Meet the Team
The people supporting our clients, projects, employees, and continued growth
Meet the Leadership Team
The leaders guiding KDC's strategy, growth, operations, and culture.
Senior Director of People & Culture
Najla DeBow
Najla DeBow brings more than 30 years of experience in human resources leadership across a variety of roles. She also holds a master’s degree in Learning Management, with a focus on developing people and strengthening organizational capability.
Since joining KDC in 2021, Najla has focused on strengthening connection, communication, and alignment across teams. She has led workshops for office, field, and leadership groups and helped launch employee committees designed to elevate feedback and improve cross-functional communication.
As KDC continues to grow, Najla remains focused on building a culture where people feel connected, supported, and heard across every part of the organization.
Najla brings a leadership style rooted in that belief. She is a connector by nature-approachable, engaged, and deeply committed to turning employee feedback into meaningful action.
Outside of work, Najla is a lifelong fan of both Star Wars and Star Trek. She enjoys ballroom dancing, traveling in her RV, and has visited all 50 U.S. states. She also spent time living in Italy, an experience that continues to influence her love of travel and culture.
HR Director
Christi Braun
Christi Braun is Human Resources Director at KDC Construction, bringing nearly four decades of human resources experience supporting fast-growing organizations and evolving teams. Since joining KDC in 2013, Christi has played an important role in helping shape the company’s people-first culture while supporting employees and leaders across the organization.
Her experience spans human resources strategy, employee relations, benefits and compensation, regulatory compliance, HR startup initiatives, and merger and acquisition support.
Christi brings a strong human element to the workplace and believes the best organizations are built through trust, consistency, and genuine care for people. She works closely with leadership teams to align HR initiatives with company goals while helping employees feel supported throughout every stage of their career.
Her long-standing commitment to KDC and its people has made her a trusted resource and steady presence as the company has continued to grow and evolve over the years.
Outside of work, Christi enjoys traveling, spending time with friends and family, and relaxing in her backyard watching hummingbirds.
Senior Recruiter
Melissa Zell
Melissa Zell is Senior Recruiter at KDC Construction, bringing more than 20 years of talent acquisition experience supporting high-growth organizations and building strong teams across multiple markets.
Melissa leads recruiting efforts across frontline, skilled trades, operations, and field leadership roles, partnering closely with hiring managers and operational leaders to help attract people who align with KDC’s culture, values, and long-term vision. She is known for her people-first approach, energetic personality, and ability to create a welcoming and positive experience for candidates throughout the hiring process.
With a hands-on and relationship-driven mindset, Melissa combines strategic recruiting expertise with a genuine passion for connecting people to opportunities where they can grow and succeed. Her approach is grounded in responsiveness, collaboration, and continuous improvement, helping support both candidate experience and overall recruiting performance as KDC continues to expand.
For many prospective employees, Melissa is one of the first people they meet at KDC — and she takes pride in helping candidates feel informed, valued, and excited about the opportunity to join the team.
Outside of work, Melissa enjoys traveling and exploring new countries, attending country concerts, and spending time with her friends, family, and grandchildren.
Director of Southern California Construction
Tom Wachter
Tom Wachter brings more than 25 years of experience in ground-up commercial and mixed-use development. Throughout his career, he has partnered with leading brands to deliver large-scale construction programs with a focus on efficiency, precision, and long-term growth.
Tom has built and led high-performing teams across California, overseeing major project portfolios and managing more than 100 projects annually across an 800-location program. His experience includes operational leadership, strategic growth planning, department restructuring, and driving strong project performance through disciplined financial and operational management.
Having started his career in the field as a carpenter and job foreman, Tom brings a hands-on understanding of construction and a practical leadership style grounded in real-world experience. His
ability to balance field execution, team development, and client expectations plays an important role in supporting KDC’s continued growth across Southern California.
Outside of work, Tom enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, hiking, camping, and working on projects around the house.
Director of Arizona Construction
Pat Lindahl
Pat Lindahl brings more than three decades of construction and leadership experience across the West, having served in roles including Vice President, Director of Business Development, and Project Executive. Throughout his career, he has led preconstruction teams, guided business development initiatives across multiple offices, and supported projects through every stage, earning a reputation for integrity, clear communication, and consistent client service. Since joining KDC, Pat has strengthened key relationships, elevated our sales processes, and played an integral role in supporting both our Southern California and Arizona operations. His ability to combine strategic thinking with operational expertise has had an immediate impact on our teams and clients. Pat oversees all construction operations in Arizona, with a focus on project delivery excellence, team development, and continued market growth. His industry knowledge and forward-looking approach are essential in advancing KDC’s presence in this expanding region.
Outside of work, Pat enjoys golfing and spending time with his children and grandchildren.
Director of Texas Construction
Clark Miller
Clark Miller leads regional construction operations and supports the continued growth of the company’s presence throughout Texas. He brings a diverse background in construction leadership, program management, and team development, with experience overseeing large-scale commercial and public-sector projects.
Clark’s path into construction was anything but traditional. What began as helping with office tasks while working in corporate fitness eventually evolved into a career in construction management that he quickly grew passionate about. Over the years, he advanced from Assistant Project Manager to leading a $150 million bond program for his hometown school district, an experience that helped shape his practical leadership style and long-term approach to building teams and operations.
Clark is focused on creating strong partnerships, supporting project teams, and continuing to grow KDC’s reputation throughout the Texas market. He believes successful projects are built through trust, accountability, and a willingness to stay engaged at every level of the process.
Outside of work, Clark enjoys cheering on his kids at their activities, hunting, volunteering in his community, and taking spontaneous trips with his wife to Nashville or Las Vegas.
Director of Business Development
Dion Trieb
Dion Trieb is Director of Business Development at KDC Construction, where he works across the company’s General Contracting, Service & Maintenance, and Special Projects divisions to strengthen partnerships, support strategic growth, and help clients scale with confidence and consistency.
Dion brings more than 20 years of experience leading growth strategies within the workforce and industrial solutions industries. Prior to his business career, he served in the United States Marine Corps, where he developed the discipline, resilience, and leadership approach that continue to shape how he builds teams and relationships today.
Known for his hands-on, people-first leadership style, Dion believes strong business partnerships are built through trust, responsiveness, and consistency over time. He is deeply focused on understanding client needs, supporting operational alignment, and helping create long-term solutions that drive value beyond a single project.
His leadership philosophy closely reflects KDC’s core values: clarity over complexity, courage over comfort, and relationships over transactions. Whether walking a jobsite with a superintendent or collaborating with a client on future growth plans, Dion believes the best outcomes come from showing up, listening well, and leading from the ground up.
Outside of work, Dion enjoys surfing, tackling home improvement projects, and staying active, but most importantly values time spent as a proud father and stepfather.
Business Development Manager
Liz Johnson
Liz Johnson partners with multi-site brands to support their growth across new construction, renovations, rollouts, and ongoing facility maintenance programs.
With a relationship-first approach, Liz works closely with clients to understand their goals and help create construction solutions that are scalable, consistent, and aligned with their long-term business objectives. She understands that for growing brands, success isn't just about opening one location—it's about creating a repeatable process that delivers quality results across every market.
Liz collaborates across Construction, Special Projects, and Service & Maintenance teams to ensure clients have a trusted partner throughout the entire lifecycle of their facilities. She is known for her
responsiveness, clear communication, and commitment to staying engaged from the earliest planning conversations through project completion and beyond.
Working across retail, grocery, convenience, fitness, banking, and industrial sectors, Liz helps clients navigate growth with confidence by focusing on what matters most: strong relationships, reliable execution, and a team that follows through on its commitments.
At her core, Liz believes construction is a relationship business. She is passionate about building lasting partnerships and helping clients succeed long after a project is complete.
Outside of work, Liz is an aspiring ballroom dancer, a dedicated dog rescue advocate, and enjoys spending time with family and friends.
Director of Accounting
Arlene Corro
Arlene Corro is Director of Accounting at KDC Construction, bringing more than 20 years of experience in the construction industry and a strong background in financial operations, project accounting, and team leadership.
Arlene began her career as a bookkeeper and steadily advanced into senior financial leadership roles, including National Controller positions supporting multi-location construction operations across the United States. Throughout her career, she has built a reputation for developing strong teams, improving operational processes, and creating financial systems that support both accountability and long-term growth.
At KDC, Arlene provides leadership and oversight across centralized billing, accounts payable, accounts receivable, and credit operations supporting multiple business divisions. She leads and mentors a team of approximately 30 professionals while working closely with construction and operations leaders to align financial processes with project execution, revenue goals, and operational performance.
Arlene earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from University of California, Santa Barbara and also holds Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and PMP certifications.
Outside of work, Arlene enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and children, including camping, fishing, and staying active. She is also a fan of the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Dodgers.
President
Ken Cirks
Ken and Kathy Cirks founded KDC Construction in 1996 with a pickup truck, $10,000, and a dog named Hope.
When KDC first started, it was just Ken in the field, taking on whatever work he could find, from building fences for homeowners to small handyman projects for people in their network. What began as a handful of relationships and a willingness to say yes slowly grew into a company built on trust, word-of-mouth, and steady hard work.
30 years later, KDC has grown far beyond those early days, but Ken’s focus remains rooted in the same foundation: people and relationships. While he is no longer in the field day-to-day, what brings him the most fulfillment is watching employees build their lives – building homes, growing families, and achieving professional milestones alongside the company.
Under his leadership, KDC has remained grounded in its original values: stay consistent, take care of people, and build work that lasts.
Outside of work, Ken enjoys sportfishing and has traveled to some of the most renowned fisheries in the world. One of his most memorable pursuits has been targeting the elusive 1,000-pound bluefin tuna that migrate along the eastern coast of North America, moving from equatorial waters to feed in the cold Atlantic off Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia
Corporate Secretary (Principal)
Kathy Cirks
In the early years of KDC, Kathy supported the business in every way possible while also investing in her own development-attending trade school full-time to study accounting during the day while working nights to help keep the company moving forward. Her behind-the-scenes contributions played a key role in establishing the operational and financial foundation KDC continues to build on today.
Kathy’s work has always been centered on stability, organization, and ensuring the company runs with care and integrity.
Outside of work, Kathy enjoys spending time with her husband and sons, reading, and being part of the community she helped build from the very beginning
Senior Vice President of Construction
Ryan Ferris
Since joining KDC in 2005 as an electrician, Ryan Ferris has grown through nearly every level of the construction side of the business, serving as Project Manager, Construction Manager, and Vice President of Northern California Construction before stepping into his current leadership role. Over that time, he has played a key role in expanding KDC’s Northern California operations from a small team into a region supporting nearly 150 families today.
When asked what has kept him at KDC for nearly two decades, Ryan points to the people, the complexity of the work, and the opportunity to grow alongside the company’s leadership and teams. Looking ahead, he is focused on strengthening alignment between Construction and Service & Maintenance across all regions to support continued growth and operational consistency.
Outside of work, Ryan is driven by his family and his goal of creating meaningful opportunities for his children.
Vice President Enterprise Operations & Growth
Dave Heric
Dave Heric is Vice President of Enterprise Operations & Growth at KDC Construction, where he works across all divisions to align strategy, strengthen partnerships, and support the company’s continued growth and evolution.
With more than 25 years of leadership experience spanning sales, marketing, operations, and executive management, Dave brings a well-rounded perspective shaped by both Fortune 500 organizations and privately held businesses. Throughout his career, he has successfully scaled operations, led transformational initiatives, and built high-performing teams by focusing on operational excellence, strategic partnerships, and sustainable growth.
At KDC, Dave plays a key role in connecting teams, improving processes, and helping position the company for long-term success across multiple markets and service lines. He is known for his ability to balance long-term vision with practical execution, helping teams stay aligned while continuing to move the business forward.
Outside of work, Dave enjoys golfing, making craft barbecue, building projects by hand, and spending time with friends and family.
VP of Finance
Greg Muller
Greg Muller oversees financial planning at KDC and analysis and helps support the company’s continued growth across all regions and service lines.
With more than 20 years of accounting and finance experience, including the last decade in the construction industry, Greg brings a strong operational mindset and deep understanding of the financial discipline required to successfully scale a construction business. His leadership helps ensure KDC continues to grow strategically while maintaining stability, responsiveness, and long-term mindset clients and employees depend on.
Before joining KDC, Greg began his career at Ernst & Young, where he earned his CPA license and built the technical foundation that continues to shape his practical, solutions-oriented approach today. A graduate of Rutgers University, Greg is known for his thoughtful leadership style, collaborative approach, and ability to support teams through both growth and change.
Outside of work, Greg enjoys spending time with his family and can often be found rink-side cheering on his 8-year-old son, who proudly considers himself the number one fan of the Los Angeles Kings.
VP of Corporate Services
Trent Jeppson
Trent Jeppson is Vice President of Corporate Services at KDC Construction, where he helps support the operational systems, processes, and internal infrastructure that keep the company running efficiently across all regions and divisions.
With more than 26 years of experience in construction management, Trent brings a strong understanding of both field operations and the day-to-day coordination required to support a growing construction organization. Since joining KDC in 2017, he has played an important role in strengthening internal operations and supporting teams across the company as KDC continues to expand.
Trent studied Construction Management at Brigham Young University and recently earned his MBA, further strengthening his leadership and operational expertise. He is known for his dependable, team-oriented approach and his ability to support both people and processes with consistency and professionalism.
Outside of work, Trent enjoys spending time with his family and values the relationships and experiences that come with it.
Vice President of Northern California Construction
Garrett Smith
Garrett Smith joined KDC in 2022 as Director of Construction, bringing more than 35 years of industry experience spanning ground-up construction, major remodels, and large-scale commercial project delivery. Prior to joining KDC, he spent over a decade leading complex construction programs and
served 13 years as a Vice President for a general contractor, building a reputation for operational leadership, client trust, and consistent execution.
Since joining KDC, Garrett has played a key role in the continued growth of the company’s Northern California operations, helping expand both the volume and quality of work across the QSR and developer markets. His leadership has been instrumental in strengthening relationships, developing teams, and reinforcing KDC’s reputation as a responsive, solutions-oriented construction partner.
Garrett is known for his collaborative leadership style and practical, field-driven perspective. He credits the people at KDC for creating an environment built on teamwork, accountability, and shared success.
As Vice President of Northern California Construction, Garrett remains focused on building strong teams, delivering quality work, and continuing KDC’s growth as a trusted and competitive contractor throughout the region.
Outside of work, Garrett enjoys spending time with his family, including his adult children and granddaughter, working on projects around his vintage 1908 home, and cheering on the Minnesota Vikings, while still holding out hope for that first Super Bowl win.
VP of Service & Maintenance
Pablo Ruiz
Pablo Ruiz is Vice President of Service & Maintenance at KDC, where he leads the continued growth and expansion of the company’s service operations. Since stepping into leadership, Pablo has helped expand KDC’s Service & Maintenance customer base, launch the company’s Plumbing Services division, and introduce Service & Maintenance operations into the Texas market.
Pablo leads with a people-first approach rooted in integrity, accountability, and empathy. He is known for building strong relationships with both clients and teams through proactive communication, reliable execution, and a consistent focus on long-term partnerships. Internally, he is passionate about developing his team and creating an environment centered on growth, trust, and continuous improvement.
With a strong understanding of the evolving service landscape, Pablo is focused on leveraging KDC’s scale, experience, and operational capabilities to continue delivering value-driven solutions for clients across multiple markets.
Outside of work, Pablo is a longtime fan of the LA Galaxy and LA Dodgers and enjoys reading about history and politics.