BONITA SPRINGS, FL – Anthony Gonzales helps clients navigate supply chain uncertainties and many other challenges found in today’s construction industry. As co-founder of the Spire Consulting Group, Gonzales (an engineer by trade) is a long-time CSC attendee and first-time panelist at last year’s CSC in Bonita Springs, Fla.
During a CSC panel entitled Managing Risk in an Environment of Supply Chain Uncertainty; Strategies for Navigating Availability, Costs, and Lead Time Challenges, Gonzales stressed the need to accept unpredictability and plan for multiple scenarios. Third Thursday sat down with Austin, Tex-based Gonzales to talk about proactive planning, as well as his recent experience at CSC.
Third Thursday: What is your biggest concern?
Gonzales: My biggest concern right now is resource availability. We have so much demand across the country and there is a need for more resources within our profession and within the construction sector. We need to encourage the next generation to consider engineering and/or construction as a profession. That is where we need to be focusing our time and attention for the next decade. Whether it’s getting an advanced degree or no degree at all and going into the trades—there is a need across the board for all of that because there is a diminishing number of resources available in the market. To meet the demands that the industry has will depend upon whether or not we can solve that problem.
Third Thursday: What concerns were you hearing at CSC?
Gonzales: Uncertainty is a common concern. The amount of uncertainty that we’re exposed to right now is probably at an all-time high, considering the tariffs, the supply chain, and the delays that are arising. We already deal with a number of challenges when building a construction project, so it adds up.
Third Thursday: How can project teams successfully deal with tariffs?
Gonzales: Be proactive and recognize how prices are going to impact equipment and material that have yet to be ordered. For project teams, advanced planning is the most important step. We must have a plan in place, not just for the specific materials in question, but a plan for when there is a change in the market. How are the parties going to respond? How are they going to communicate? How are they going to problem solve as a team with the interest of the project in mind? These are discussions to be had not just during the project, but even in the initial interview process.
How are we as a collective team—designers, contractors, subs, and attorneys—going to identify potential problems and disseminate information so that everyone is aware? From there we can create solutions that have the least amount of cost or time impact. The sooner you are able to identify those components, the better you can respond and make informed decisions that will mitigate negative impacts.
Third Thursday: What should be emphasized in project planning?
Gonzales: Emphasize collaboration in the development and dissemination of the plan and corresponding schedule. The schedule is only a tool that’s supposed to encapsulate the plan that the parties have identified as the best path forward. Whether they’re a client or not, we want everyone to be part of the planning process. General contractors should collaborate with owners, subcontractors, and designers to ensure that everyone is informed. Consider answering questions like: What is the procurement strategy and labor availability for each stakeholder on the project? How will labor availability affect the timing and execution of the work? What are the key milestones and deliverables required from each stakeholder, when are they needed to be completed, and who depends on the start/completion of the work? When discussed early and often during the project, these questions (and many more) allow stakeholders to improve the likelihood of success.
Gonzales: We are faced with different challenges today than we’ve had historically. However, I’m generally an optimistic individual because even where there are challenges, I see opportunity. I see the construction industry as a whole performing at a high level.
Gonzales: The number and quality of attendees was excellent. There are leaders from around the country and even from different parts of the world. We all share a common bond and there are a lot of networking opportunities and numerous panel discussions to pique different interests.
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Anthony Gonzales, FAACE, is co-founder and managing principal at Spire Consulting Group, now celebrating 20 years in business with offices in multiple cities. Gonzales (pictured above at CSC 2025 in Bonita Springs, Fla.) has provided construction engineering consulting services on more than 300 projects totaling $40 billion across 15 countries. His expertise is in developing, monitoring, and analyzing effective construction processes.