Superintendent Chris Stearns Celebrated 10 Years "Building Trust + Valuable Friendships Along the Way"

Chris’s strength is in the delivery of complex healthcare projects in and adjacent to occupied environments. He is well-known for his positivity, building trust with stakeholders, and his proven ability to execute construction with an eye towards safety and the highest quality craftsmanship. Always going the extra mile, Chris has a passion for making the construction process a positive experience for everyone involved—trade crews and clients alike. Image below: Chris led a jobsite tour for future residents at Bayview Assisted Living in Seattle.

"I knew this company was different..."

Chris got his start at AldrichVKP as a laborer supporting demolition for a veterinary hospital project. “I received a call from the laborer’s hall in the afternoon that a company by the name of Aldrich that needed a laborer for two or three weeks. The start time was 7:00am the next morning and I would report to superintendent Andrew Murphy. After that initial couple of weeks, Andrew asked if I wanted to stay on and I said, sure!”

Chris met then General Superintendent Dave Williams (retired)  not long after this first project. “I knew that this company was different when Dave took me aside and asked me what my goals were, if I had a family—he said, ‘tell me about yourself.’ This caught me by surprise. I had never had anyone in the construction industry ask me this. They want to know your goals, dreams, and aspirations here!” Over the next six months, Chris supported a variety of projects for Aldrich superintendents Randy Carlson, Dave Wymer (retired), and Brett Price. In January 2016, he was promoted to superintendent and said he’s “been home” ever since.

Memorable Project Moments

Chris took over field leadership of projects at Seattle Children’s for Matt Perhatch when Matt was promoted to general superintendent in 2017. “We got to know the hospital staff very well. There was a manager who would come into our office now and then and just sit down, saying, ‘I need a break!’ It didn’t matter if we were having a Foremen’s meeting or going over the next days’ events, she felt comfortable coming on in. The crew was like, ‘Who is she?’ It was funny. We always made her feel welcomed and she really appreciated it. It was then that I realized that working in these environments was not just about building walls, hanging drywall, or installing flooring, but building trust and valuable friendships along the way.

One of the most touching projects Chris worked on was the 12th floor NICU at St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma. “This one was an emotional challenge because we were working around babies who were born premature. So small, they were weighed in grams, not pounds, and the families we met were stressed, to say the least.”

“Every morning, we met with the staff and doctors at 7:00 am to go over what we were going to be doing for the day. At the second meeting, they showed us the tiny earmuffs they put on the little ones (show right). They were about the size of a silver dollar and were used quite a few times during concrete core drilling and floor grinding.”

“A couple of months into the project, we came in for the morning check-in and almost all of the nurses and staff were crying. They came up and just wanted a hug; one told me that one of the triplets had died. Talk about a tearjerker; I started to cry, too. It was a hard, very touching moment. We truly build trust, friendships, and become part of the care team. We treat them as our biggest partner and ally.”

Chris said that the NICU team had a party for the crew at the end of the project and gave him a thank you card that all the staff had signed. “When I’m feeling down or when I think that my day is rough, I take out the card and read it and know that those tiny people in the NICU have it a lot rougher.” 

Another project that stands out for Chris is the Family Maternity Center at EvergreenHealth in Kirkland. “We had to maintain negative pressure in a three-story atrium. They don’t make metal studs that are that tall. We decided to use scaffolding that was 41-feet tall and hung six-millimeter reinforced fire-treated plastic and two-inch rigid foam for sound control. It worked very well. The lesson here was always ‘think outside the box’ and never have a closed mind or think ‘this is how we have always done it.’”

During Construction Safety Week, we featured Chris and his people-focused and relational approach to safety, where genuine respect, clear communication, and real connection are key to delivering a positive and accident-free project experience for everyone involved.

“What an interesting adventure it has been.”

Chris’ computer screensaver says, “Attitude is the difference between an ordeal and an adventure.” He says he had A LOT of adventures over the years! “The best advice I have for anyone just starting out is to have a good attitude. Some of the things we do are not fun, and sometimes they just suck, but I try to always make the best of it, learn from it, and always continue to grow. Once we stop learning and growing, that is the time to call it quits.

“Being able to work with great clients and staff and make them feel a part of our team really keeps me going. And in our main office, there are two doors at the end of the hall that are always open—President George Ward and Vice President John Schuh. These are the kinds of things that make working at AldrichVKP different and exciting! I can’t wait for another 10 years here.”

Chris, we’re honored that you’ve called AldrichVKP home for the past 10 years, and we can’t wait to see all the incredible projects you’ll lead in the next 10 years and more with your strong work ethic, talents, and wonderful personality!