What does it take to lead major infrastructure projects when the work is complex, there are many stakeholders, and the outcome must last for decades?

In this episode of Leadership Blueprints, we sit down with Brian Pieplow, Chief Project Development Officer at MCFA, to explore how project development leaders transform big ideas into tangible, resilient realities. Brian shares the path that shaped his work in planning and the built environment, and he breaks down how he approaches planning and problem-solving across disciplines. He also explains why diverse teams create better outcomes and why strong coordination matters when projects involve public agencies, private partners, and long timelines.

Tune in now!

Key Points From This Episode:

The “MCFA is ME” idea and how MCFA reinforces a people-first approach.
Hear why diverse team backgrounds improve how projects get developed and delivered.
Explore how curiosity and continuous learning show up in Brian’s day-to-day work.
Learn why the built environment needs different skillsets working together to succeed.
How professional networks can help solve problems more quickly and unlock new opportunities.

Quotes:

“Life is more than a sum of transactional experiences.” — Brian Pieplow

“When new developing staff or new talents come in and find an environment [and get to] create their own journey and thrive, it’s extremely exciting.” — Brian Pieplow

“I think a lot of challenges in our industry, particularly design professionals [and] engineering professionals, don’t know is that there is a business side as well.” — Brian Pieplow

“There really isn’t a problem we shouldn’t be able to figure out how to solve.” — Brian Pieplow

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Brian Pieplow

Brian Pieplow on LinkedIn

The 4-Hour Workweek

Make No Little Plans

Leadership Blueprints Podcast

Leadership Blueprints Podcast on YouTube

MCFA

MCFA Careers

BJ Kraemer on LinkedIn

Your People Are Your Greatest Asset (Why Leadership Development Can't Be Ignored)