A M King sponsors regional collegiate design-build competition

November 28, 2022

For the third consecutive year, Carolinas-based A M King, a leading Design-Build firm with an established presence in the Upstate, provided the project for the Design-Build portion of the five-part Integrated Project (IP) Delivery competition hosted by The Associated Schools of Construction’s (ASC) Region 2 in Atlanta.

Teams from four schools — Georgia Institute of Technology, University of Florida, Auburn University and Kennesaw State — took on the pseudo role of Design-Builder in constructing a new facility for Mission Produce, Inc., the world leader in sourcing, ripening, processing and distributing fresh Hass avocados. Student teams were informed that the facility should serve as the company’s U.S. regional headquarters and main point of produce distribution from Central and South America to the U.S. and Canada. Ultimately, the 6-member team from Georgia Institute of Technology solved the tricky puzzle posed by sponsor A M King.

“A M King was honored to sponsor the 2022 ASC Region 2 Fall Design-Build Competition,” said Daniel Kinard, A M King Project Manager. “The student teams all came prepared to discuss their Design-Build proposals for our Mission Produce Facility in Laredo, Texas. This included design, cost estimate, schedule, and a few curveballs thrown at them. Each team did a fantastic job of applying the skills and knowledge they have acquired in their collegiate careers to a real case study project in a professional setting. I am excited to see what the future holds for the students as they enter our industry.”

The winners were celebrated at an awards ceremony in Atlanta on Tuesday, November 15.

“The faculty and students involved in the A M King-sponsored Design Build Competition appreciated the ongoing support, challenge, and mentorship provided by A M King during the entire experience,” said Jim Sullivan, PhD, Region 2 Director and Director of Undergraduate Programs at the M.E. Rinker, Sr. School of Construction Management at the University of Florida. “From an ASC leadership perspective, I’ve appreciated A M King’s ability to manage and deliver such a dynamic and demanding experience for our students.”

A M King team members who participated in the competition were JD Boone, Business Unit Leader; Daniel Kinard, Project Manager; Catherine Knight, Design Leader; and Sarah Smith, Marketing Manager.

“A M King is committed to supporting and partnering with select universities in furthering design and construction education,” said Dan Crist, A M King Vice President. “We look forward to continuing our relationship with the ASC sponsors, facility and students.”

 

A M King is an integrated Design-Build firm based in Charlotte, NC with offices in Greenville, SC and Chicago, IL. An employee-owned company, A M King consistently and successfully delivers quality projects throughout the United States. With an experienced team committed to protecting clients’ assets, the firm provides property consulting, design, construction, and facility services in key market sectors including food processing, food distribution, industrial manufacturing, and corporate properties.

The Associated Schools of Construction (ASC) is the professional association of construction educators and industry practitioners working together for the development and advancement of construction education. It promotes the sharing of ideas and knowledge and inspires, guides and promotes excellence in curricula, teaching, research and service. There are 143 four-year Construction Management programs of member universities and nine two-year member schools. Graduates from these institutions fill entry-level positions as project engineers, estimators, safety managers, superintendents, BIM managers, preconstruction, document control and communication positions, schedulers, etc.