Senior Project Manager
WSB Associates, Minneapolis
Population Served: 2,400 - 75,000
Budget: $5,000 - $25 million
After a diverse 34-year career in the public works/engineering departments of three major cities in the Twin Cities metropolitan area, including director of public works and engineering and city engineer, Lee Gustafson is in the private sector.
Now the senior project manager for WSB associates a professional consulting and design firm providing engineering, planning, environmental, and construction services to government markets, Gustafson still assists the markets he once headed.
During his career, Gustafson led the design and construction of the award-winning TH 169/Bren Road Interchange project. The project involved completely replacing the bridge and interchange ramps, three signal systems, and expanding the local street system. A public/private partnership was formed to secure funding for the important interchange.
Gustafson’s best advice, after a long career: “Listen to the customer.”
“Frankly, just listen them. Be very empathetic to whatever their concerns are. Sometimes people just need that. The best thing you can tell them is that you understand. Just relate to another problem or something personal that happened to you. Put yourself in their shoes,” says Gustafson.
