Keeley'n Spotlight: Brian Pate

Our Building Group is growing rapidly, changing the face of our communities around the nation and enhancing the ways in which we live and work. Our Building team members are dedicated to quality and exceeding expectations on every project. Brian Pate, Senior Superintendent, guides his team every day ensuring quality, safety, and service are at the forefront.

Brian joined the Keeley family in August of 2021 and has been at our Olive Crossing project ever since. This mixed use development, in partnership with Keeley Properties, is fully underway and on track to revitalize the Olivette community. Brian’s leadership on this project has been vital and he has loved every second of his Keeley journey – from the team members, to the opportunities to grow both personally and professionally. He has been soaking up every moment and continues to feel empowered every single day on the job.

“At my previous employers, I felt like I didn’t have a voice. Here at Keeley, everyone has a voice and everyone walks around with confidence and a willingness to help others. You can feel it from Rusty down to the field team. Everyone has a sense of pride in their work because they know they are valued and love what they do.”

Brian grew up loving to be outside, working with his hands, and being around other people, so construction was a natural fit for him as you get all three of those aspects in one job. He started his construction career in a local lumberyard when he was 16. He learned a lot during that job and made a lot of connections that have carried him through the years. This job also solidified his passion for construction and the people he meets every day. This industry allows you to form lifelong relationships and connections with people you may have never met otherwise and he loves being able to look at a project and feel the sense of accomplishment that comes along with seeing a project come to life from the ground up. This industry has been a dream career for Brian, so if he could give a piece of advice to those just starting out, it would be:

“Stay open minded to constructive criticism. When team members are hard on you, it is because they believe in you and want to see you succeed and grow. Keep your head up and don’t get discouraged.”

Throughout his career, Brian has learned a lot of lessons that he has carried with him on every project. The most important lesson he has learned is to keep his head up and keep grinding. He strives to make the good days outweigh the bad days because, no matter what industry you are in, there will be bad days. It’s learning from those bad days and turning them into a positive lesson that allow for true growth. Keeley has given Brian the tools and resources he needs to grow, allowing him to form a clear vision for the future. He sees a long career at Keeley for himself, one day advancing his career into an operational role.

Since joining Keeley, Brian has taken advantage of every opportunity available to him. He is grateful for the involvement and camaraderie that comes with being a Keeley’n. Everyone is involved in the culture and he has met people that he would never work with on a regular basis. At Keeley, you are not a number, you are a name and face that brings value to the company and the project you are working on. Brian knows he has found his career destination and wants others to know that Keeley could be a home for them, as well.

“You can truly build a future at Keeley. It is growing rapidly and it is the place to be. There are countless opportunities for growth and to start a career. That atmosphere is magnetic and this truly is a career destination.”

Brian, thank you for your leadership in our Building Group and passion for enhancing our communities. Your career growth thus far has been incredible and we can’t wait to see how you continue to grow in the future. The sky is the limit!