Rody Lageson, Andrew Thompson win the April 2026 Core Value Awards
Rody Lageson, KA Project Manager II, has won the April 2026 Core Values Award. KA's Jessica Masterson, in partnership with Loucks and ERA Structural Engineering, submitted the nomination, which reads:
“The impact that Rody has had on me extends far beyond the Lakeview Replacement Hospital project. Rody is everything that Kraus-Anderson’s core values define, but furthermore, Rody brings definition to “good person.” Rody is a humble teammate, a passionate problem solver, and an impeccable communicator. He elevates those around him, as a teacher, a listener, a strategist. And above all, his integrity is second to none. On the Lakeview Hospital project, Rody is responsible for Site and Structure. In support of this nomination, below are words from our Site and Structure design team members, Loucks and ERA, regarding their time spent with Rody on this project:
“Loucks: Rody’s leadership and partnership with our group was truly instrumental to the success that our site development team had on the Lakeview Hospital project. Rody is incredibly reliable, organized and committed to his work. He made himself available, always willing to help the team and is one to come to the table with ideas on solutions, not just problems. I continually felt that when I called Rody, things would get done and that is a great feeling. Overall, Rody is someone you can count on and genuinely cares about the people he works with.
“ERA: Rody is someone who truly embodies teamwork in every sense of the word. We’ve had the privilege of working with him across two major projects — Lakeview Hospital in Stillwater and the 3M STPA 280 lab building in Maplewood — and throughout both, he has consistently shown what it means to act as a genuine partner in pursuit of a common goal. Rody’s approach to teamwork is proactive rather than reactive. When a field issue arises, he doesn’t just ask what to do — he comes prepared with ideas and works through the problem collaboratively, making every challenge a shared effort. His communication style means issues are surfaced and addressed before they have the chance to become problems, and when more information is needed, he takes initiative and gets answers quickly without waiting for someone else to act. On projects of this scale and complexity, keeping everyone organized and on the same page is no small feat. Rody does it naturally.”
Andrew Thompson, KA Project Manager II, has also won the April 2026 Core Values Award. Gary Zifko submitted the nomination, which reads:
“The recent departure of a K-12 team leader left a large hole within our South Washington County School Team. Andy, who is already positioned well with the district and already a resource for the team, has absolutely stepped up to fill in this leadership gap. Andy still has his own project and responsibilities that would otherwise keep a PM very busy.
“Andy’s passion for the work, our clients, and our team as well as his dedication to KA are representative KA core values and is exactly what we are asking our professionals to do.”
About the Kraus-Anderson Core Values Award
The KA Core Values Award is presented monthly to two KA employees. Nominated by their peers, business partners, and clients, award recipients are selected based on their representation and practice of KA’s core values:
Integrity: Do the right thing; always be respectful, honest, and fair
Commitment: Take ownership, work hard, and keep promises
Teamwork: Collaborate to foster trust and success for all
Value People: Support each other in a safe, positive environment where people are recognized and appreciated for their contributions
CATEGORY: Awards