WEST
BEN LEHAN
Regional General Manager – Arizona
When Ben first came in contact with Colt Builders, he said what attracted him the most was “everyone from the top to the bottom showed tremendous amount of respect and dedication towards the project(s).” It is this same respect and dedication that has gotten Ben into the position of ‘Regional General Manager’ for the company. A Nebraska native, and an Iowa State University Construction Engineering graduate, he has been building a strong foundation in the Phoenix market for over a decade. Ben’s problem solving expertise doesn’t just lie in the building of buildings, he also uses technologies such as Autodesk, Revit and Trimble Sketch-up to review the constructibility of projects. Amongst many avenues of meditation, a few of Ben’s favorites are yard work, brewing beer and cooking.
GREG EVANS
Regional General Manager – South California
Greg is from Oregon, where at a young age he was taught a solid work ethic on his grandfather’s 80-acre farm. He is always on the move, whether it is for the love of physical activity, or as a dedicated, results-driven professional. Having lived and worked in the pacific northwest for many years, the move to California was a welcomed change, as it reunited him with his wife. Greg has been in the construction industry since 1983. By the age of 25, he had run his first project from start to finish. He has worked his way through all the ranks, from Laborer to President and Owner. On the job, Greg holds a high appreciation for the interworking of the job-site, the interaction between trades, and coordinating a path of success. With a home, son and daughter in Oregon, home and wife in California, and a stepdaughter studying abroad in France, his personal life is definitely busy. Even so, Greg still manages to spend quality time with his close-knit family, as well as time outdoors: backpacking, fly fishing, and dirt bike desert riding. According to Greg, “couch-time stresses him out.”
PETE YANEZ
Regional General Manager – North California
Originally from San Diego, Pete has uprooted and now resides in Northern California. He has been in the construction industry for 43 years, with titles ranging from Foreman to Superintendent to Co-Owner. Pete holds a talent and an eye for artistic creations of all varieties. As Regional General Manager for Colt Builders, he is creating a strong foundation for our ever-growing Northern California market. With the wonderful accomplishment of 35 years of marriage, Pete is also a loving father of 5 and grandfather of 4.
PHIL BLAKE
Senior Project Manager – Texas
According to Phil, team building and watching a project come to life are the best parts of a job. He has had a full spectrum of titles within the industry, allowing him to have no fear in picking up a tool beside his crew members. With a history of plumbing as well as wood framing expertise, Phil has been with Colt since 2014. Originally from Australia, he has transplanted numerous times around North America, eventually landing him in Austin, Texas. It is here in Austin, where he works and plays. With two kids as the center of his universe, he also enjoys Spartan Racing, CrossFit, swimming, and music. With over 28 years experience in the construction industry, Phil has a love for the idea, ‘never stop learning’.
HERMAN “LEE” GUNN
Project Manager – Texas
Lee is originally from Houston, started his construction career in Dallas, and currently works in the Texas market for Colt Builders. However, this is far from the only state where he has lived and worked. While accumulating more than 34 years in the industry, Lee has resided in numerous places over the years. When he first left Texas, he headed for the East Coast; including stops in New Hampshire, Florida, and many of the states in between. He is a loving Grandfather of 3 grandchildren, who still manages to find time for his other passion, BBQ. Lee has a BBQ Competition Team called “Gunn’s A Smokin’,” that competes in 2 or 3 cook-offs a year.
MICHAEL “MIKE” WERT
Project Manager – Texas
Michael began with Colt Builders in 2019, but this is far from the beginning of his construction experience. Since 1996, he has worked in Multifamily Wood Framing. Michael holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Science from Texas A&M University. He has lived in a handful of states within the continental U.S., and he has more than a handful of hobbies including snowboarding, surfing, mountain biking, road biking, and archery hunting.
JARED BLANCHARD
Project Manager – Texas
Just outside of New Orleans, Louisiana is where home is. – And the starting point of Jared’s construction career and focus. After receiving his degree at Louisiana State University, he began working for a heavy civil construction company that works with bridges and flood protection projects. Jared then moved to Chicago and began working in residential construction. After working in the construction industry for over 12 years, and having several titles along the way, Jared brought his expertise to Colt Builders in May 2020. Family time and physical activity are priorities for him, finding enjoyment in cycling, swimming and paddle boarding. While in Chicago, Jared spent his spare moments with recreational soccer leagues as well as a recreational rowing crew team.
Safety Credentials: OSHA 30
ROBERT “BOB” LANGTRY
Project Manager – Arizona
Beginning in the state of Wyoming and the year 1980, Bob started down the road of a construction career that has taken him through various titles ranging from Foreman, to Supervisor, to Project Manager. With experience also as a safety director, Bob stands true to the high bar of Colt’s Safety standards. Working for Colt Builders, in the big, beautiful skies of Arizona, Bob spends his free time exploring the world through photography.
MICHAEL “MIKEY” FRANCIS
Project Manager – Arizona
Though the little town of Quakertown, Pennsylvania is his roots, Mikey has a strong admiration for the Southwest: the boots, the horses and the bikes. After roofing houses in Pennsylvania, he started working for Colt Builders in 2015. His journey with our team has taken him through the Northeast, Mid Atlantic, Texas and now Arizona. This same journey has taken him through the ranks from carpentry to Project Management, where his expertise is helping expand our Arizona market.
Safety Credentials: CPR/First Aid, OSHA 10
IAN HAUFF
Project Manager – Arizona
Ian has journeyed from the extremes of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, to Phoenix, Arizona, where he started his construction career. His upbringing in Edmonton came along with a high set of values and ethics, which he applies to both his personal and professional life. With a joint bachelor of arts degree in economics and commerce, several construction titles ranging from assistant Superintendent to Project Manager, we can say Ian is well respected and brings a wealth of knowledge to his position here at Colt Builders. He has a few places he has called ‘home’ – Alberta, San Diego, Houston and Phoenix. Though it is a busy life to lead in construction, Ian manages to find time to do the things he loves as well, including hiking, fishing, camping, hunting and vertical farming.