Employee Spotlight:
Curtis Lucas
Exceptional people build a great business; as a service-based consultancy, our people are our brand. OCMI continues our employee spotlight series, highlighting individuals within our firm who impact clients, projects, and fellow employees daily. This month, we spotlight Senior Cost Estimator Curtis Lucas from our Dallas office. Curtis specializes in electrical systems, MEP coordination, and cost analysis for public, institutional, federal, and other technically complex projects. In addition to cost estimating, Curtis serves as an Associate Professor of Practice at Texas State University. His combined industry expertise and passion for education bring valuable insight and perspective to every project he supports. Follow below to learn more about Curtis!
“My responsibilities have evolved, my love and respect for the team keeps me involved.”
Q: What’s something people might be surprised to learn about your career journey?
A: I did not do anything the “normal” way. I started in the electrical trade, became a Journeyman Electrician, started a family, and then went back to school for Construction Management. Trade school gave me the confidence to give college another try, and my family gave me the fuel to keep going. Since then, I earned my MBA, joined OCMI, earned my Master Electrician license with OCMI’s support, earned my CPC credential, became a full-time faculty member at Texas State, and started my PhD in Construction Management.
Q: How does being a master electrician impact the way you approach cost estimating?
A: Being a Master Electrician helps me look past the line items and think about how the work is actually installed, coordinated, tested, and turned over. My time in the trade, estimating, major ENR firms, mega projects, high-risk work, NDA-sensitive projects, and remote travel all shaped how I look at scope. I enjoy thinking through the possibilities on a project and asking whether we have really thought everything through.
Q: How has your perspective on projects changed after spending time both in the field and in consulting role?
A: The field teaches you how work really gets built. Consulting teaches you to step back and look at budget, design intent, risk, schedule, phasing, and owner expectations. Having both perspectives helps me understand that a strong estimate is not just pricing what is shown on the drawings; it is understanding what it will actually take to build the project.
Q: If someone visits you in Texas for the first time, what’s the one thing you have to show them?
A: I would show them the Hill Country and the New Braunfels area. We are between Austin and San Antonio, near San Marcos, and the area has a great mix of history, rivers, springs, caves, food, music, wineries, and small-town character. I am also a bit of a foodie, and this area is hard to beat for Texas barbecue, Tex-Mex, authentic Mexican food, and German food.
Q: What do you like to do outside of work to recharge?
A: This is almost a funny question because recharging at my house usually still involves another project. My spouse always has something lined up for me. Recently, I enclosed our front porch into an office, built a play fort for the kids, and built enclosures for our goats, chickens, and massive tortoise. We live on a family farm/compound, so there is always something to do. I guess I am a bit of a glutton for punishment, but I may rest more once everyone starts calling me Dr. Lucas.
