2010.

Duane strives to keep a great rapport with jurisdictions, customers, and employees in his work with Team Nelson.


Dillon Nelson

DILLON NELSON, Project Manager

During school summer breaks at the early age of 16, Dillon began work at Team Nelson as a laborer and later as an operator. He went on to earn his Associate of Science Degree from Bellevue College, ultimately transferring to Central Washington University to pursue his Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Management. During this time, he completed an internship with Granite Construction in Pasco, WA, and went on to graduate from CWU in 2011.

After college, Dillon began work with Kiewit Bridge & Marine as an engineer in the district office and soon made the leap to Annapolis, MD to take a field engineer position for concrete repairs, steel erection, and maintenance of traffic for Chesapeake Bay Bridge.

In 2013, Dillon happily moved back to Washington State to take a position with Team Nelson as a Project Manager in the residential division.


Jason Fagan

JASON FAGAN, Dispatcher

Jason was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. Prior to becoming Team Nelson’s dispatcher, Jason had a multitude of different jobs. He has been a beverage distributor, built panels for Boeing, and worked at a golf course mowing lawns and building tee boxes. He also dipped into construction doing drywall, framing, and pouring concrete foundations.

Looking for something new, Jason heard about a great company, known then as Nelson and Sons Construction, from two long-time employees. Jason started at Nelson and Sons in December of 2001 as a general laborer. In addition to being a laborer, he also drove the delivery truck off and on for two years.

Jason was asked to cover dispatch for two weeks in December of 2003 while the dispatcher went on vacation. The rest, as they say, is Team Nelson history…


Bob Windrick

BOB WINDRICK, Safety Director and Materials Manager

Bob has been working in construction since he was in high school. Born and raised in Northern California, Bob began his professional career as a laborer, before graduating and joining the U.S. Navy. Here he worked as a heavy equipment operator in the Sea Bees (Naval Construction Battalion), and also spent time working the flight deck of the aircraft carrier, the USS Carl Vinson. After leaving the Navy, Bob found his way to Western Washington where he has now lived for the past 25 years, and after various construction positions, ultimately chose to rejoin a good friend here at Team Nelson.

Praised for his superior work as a field superintendent for over 13 years at Team Nelson, Bob was promoted to Safety Director and Materials Manager in 2014.


MIKE REID, Project Manager

Mike was born and raised in the Seattle area. At a very early age, Mike sought a career in construction, after he found his passion for building and creating. After graduating high school, he joined the US Navy in 2001. While enlisted as a Navy Seabee, he developed skills and became a heavy equipment operator. Mike has gained over 15 years of civil construction experience working out in the field as an equipment operator. He has worked on a wide range of projects including: military runway and base construction, public works operations, land development, commercial and municipal construction, heavy civil construction, railroad construction, salmon stream rehabilitation and hatchery construction.

During periods where construction work was hard to find he challenged himself in business and marketing. He learned how to build websites and compose marketing materials eventually landing marketing contracts with two Seattle area businesses. Mike later went on to start his own business with a product he invented. He now holds two issued utility patents for his product.

Construction being his true calling, Mike returned to work as an equipment operator where he grew his career to become a project manager. He views the completion of projects as an achievement and enjoys the challenges each project poses. Mike joined Team Nelson in January of 2018. His diverse project background and intimate knowledge of the work in the field gives him an edge that drives projects to completion.

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