Safety isn’t luck -- it’s leadership.
At Stansell Construction, we don’t just talk about safety — we live it every day. And now, we’re pulling back the curtain.
Introducing the Stansell Safety Spotlight:
Meet the experts behind our Quick Service Restaurant projects and discover their passion for keeping every project safe and every client satisfied. Through this monthly feature, you’ll get a front-row seat to their strategies, stories, and commitment to protecting our teams.
This week’s Stansell Safety Spotlight shines on Superintendent Greg Sapp.
When you talk to Superintendent Greg Sapp, you quickly realize that construction isn’t just his job – it’s his calling.
Growing up in Quincy, Florida, Greg never imagined he’d one day lead complex projects for Stansell Construction. Back then, he was an artist, sketching Victorian-style homes he’d see on his way to school around the Quincy and Havana, Florida area, fascinated by their design but unaware that those drawings were the first steps toward his future.
“I would just always wonder how they were built,” Greg recalled or buildings. “In high school, I focused mainly on art and band, but my hobby was sketching. I had no idea that I would wind up doing this for a career.”
Life took a few turns – fatherhood came early, and college seemed out of reach. That was until someone who believed in him signed him up for college courses without him knowing and dropped him off at the college unannounced.
“When I had kids right out of high school, I wanted to be a great father,” said Greg. “But my girlfriend at the time knew about my passion for drawing and interest in construction. She said to me, ‘You ought to apply for college.’ Then one day we were driving and she literally dropped me off at the college and said, ‘Hey, I enrolled you in college. Your first class starts in 15 minutes. Here’s a map of the school.’ I was shocked, but I did it and never looked back.”
Greg went on to earn an Associate of Arts degree in Construction Engineering from Tallahassee State College and later a bachelor’s degree in Construction Engineering Technology from the College of Architecture at Florida A&M University.
Today, Greg has emerged as one of Stansell's top Superintendents in restaurant construction, specializing in Quick Service Restaurant projects and focusing heavily on Taco Bell remodels. He is relentless in his commitment to turning over successful projects to Stansell's clients. While he's responsible for all aspects of the construction project, Greg's top priority is the same as Stansell's.
“Safety ranks at the top for me,” said Greg. “I am consistent about talking to our Trade Partners about it and their PPE. I lead by example by wearing my own PPE. For some people, wearing PPE seems to be a bother. I don’t get it. It’s meant to keep everyone safe. And it’s our uniform. I can’t begin to tell you how proud I am to put that uniform on every day. I am proud to wear the Stansell logo, and how I look and act is a reflection of who I am and who Stansell is. So, I take that seriously.”
Greg works safe for his family, which includes five children, 12 grandchildren, his parents, siblings and grandmother. Getting all subcontractors on a jobsite to wear PPE consistently can sometimes be a challenge for Stansell, mostly because other companies do not have the high safety standards that Stansell Construction does. But Greg consistently achieves safety compliance from Trade Partners on his projects. What is his secret?
“I believe I lead in my approach and communication,” said Greg. “I take time to explain to the Trade Partners the “why” behind the uniform required on our jobsites. I give them scenarios and show that I care about them.”
Stansell Area Supervisor Alan Bradford said Greg is successful because he constantly keeps safety on the forefront of his jobs.
“As far as PPE is concerned and safety, Greg is a super leader by example,” said Alan. “He always has on his PPE – hard hat and vest, and is continuously, continuously talking to subs about it, but in a caring and respectful way.”
While he’s considered one of Stansell’s best in terms of leading on safety, Greg has a mindset of continuous improvement. He’s always working on his craft and doing so by proactively enrolling in – and successfully completing – STeP trainings like the How to Manage Great Relationships with Trade Partners module.
“I thought I was doing things the right way, but it was great to have that confirmed in the STeP trainings,” said Greg. “It’s been helpful to learn how to better manage our jobs and Trade Partners on safety, and even things like overcoming challenges with language barriers. I can see I’m doing some things right, but I am also learning some things and seeing where I can focus more. Am I perfect? No, but I spend a large part of my day trying to get better, both at work and home.”
There are a few things that Greg utilizes to help him reinforce Stansell's safety standards on jobsites. One is the presence of the Stansell Safety Station, which is on every Stansell project and includes a fire extinguisher, first-aid kit and Safety Data Sheet access. These items are not just for the Superintendent – they are for everyone on the construction site, including restaurant contractors and trade partners, to utilize.
“The Safety Station sets the tone,” Greg said. “It lets people know we care about them and that Stansell is safe.”
Another resource Greg utilizes to take a proactive approach to safety on his jobsites is the library of Toolbox Talks available to our Superintendents in ProCore. He decides which Toolbox Talk safety meetings to hold depending on what is hazards may be present on his jobs at that time, but admits he has one go-to Toolbox Talk that he covers early and often with Trade Partners.
“One of my favorites is about ladders,” said Greg. “You always see them used on our jobs, and if you’re on or ahead of schedule, sometimes that’s because you have a lot of Trade Partners working in the building at the same time. That’s why I walk my jobsites all the time. I want to check every detail of the work and correct the Trade Partners on safety mistakes. A guy I used to work for a long time ago told me you come in early and stay as late as needed because at the end of the day it’s your baby, it’s your jobsite. Own it!”
If you work in construction long enough you’ll hear some people refer to parts of the industry as adult daycare because sometimes people don’t listen well or cooperate. Greg understands that sentiment, but unlike some others who get frustrated by it, Greg embraces it.
“I’m going to say something to Trade Partners who aren’t working safely just like I would my kids – because I care about them and don’t want anything bad to happen to them. That’s why I’m here. It’s part of my job.”
Unfortunately, Greg's healthy respect for safety comes from experience and stories on commercial construction sites. In his first construction job in college, Greg accidently stepped on a piece of plywood and two nails penetrated his work boot, leading to profuse bleeding in his foot, a risk of infection, a trip to the emergency room and a 3-week period of barely being able to walk. That prompted him to wear puncture-resistant boots going forward and is one of the reasons why he works diligently to keep his jobsites free and clear of debris each day.
But that experience pales in comparison to the tragedies that occurred on nearby construction sites earlier in Greg’s career. One included a 20-year-old construction worker who was carrying a piece of plywood on the top of a building and got blown off it by wind. He was not tied off with fall protection, plummeted to the ground and tragically died instantly. A worker on another site was working elevated and decided to stand on the rails of the lift to try to reach something. His hip hit the control lever and pinned him to the wall. He couldn’t reach back around to stop it and was sadly crushed to death.
“Those people got up to go to work and never made it home,” Greg said. “When you hear stories like that, it reminds you that you’re not invincible and bad things can happen when people work unsafe.”
One of the things Greg is best known for at Stansell is his ability and determination to keep his worksites free and clear of debris. While he admits that the nail injury sustained in college played a role in that, his consistent approach to cleaning the site goes above and beyond that experience.
“Well, it's not easy,” Greg said of keeping his jobsites in pristine condition. “Sometimes managing a construction jobsite is a lot like parenting. But it’s all in how I communicate with the Trade Partners and treat them. I will say, ‘Hey, great job today. Let’s stop 30 minutes before you leave today and let’s just clean up the jobsite so we can all feel good about it – you, Stansell and our clients. And it will help us get kickstarted tomorrow.’ So, then I grab a broom and start cleaning up. But a lot of times the Trade Partners see me starting to do that and they say, “No, no. That’s alright. We got this.” I find that approach works well.”
Alan Bradford and others who helped mentor Greg at Stansell have noticed how much effort Greg puts into keeping his worksite clean as well as the attention to detail in other aspects of his work.
“As far as job cleanliness, Greg has one of the cleanest jobs you'll ever see,” said Alan. “He's just clean as a whistle. I can’t say enough nice things about Greg and how far he’s come as a Superintendent. And knowing him, he’s going to just keep working hard to get better and better.”
Stansell lives by 4 Pillars: 1) Character 2) Integrity 3) Work Ethic 4) How We Treat People. Treating people well and respectfully is in Greg’s DNA, and when he first interviewed for the job at Stansell years ago, he said that was his biggest attraction to the company and still is to this day.
“I’m pretty sure that’s why Mr. John Stege hired me,” Greg said of Stansell’s 4th Pillar. “It was easy to see that the How We Treat People Pillar was a good fit for both of us. And Stansell not only preaches that Pillar, they live it out. It’s reiterated by John Stege, [President] Jim Kurtz, [CEO] Angelica Connor and a lot of our other Leaders and people. I feel like if you genuinely care about people and treat them well and respectfully, the other 3 Pillars are complimentary to that one, which is the biggest one for me, for sure.”
Pillars and safety aren’t the only things Greg and Stansell share a passion for. Taking care of Stansell’s clients is another very important, shared goal.
“I always operate with the client in mind,” said Greg. “How can I make them happy? What would I want if I was them? What do I need to do to earn the right to convince our client that they should offer Stansell and myself an opportunity to manage more of their projects? It all starts at the pre-con meeting and the details of the project and what the clients wants. Once we’re on the jobsite, it starts with how the jobsite looks, how I look. I smile, give them a firm handshake, stand tall and proud to wear the Stansell uniform, answer their questions, give them my business card and let them know what they can expect from me knowing that they are going to hold me to that. And from there it’s all about safety, schedule and communication, not only with the client, but internally. The better and more often I communicate with the Project Manager, the better result we’ll have for the client.”
Project Manager Molly Snowdon is someone who has worked with Greg on several projects. She said his work ethic is incredible, jobsites are immaculate and communication is outstanding.
“Greg is a people person and will go above and beyond to satisfy everyone he works with, including the clients,” said Molly. “His jobsites are so clean, and I often see him brushing the jobsite at the end of each day, organizing things so pictures look good, making sure things are out of the way for safety reasons. He's the first one on the jobsite, usually the last one to leave. He is just incredibly hardworking and pays attention to detail.”
Outside of work, Greg is a family man and creative soul. He loves fishing, watching National Geographic documentaries and writing stories and music with a group of college friends – dreaming big enough to even pitch a TV series to Netflix. That same creativity and perseverance fuel his success at Stanell, where he’s admired for his professionalism, communication and ability to deliver projects that satisfy clients.
“He just adores his family, but when he’s at work Greg is incredibly proud to wear the Stansell uniform,” said Molly. “He’s someone that puts Stansell first. Safety is a huge thing for him. He sends a professional e-mail to the Trade Partners before the project even begins, literally describing the expectations on the jobsite for safety and PPE. Greg’s communication is excellent. It took work to build our relationship, sometimes chatting 15 times per day. But it has paid off. I want Greg on every one of my projects. More importantly, so do our clients.”
Molly said Greg’s communication and attention to detail help him oftentimes complete projects early or on time, and with a minimal punch list. Greg said that the 3-week lookahead is an invaluable tool on that front.
“The 3-week look ahead does multiple things for me and it does multiple things for my jobsite,” said Greg. “I used to be one of those guys who sometimes called Trade Partners the day before begging them to come to my job because I forgot to schedule them or was too late doing it. Not anymore, though! Life is so much easier and jobs are so much smoother with a 3-week lookahead. Not only does it help me, it helps our Trade Partners, my colleagues and the clients who visit. That 3-week lookahead is another reflection of Stansell, so I try to make it look like an advertisement with legible handwriting and different colors – something you’d want to buy, or in this case, buy into.”
While this Stansell Safety Spotlight provides some insight and well-deserved recognition for him, Greg’s humble spirit is quick to deflect, attributing much of the success he’s achieved on his journey in construction to Stansell Construction.
“From the day I was hired this company has been good to me,” said Greg. “They made me feel like I was a good fit. I feel like I have all the resources I need to succeed – tools, technology, training – everything! I don’t feel like I have to worry about my job if I make a mistake because they encourage you to learn from it. They encourage you to ask questions. Most of all, Stansell has been there for me when my family and I needed it.
“I’ve learned a lot from watching John Stege, Jim Kurtz, Alan Bradford and others talk with people on our jobsites. They talk with them, not to them. You can just feel and see their passion for our company and our clients. To me and a lot of other Trade Partners, when they show up on your jobsite, it’s almost like having rock stars or celebrities there. But they never act like it. They treat people well, including me. So, I just try to pay it forward.”
