Leadership

Mike Whittaker has spent more than three decades building: not just structures, but teams, systems, and lasting client relationships. He is the founder and Managing Member of Whittaker Construction Advisors and previously President of United Construction Company in Reno, Nevada, where he led the company's strategic direction, operations, and financial performance with an approach rooted in accountability, craftsmanship, respect, and trust. Mike began his career in construction management in 1993 and has held every role in preconstruction and operations, from project engineer and estimator to chief operating officer, before becoming President in 2020. His experience ranges from small renovations to large ground-up projects delivered through design-build, bid-build, CM at-risk, and lease-leaseback methods.

Mike leads with logic and structure and clearly defined roles and responsibilities, and he earns the trust of clients and teams alike. In prior roles, Mike helped his employers grow and improve by strengthening design-build capabilities, modernizing project delivery through VDC/BIM, and developing people and teams to take on demanding projects. His focus on people, process, and predictability has made him a trusted partner to private, state, and federal clients across commercial office, industrial, hospitality, and educational facilities throughout Northern Nevada and California. Mike earned a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management from California State University, Chico, and holds the Certified Professional Constructor (CPC), LEED Accredited Professional, and DBIA Professional designations. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Associated General Contractors of Northern Nevada and is an active member of the Design-Build Institute of America. A U.S. Marine Corps Reserve veteran of the Gulf War, he brings the same sense of duty and discipline to WCA that he has shown throughout his career.