“Say yes as much as you can when you’re young so that you can balance things a little better when you’re older.”
-
Sondra Rotty
Sondra Rotty is the newly elected president and COO of Tarlton Corporation, one of St. Louis's largest general contracting and construction management firms. Since joining the company in 2005 as a project engineer, she has left her mark on a range of high-profile projects while actively serving the profession through board service and industry leadership – a career that exemplifies both operational excellence and a deep commitment to developing the next generation of AEC talent.
In this episode of The Zweig Letter Podcast, Randy Wilburn and co-host Luke Carothers sit down with Sondra to trace her journey from project engineer to President, unpacking the leadership lessons, recruitment strategies, and mentorship experiences that shaped her path. The conversation gets into succession planning, the ongoing challenge of attracting new talent to the industry, and how values-based cultures drive both business growth and individual fulfillment in design and construction.
Listeners will come away with candid reflections on navigating career transitions, championing diversity in the workplace, and building a resilient organization – all grounded in action-oriented insights for leaders, managers, and emerging professionals across AEC.
Key Takeaways:
- Succession planning is an ongoing, organic process: Effective talent development means turning everyday situations into leadership opportunities, focusing on continuous feedback and recognizing high-potential individuals early 20:20.
- Broadening the talent funnel: Building relationships with middle schools, high schools, and nontraditional university programs exposes more students to AEC career paths and helps strengthen the future workforce 15:00.
- Mentorship and team learning: Immersing oneself in challenging projects—and seeking out mentors organically—accelerates career growth and deepens operational expertise 07:21.
- Culture is foundational: A caring workplace, clear values, and flexibility are the bedrock of loyalty and long employee tenure 26:16.
- Women in AEC: Say yes early in your career, integrate personal and professional priorities strategically, and communicate openly with both work and family for long-term balance and success 29:18.
All this and more on this episode of The Zweig Letter podcast.
Links referenced in this episode:
- Sondra Rotty on LinkedIn
- Tarlton Corporation Website
- Missouri Gateway Green Building Council
- AGC of Missouri
- Zweig Group & ElevateAEC Conference
- Learn about the Zweig Letter and subscribe: https://thezweigletter.com/
- Connect with Randy Wilburn on LinkedIn
- Connect with Luke Carothers on LinkedIn
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Call-to-Action & Next Steps:
For more candid leadership stories and industry strategies, be sure to subscribe to The Zweig Letter Podcast and download other episodes highlighting AEC firm growth and talent development. Want to connect? Reach out to Sandra Roddy via LinkedIn or the Tarlton Corporation website. Stay tuned for continued insight into how today’s leaders are driving the future of design and construction—one conversation at a time.
Stay tuned for more enlightening content from the Zweig Letter podcast, and make sure to subscribe for regular updates!
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