Associate Spotlight: Chris Lamon – Living the Good Life On and Off the Job Site

Building things, it seems, is in Chris Lamon’s blood. His dad was a woodworker who taught Chris his craft. His mom would explore wood framed houses under construction in his neighborhood with Chris in tow. Today, Chris is himself a woodworker and is pursuing his dream career at Opus, where he’s currently Senior Project Manager of Construction.

In 2008, in the throes of the Great Financial Crisis, Chris graduated from Northern Arizona University with a degree in Construction Management. The construction industry was crippled at the time, but Chris didn’t let that stop him from seeking and finding positions that provided relevant industry and management experience. He’s now been part of our team since 2015, working in our Phoenix office.

Right Place, Right Time

Chris came on board soon after we reentered the Phoenix market. This timing gave Chris the unique opportunity to learn by doing and help build and reinforce our brand image in Phoenix and beyond. His first project, and the team’s, was Opus Airport Industrial, a 393,300-square-foot spec warehouse and distribution center on a 32-acre infill site near the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. At the time, the building was the largest industrial space in the area by more than 100,000 square feet.

“As our first project since reentering the market, this was a really important project for Opus, and for me, too, as a new employee in a role I’d never done before,” said Chris. “I was on the job site every day watching, listening and observing,” said Chris. “I learned about the process, different roles, how to write scopes of work and how to problem solve, and I started to build relationships with our field team and subs.”

Demonstrative of the magnitude of the project and his commitment to it, Chris even slept on a cot in the job trailer. “The concrete had to be poured at night and being that we only had one super at that point who needed to run the project during the day, I felt it was important to be there in case there were any major issues. I’d wake up in the morning and go back to my job as a field associate project manager.”

Opus Airport Industrial was just the beginning of what has become a stand-out industrial construction management career for Chris. As that job wrapped up, he transitioned to our 540,000-square-foot speculative industrial project in the Goodyear Crossing Industrial Park, where he also had the opportunity to work on tenant improvements. More recently, he was the project manager on Deer Valley 30, a three-building industrial development near the new Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company chip fabrication plant.

A Good Guy

To-date, Chris has managed the construction of seven industrial buildings in Arizona totaling two million square feet plus another half million square feet of tenant improvements. When asked what he thought made him successful in his work, he said it’s his desire to do the right thing.

Case in point, Chris recently found $40 near a bank ATM. He picked up the money, walked it into the bank and suggested they try to find the rightful owner.

In addition, Chris recently joined the New Pathways for Youth Board of Directors. New Pathways for Youth is a Phoenix-based nonprofit that empowers young people to reach their full potential. He also serves on the organization’s finance committee.

Chris also credits his success to his willingness to go the extra mile. In fact, he was recognized with our Above & Beyond Award in 2024 for doing just that when a client reached out at 6 o’clock on a Sunday morning after breaking their key in the door to their new facility. Chris drove to the building himself to take care of the situation.

Of Chris, Larry Pobuda, Executive Vice President and General Manager, said, “There’s no question that Chris is a good guy who puts others first, and he’s well respected by associates and clients. But I’d be remiss in not mentioning that he’s also the office prankster.”

Larry chuckled as he shared his first-hand experience with Chris’ mischievous ways.
“I’m not sure any of us will soon forget the meowing ornament Chris hung on my Christmas tree a few years ago during an office holiday party at my home. After all of our guests had left, my wife and I began hearing a distressed ‘cat’ somewhere in the house. After searching high and low – and late into the evening – we were convinced a cat or bobcat had made its way into our home during the party and was trapped in a vent above our ceiling. The fire department was summoned, and after 15 minutes of searching, they discovered the ‘cat’ before taking down our ceiling. Given this all occurred after everyone left our house, I didn’t know for sure who was responsible, but my number one suspect was Chris! He confirmed as much at the office the following Monday morning!”

Discs and a Drill Press

Whether he’s working, volunteering, playing or playing pranks, everything Chris does, he does with enthusiasm and zeal. In his spare time, he can be found on the nearest disc golf course pursuing a passion he’s had for more than 20 years, or at his extended family’s cabin in Massachusetts, where he recently had the opportunity to play on the number one disc golf course in the U.S. – and shoot below the course average.

He also enjoys spending time with his wife Sheena, daughters Allie and Ilana and their dog Coco at their cabin in Flagstaff, which is located in an idyllic modern resort-style community surrounded by pine trees, hiking trails, and stargazing skies, providing a perfect blend of adventure and relaxation.

During the rare occasion when he sits still, Chris ponders his retirement.

“Working in construction for Opus is hands-down the best career I can imagine,” said Chris, adding, “but in retirement, I hope to open a woodworking shop that’s available to the public where people who live in apartments or who can’t afford or don’t have the space to store the large equipment can come and work on DIY projects.”

With his unwavering work ethic and the passion he puts into every pursuit, Chris is not only building spaces, but he’s building a legacy rooted in integrity, craftsmanship and community and reminding all of us that life should be lived to the fullest.

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Our associates are talented, dedicated and knowledgeable. They streamline complex projects and always deliver value to clients. Read more profiles of our team.