Hensel Phelps Names Brad Jeanneret CEO

The Daily Dig:

Hensel Phelps has named Brad Jeanneret as its next President and Chief Executive Officer, marking a leadership transition at one of the largest employee-owned general contractors in the U.S. Jeanneret succeeds Mike Choutka, who will step into an executive chair role after leading the firm through a period of sustained growth across aviation, healthcare, mission critical, and federal markets.

According to company disclosures, the transition is structured to maintain continuity in operations and client relationships, with Jeanneret taking the helm after serving in senior leadership roles overseeing major projects and regional operations. The change comes as Hensel Phelps continues to work through a heavy backlog of complex, large scale work nationwide.

Leadership Snapshot:

• Company: Hensel Phelps

• Action: CEO appointment / leadership transition

• Timeline: 1st January 2026 appointment

• Key Players: Brad Jeanneret; Mike Choutka

TheJobWalk Thoughts:

This is a steady hand move, not a reset. Hensel Phelps is signaling continuity at a time when owners are prioritizing execution certainty over experimentation. For clients and partners, the message is simple: the firm’s approach to self-perform work, safety culture, and complex project delivery isn’t changing. For the broader market, it’s another reminder that leadership depth matters just as much as backlog. In a tightening labor and margin environment, firms with planned transitions tend to outperform the ones scrambling mid-cycle.