NEA C-Suite: Scott McDaniel

How would you describe your company? Ramsons Inc. is a general contractor and construction manager serving the industrial, commercial, institutional and educational sectors of Northeast Arkansas since its founding in 1971.

What is the best business advice someone has ever given you? My dad gave me the best advice for not just business, but also life, “never, ever, ever, ever quit.”

If you had $1 million to give, what would you support? The arts. We recently launched the Ramsons Arts Partnership, which is a fund used to support things like school music programs, visual art programs, performing arts, etc. We kicked off our Arts Partnership with a donation to Williams Baptist University, which will help complete their theater expansion. I personally believe in the power of the arts. We build buildings. The arts build people. So, if I had an extra million lying around, I’m donating it into something that is going to build people. I’m donating to the arts.

Do you think Artificial Intelligence (AI) can take jobs in your industry? AI is going to disrupt everything in every industry. In our industry we have the field (the actual construction of projects) and the office (where those projects are estimated and managed). Regarding the field: Robotics needs to come a long way before you’ll start seeing craftspeople replaced. And given the specialized and customized nature of the crafts in general, I think you’ll likely see robotic support for a long while before you see robotic replacement. Regarding the office: AI will be used to help develop estimates. I don’t know if it will ever fully replace estimators, but it will be used to aid in developing more robust and data driven estimates.

Which skills do you think are most important when it comes to leadership? Soft skills like empathy and creativity punch way above their weight class.

If you could change one thing about your leadership style, what would it be and why? If I could wave a magic wand, I would upload the experiences of my grandfather and father. I would then let those experiences lead me to find the change in style I need. I try my best to be a sponge and learn and adapt to every win and loss I take.

If you could trade places with anyone for a day, who would it be and why? I’d like to be John Danaher for a day. Odd choice? Perhaps. The man is the best Brazilian jiu-jitsu coach on earth and is highly philosophical in his approach to both the sport/art and to life in general. It would be something to walk around in his shoes for a day.

What is the most used app on your phone? Hate to admit this, but probably Facebook/Instagram.

What are your thoughts on working from home? It isn’t for everyone, but some people thrive, and companies should be flexible in creating work from home opportunities.

How significant to you is developing a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) culture within your organization? At Ramsons we want to hire the best people and create an environment for those people to grow and thrive. It would be foolish to exclude an entire group of people just because they are a certain race, sex, etc. So, I would say that we place a high value on creating an inclusive culture.

What’s your favorite movie or television show? Movie: “Blues Brothers.” It shows you how to keep cool under massive pressure and get the mission done. TV Show: “Breaking Bad” was a perfect show. The first few seasons of “Game of Thrones” too. It fell off once the series outran the books.