Meet Eric Neff, the preconstruction manager at New Generation Construction.
Tell us a little about your business. – New Generation Construction (NGC, ngcgroupinc.com) is a commercial general contractor headquartered in Lincoln and Omaha. We specialize in hospitality and multi-family projects. We are relationship driven both with our internal team and our clients. The majority of our business is with repeat clients, and we believe our relationship-driven approach is a big part of our success.
How did you get started in the business? – I’ve been doing construction since I was 16, working for a small concrete contractor over the summer. I ended up working at Menards in high school and really enjoyed the people in the industry. From there, I attended UNL for Construction Management and started at NGC shortly out of college.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced professionally? – Learning how to lead others has been one of my biggest challenges. It’s easy to just try and take over a problem myself, but that doesn’t help others learn and grow in their roles. I’ve since learned to teach and trust others to perform their work.
What has been your most important achievement professionally? – Being an integral part of the Telegraph District from its conception. Being a part of the construction and even working within the districts was very significant for me. I feel like I’ve had the opportunity to play a role in the Telegraph District’s meaningful impact to the Lincoln community.
Tell us a little about your family. – I’ve been married to my amazing wife Becky for 14 years and we have a 6-year-old girl and 4- and 2-year-old boys. They keep me very busy outside of work, and it’s fun to see them grow and learn new things every day.
What is your favorite quote or the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? – “Perfection is the enemy of progress.” – Winston Churchill. I’ve learned as I’ve become a leader in the company, that it’s always good to continue to strive for excellence, but that it should not be such a focus that it hinders progress. It’s okay to improve incrementally, and that if I wait for perfection before implementing new processes or systems, then they will never be implemented, and the original goal of improvement is lost.
If you could have a super power, what would it be? – Flying faster than a speeding bullet would be neat!
Which talent would you most like to have? – I wish I were better at golf.
If you could choose any other profession to be successful in, what would it be? – I would build classic hot rods. I’ve always loved watching Chip Foose and Boyd Coddington transform old muscle cars into modern, beautiful hot rods, and I actually almost went to school to learn how to do just that.
What is your favorite TV show? – Pretty much any World War 2 documentary.
What is your favorite local restaurant? – Lazlo’s Brewery & Grill. I love their Voodoo Chicken!
If you could have dinner with one famous person from the past or present, who would it be? – Elon Musk. Musk has such an open mind to new ideas, thoughts, and risks, and he wills things to happen. He also surrounds himself with brilliant people who add to his success. I think there’s a lot to learn from someone who can be successful in so many different arenas.
If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do so? – (402) 310-8817; eneff@ngcgroupinc.com; ngcgroupinc.com.