Board of Directors
Peter Brown
Chair
Tom Keckeis
Melissa Lesmes
Bill McDermott
Greg Harris
Mike Heitmann
Scott Parrish
Peter Brown
Attorney Peter Brown joined Garney’s Board of Directors as an outside member in the 1990s and has served on the board ever since. He became Chair of the Board in 2018. Peter is a partner at Lathrop & Gage in Kansas City. His primary areas of responsibility include business, estate and tax planning for closely held corporations, individuals with large estates, and real estate investors. He also assists clients in the management of their real estate and financial assets. Peter frequently lectured on tax subjects and is a former instructor in partnership tax at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
Tom Keckeis
Tom’s career began in 1977 when he joined Messer Construction as a Field Engineer shortly after graduating with a B.S. in civil engineering from the University of Cincinnati. Messer elected him as President and COO in January 2005. Five years later, he was appointed CEO. Tom joined Garney’s Board of Directors in 2018 and retired from Messer in late 2019. He is past board chair of the Greater Cincinnati YMCA and People Working Cooperatively, served on the board of directors for Cincinnati Art Museum, and served as a board member for the Construction Industry Round Table (CIRT). Tom is a board member for the Playhouse in the Park, serves on the US Bank Cincinnati Advisory Board, is a board member for Messer Construction, and is a member of the Cincinnati Commercial Club.
Melissa Lesmes
Upon graduation from Duke University in 1990, Melissa studied at The College of William and Mary School of Law to obtain her Juris Doctor degree and began practicing law in 1993. Her career since that time has been focused on construction claims and insurance coverage disputes. Melissa is a partner with Pillsbury Law in Washington, DC, where she was head of their Litigation group and co-leader of the firm’s Construction Counseling & Dispute Resolution practice, and recently transitioned to Pillsbury’s Board. Among various honors and awards, she has been recognized by Chambers USA in Construction Law from 2019 to 2022, and by The Legal 500 U.S. as a top practitioner in Construction from 2015 to 2022. Melissa joined Garney’s Board of Directors in January 2023.
Bill McDermott
Bill is former President and CEO of MMC Corp based in Kansas City. He joined Garney’s Board of Directors in 2018. Before retiring from MMC Corp, Bill directed overall operations and planning for the MMC family of companies, which includes MMC Contractors, MW Builders, and Countywide Mechanical Systems. Bill’s responsibilities included the development of short- and long-term business plans, strategic planning, people development, operations support programs, and the implementation of employee programs, with the ultimate objective of maximizing share value. In 1999, the company established an ESOP and is now 100% employee owned.
Greg Harris
Greg graduated from Central Missouri State University with a degree in Construction Management. Greg’s prior experience includes seven years with Garney starting in 1986. He returned in 2004 after spending several years running the Atlanta operations of a major heavy civil contractor. Greg was promoted to Vice President in January of 2011. He is now involved full-time with risk management and strategic initiatives for the entire company. Greg is based in the Alpharetta, Georgia, office.
Mike Heitmann
Mike has spent his entire career at Garney after graduating from the University of Kansas in 1990 with a degree in Architectural Engineering. The first 15 years of Mike’s career consisted of building projects in many parts of the country. Most of these projects focused on pipeline systems for the private sector. Mike developed an expertise in projects involving specialized piping materials, unique and challenging construction methods, and integrated project delivery. Mike was appointed Vice President in 2001 and returned to the company’s Kansas City headquarters in 2004. At that time, Mike shifted his focus to private and industrial business development, global company branding and marketing. In September 2011, Mike was appointed President and CEO. In this role, Mike is responsible for strategic planning, growth and employee development strategies, and setting a clear direction for Garney’s employee-owners.
Scott Parrish
Scott joined Garney in 1988 as a Laborer, learning the field skills necessary to be an effective builder of water and wastewater projects. These skills proved valuable in becoming a leading Project Manager and Estimator of pipeline projects throughout his 30-year career at the company. In his role as President, Scott has oversight for all company operations, including resource management, employee development, and operational strategy. Scott has been responsible for some of Garney’s most high-profile projects, including the Vista Ridge Water Supply Project – the largest P3 water project in the history of the United States.