Our Team:
Executive Team
Travis Lefever
Travis began his construction career at a young age. He began working for his Fathers construction company when he was 14 years old. Travis started on the concrete crew working his way from laborer to a concrete and steel erection foreman by his 18th birthday.
Travis accepted a athletic scholarship to Fort Hays State University in Kansas, where he competed in Wrestling and Football. While at FHSU, Travis earned is B.S in Construction Management. Also, during this time, Travis founded a decorative concrete company, paving the way for his entrepreneurial spirit that would serve him later in his life.
After graduating from FHSU, Travis went to work for Daniel-Barry Construction, in Colorado Springs, CO. He served as a Project Manager for 3 years at DBCI, managing over $50M in school and private sector work.
In 2006, Travis decided to pursue his dream of owning a construction company. Since the purchase of BBD in 2007, the company has flourished. Under the leadership and guidance of Travis and Pat, BBD has risen from a small GC to large, diverse, and thriving GC.
Travis enjoys spending time with his wife of 15 years, Leah, and their three children, Kaden, Avery, and Hattie. They enjoy traveling, camping, and sporting events. Between the months of August to February, you can find Travis on the sidelines or on a mat corner, coaching both football and wrestling at Brush High School.
Pat Walter
I was born and raised in Brush, Colorado (Home of the Brush Beetdiggers!). It was in this rural community, on the Northeastern Plains of Colorado, that I was raised to believe in the ethics, morals, and principals that Travis and I have used to develop Buildings By Design’s core values.
I am surrounded by, and blessed with, a great family. I was fortunate enough to have worked with them, in the commercial construction industry, during a few of my high school summer vacations. This experience proved to be invaluable, as soon after high school I discovered that “higher” education was not for me.
I was given the chance to start a career in the commercial construction industry. I was afforded the opportunity to start at the bottom, to learn and develop, as my career advanced. This was the beginning of my professional journey, covering 11 years, that included hands on general labor for: excavation & grading, cast-in-place concrete work, metal building erection, conventional construction, and tenant finish. I eventually advanced to crew foreman, then on to superintendent, and finally to Operations Manager.
I capitalized on the experience and knowledge I had gained to establish, and operate, Elevations Laser Screeding (ELS). In 2004, after a successful venture with ELS, I was offered the opportunity to partner in Buildings By Design. I was blessed with this opportunity in 2004 and believe it is my responsibility to steward that blessing in my relationships with our customers and their projects.
Outside of Buildings By Design I love to spend time with my wife, Cynda, and 13-year-old son, Jonathan. I enjoy competing in athletics, volunteering for community activities and civic groups, and owning bulls while competing in the bucking bull industry (‘Diggers Bucking Bulls).
Merle Grauer
Like many of the top executives at Buildings By Design, Merle began his BBD career inauspiciously. Hired as a crew foreman 5 years ago, he began working his way steadily up the ranks. Today, he serves as Corporate VP and Concrete General Manager. Merle is in charge of overseeing preconstruction, business development, and strategic planning.
He is an active member of the community and serves as a member of the Brush High School football and wrestling teams. Merle says attention to detail and paying keen attention to client needs are the keys to Building By Designs success.
Randy Gates
Randy has lived and breathed metal buildings for a dedicated 33 years,
starting in 1986 at Chief Buildings’ ground floor as a drafter\detailer figuring lengths,
quantities and locating holes for every part and piece that goes into them. Taking full advantage of the opportunities that exist in large company, he transitioned to an estimating role where he figured the cost of such things. Randy then offered solutions during preconstruction and solved just about every conceivable problem one could have in the field as project manager for Chief.
In 2001, after 15 years at Chief, Randy jumped at the opportunity to continue his building career in Northern Colorado where he proceeded to give another eight years both as project manager and estimator for a Northern Colorado general contractor. He branched off again and spent ten years starting and growing a metal building contracting business in the area.
Randy feels very fortunate to have been a part of numerous landmark metal building projects all over Colorado and nationwide having a hand in both the manufacturing and
construction sides of the processes.
Randy was born and raised in Nebraska. Growing up he found a love in basketball which he played through junior college then competitive adult leagues and then into coaching his children’s teams. He’s been blessed with 30 years of marriage to Maureen with whom he has four daughters: Jessica, Hillary, Marissa, and Gabrielle. The man happily spends his free time with family, working on home improvement projects, tinkering with his ‘68 Cutlass convertible and watching college sports. He’s fanatic about Husker football and Duke basketball.
Finance & Accounting
Laurie Wolf
Laurie started with Buildings By Design in October of 2016. She brings a deep breadth of knowledge to BBD clientele. Her diverse background with over 20 years in accounting and finance is instrumental in her role as our Office Manager.
When Laurie isn’t supporting BBD clients; she likes to spend time with her husband and two children supporting their multitude of activities.
Stop by our office to visit Laurie and see how she can help answer your questions!
Project Management
CJ Kukus
CJ joined Buildings By Design in early 2017 as a project manager. After CJ graduated from Fort Hays State University with a bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, he began his career as an estimator and was quickly promoted to a project manager.
Shortly before his start with Buildings By Design, CJ married his high school sweet heart and has since started growing his family by adding a baby girl to the mix. As a project manager, CJ provides leadership overseeing multiple projects to ensure that every owner’s expectations are met and that consistent value is delivered to Buildings By Design’s clients.
Cody Holland
I was born and raised in Thornton, Colorado. With only recently relocating to Wiggins Colorado; as I have always preferred small towns over the big city life. I joined Buildings By Design as a Project Manager Assistant in June of 2019. I earned my B.S. in Business Management in 2017 and a M.S. in Project Management in 2019. I am an experienced Project Manager in Low-Voltage, Electrical Distribution and General Construction. Through my education and work experience I have developed the ability to lead and organize projects that deliver optimal results on time and on schedule.
In my free time outside of work I am an enthusiast for anything and everything outdoors. I am a passionate fan of all Major Denver sports and enjoy being an active participant in an array of sporting activities. I have an unmatched dedication for hunting, fishing and particularly enjoy boating and camping.
My world revolves around my wife Jessica and my two children Remington and Ainsley. For me, anything I do is always more enjoyable when it involves my family.
Project Superintendent
Jason Harding
Jason Harding was born in Grand Island Nebraska but moved to Colorado in 1980. He is blessed with not only his beautiful wife, but three boys and two girls. When Jason isn’t camping at the lake, he enjoys activities like softball, hunting, fishing, horseshoes and cornhole.
After graduating from High School Jason entered the trade of construction; he stated that construction is a trade that has always intrigued him and is constantly evolving.
Jason brings a strong work ethic and 26 years of construction to Buildings By Design.