Matt Buffington (Photo by Bryan Oller)
By Sarah McMahon
For Matt Buffington, the world of business can really be about the people. A pre-construction manager for GE Johnson Construction Company, Buffington works to give back to his company and his community in a number of ways.
“I recognize that there’s a business side of construction,” he says, “but my approach in pre-construction management, and any of my business dealings and personal dealings really center around honesty, integrity and transparency. I just try to instill some kindness to the world every day.”
A native of Fort Collins and graduate of Colorado State University with a degree in construction management, Buffington now lives in Peyton and leads a group of estimators who work on both small- and large-scale commercial construction projects along the front range.
“He is consistently looking for ways for us to get better as a team,” says Michelle Robinette, GE Johnson VP and a nominator for this award. “He will work with the entire team to find solutions that are win-win for everyone. He brings a positive attitude to work every day. He challenges his co-workers at all levels to make things better.”
One example: He’s taken part in eliminating the use of the term ‘man hours’ when referring to staffing hours, in favor of ‘staffing hours’ or simply ‘hours.’ “The previous term is exclusive and unrepresentative of who we are and our culture at GE Johnson,” Buffington says. “This change has successfully improved our workplace culture and is just one way we are bringing people together in our company.”
Buffington is grateful to GE Johnson for motivating him to do more.
“I have been very blessed personally.”
“I really started to see what they do for the community,” he says. “It’s not just building community minded projects — although it’s truly remarkable what they’ve done with the Pikes Peak Summit [Visitor Center] and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum — but it’s really seeing how they get involved in the community and the types of people that they have working for them.”
And Buffington is one of those community-minded people. “Matt has a strong connection to the City of Colorado Springs,” Robinette says. “He looks for ways to serve and continue to drive the city forward.”
Over the years, he has worked on hundreds of projects to include the Chinook Trail Middle School, the revitalization of the Springs Rescue Mission, and Peak Vista Health Center Downtown.
Currently, Buffington serves on the El Paso County Community Development Advisory Board, where he “assists and advises the Board of County Commissioners in the appropriate use of grant funds toward the revitalization of neighborhoods, improving access to transportation services and economic development within the community,” he says.
He is also awaiting appointment to serve on the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region Board of Directors.
His passion for animals is in part tied to his connection to the local western and agricultural community. With his wife Dayna and 15-month-old son Tatum, Buffington lives on a Peyton property with horses and often works with his father-in-law on his ranch in Ordway.
Buffington has also volunteered with various organizations to include the National Finals Rodeo, the ProRodeo Tour Finale at the Washington State Fair and the El Paso County Fair. He hopes to one day be involved with Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo.
In between ranching, pre-construction management, volunteering, and being a dad, Buffington is working toward a lifelong dream of becoming a volunteer firefighter.
“I have been very blessed personally, and I am most proud of a couple of personal accomplishments. Starting with family, my wife Dayna and I recently welcomed our son Tatum into the world — he is now one year old and is our pride and joy. Together, they are my motivation,” he says. “I was raised to love others, be kind and always have empathy. These are character traits that I work to promote in both my work and personal life.”