Outgoing Sundt Construction Chief Executive J. Doug Pruitt is stepping down from the firm's top management position at a time when the construction industry is on the ropes, but Pruitt is hardly walking away from the fight.
The 66-year-old Pruitt said he decided to retire from Tempe-based Sundt -- Arizona's largest privately owned construction company -- three years ago, when construction companies still were doing relatively well.
Now, with private development at a near standstill and unemployment among construction workers around 20%, Pruitt said he has mixed feelings about passing leadership in September to the company's current president and chief operating officer, Dave Crawford.
"I hate to see somebody make that transition while the market is down," Pruitt said, adding that Crawford is more than capable of taking up the challenge.
"Retirement" is a relative term in the eyes of Pruitt, who said he intends to continue working diligently as an advocate for Sundt, the construction industry and economic development in Arizona.
He plans to continue serving as chairman of Sundt's board of directors and is a lifetime director of both the Arizona Builders Alliance and the Associated General Contractors of America.
(More on Sundt's retiring CEO . . . )