{"id":21456,"date":"2023-04-04T13:50:20","date_gmt":"2023-04-04T17:50:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/rinker\/?p=21456"},"modified":"2023-05-01T13:53:02","modified_gmt":"2023-05-01T17:53:02","slug":"dcps-eagle-flies-high-the-story-of-how-two-rinker-graduates-transformed-the-construction-industry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/rinker\/dcps-eagle-flies-high-the-story-of-how-two-rinker-graduates-transformed-the-construction-industry\/","title":{"rendered":"DCP&#8217;s Eagle Flies High: The Story of How Two Rinker Graduates Transformed the Construction Industry"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>By: Kyle Niblett<\/strong><br><strong>April 4, 2023<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Bryan Kornblau - 1981 Construction Management Graduate\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Bx0Mx0Y0tyk?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At 17 years old, a tall, skinny boy from Richmond, Virginia took the advice of his father and traveled down to the University of Florida with dreams of winning championships for UF Head Golf Coach Buster Bishop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/bryan-kornblau-54000b22\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bryan Kornblau<\/a> (BBC \u201981) grew from a boy into a man, it turns out the best thing to happen to him was that the hall of fame coach rejected him quick, quicker than Tiger Woods rejected the LIV Golf Tour. In the end, it did not matter that the next Jack Nicklaus was not coming out of Gainesville; what mattered was the next great construction manager was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Four decades later, the culmination of Kornblau\u2019s legacy built at the <a href=\"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/rinker\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/rinker\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">M.E. Rinker, Sr. School of Construction Management<\/a> has resulted in a transformative announcement for the soon-to-be-built <a href=\"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/news\/ramoscollaboratorygroundbreaking\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/news\/ramoscollaboratorygroundbreaking\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bruno E. and Maritza F. Ramos Collaboratory<\/a>: an industry-leading Virtual Design Construction Lab named after Kornblau and his company, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eagleofva.com\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.eagleofva.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Eagle Construction of Virginia<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cementing the future of advanced construction technologies within the architectural, engineering and construction (AEC) space, this gift from Virginia\u2019s most trusted builder and Kornblau will empower the students and researchers at the UF College of Design, Construction and Planning (DCP) to continue doing the work that progresses the industry, while ensuring UF remains the preeminent institution in this space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhen you look at what construction executives and career construction folks have to do on a day-to-day basis, they have to collaborate,\u201d Kornblau answered when asked why the new Eagle VDC Lab was so important to him personally. \u201cNot one person on site is an all-in-one construction manager, architect, engineers and real-estate developer. Each person must work together, and this gift to the Collaboratory will teach them how to do just that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With Kornblau\u2019s philanthropy matching <a href=\"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/faculties\/anumba-chimay\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/faculties\/anumba-chimay\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dean Chimay Anumba<\/a>\u2019s vision, the lab will be a best-in-class space in perpetuity. As an adaptable space, it will be modified based on technological advancement and the research current students, researchers, and industry practitioners are conducting. Technology will be available on a moment\u2019s notice for students and researchers to effectively and efficiently collaborate in a way that makes solving problems and creating advancements easily attainable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cDean Anumba has breathed new life into the program, and along with many of his faculty and staff, his vision of what DCP needs to look like in order to excel on a peer level is second-to-none,\u201d said Kornblau, who serves as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.markel-eagle.com\/team\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"http:\/\/www.markel-eagle.com\/team\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">chairman and principal of the real-estate investment firm Markel\/Eagle Partners<\/a>. \u201cAll of the funds necessary to create an environment that can compete with the national powerhouses in design and construction are there, and that is a testament to the success of the fundraising campaign and the vision and generosity of the Florida legislature.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At 64 years old, Kornblau admits that the lab\u2019s advanced technology is something not very easily found in a construction industry where methods and business models don\u2019t change rapidly. As a result, Kornblau spent the early part of his career like a NASCAR driver at Richmond International Speedway. While completing laps over and over again, he asked himself one race-related question about his business: \u201cHow do you fix a car while it is still racing around the track?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Long before the question was ever answered, however, he had his own race to run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-medium is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/kornblauhero-v1-300x188.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-174096\" width=\"500\" height=\"313\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Bryan Kornblau<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>OFF TO THE RACES<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Spending his summers on construction sites where the hot red clay attached itself to his boots quicker than sweat poured down his brow, Kornblau was an understudy for his father, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blileys.com\/obituaries\/Sam-The-Chief-Kornblau?obId=7611460\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.blileys.com\/obituaries\/Sam-The-Chief-Kornblau?obId=7611460\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sam \u201cThe Chief\u201d Kornblau<\/a>. Considered \u201cthe elder statesman of Richmond real-estate development,\u201d The Chief sheepishly had a pretty good guess his son wasn\u2019t going to be winning tournaments surrounded by the Loblolly Pine Trees of Augusta National Golf Club. As a result, he pitched something better: palm trees with pretty women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Having just watched his dad, aka the president of Richmond\u2019s Home Builders Association, navigate the treacherous waters of the 1973 oil crisis and survive in the development business, the younger Kornblau figured the literal South couldn\u2019t be the worst option if things went figuratively south, so he hopped in a station wagon with his pops and made the 700-mile journey to Gainesville. Despite seeing more pine trees than palm trees and more birds than beaches, the younger Kornblau fell in love with UF at first sight. With a special waiver from then-School of Building Construction Director <a href=\"https:\/\/milamfh.com\/testimonial\/don-a-halperin-ph-d\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/milamfh.com\/testimonial\/don-a-halperin-ph-d\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Don Halperin<\/a>, he was accepted for the fall 1977 semester.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI will never forget my first class was a construction materials class taught by Professor Bill Apps in Fine Arts A,\u201d Kornblau said. \u201cI&#8217;ll tell you what \u2013 his class hooked me, and I never looked back.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-medium is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image_67513857-1-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-174072\" width=\"366\" height=\"488\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Bryan Kornblau Graduates in 1981<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>THE RISE OF AN EAGLE EMPIRE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After graduating from the legendary Rinker Class of 1981, the newest Gator returned home to the capitol of Virginia looking at 20 percent interest rates and the toughest, most competitive market he had ever seen. As companies went out of business after making one bad mistake, he worked for his dad\u2019s company for a few years at the general contractor level as a project manager, learning just how difficult the business was. The newest Kornblau in construction took out a loan in October 1984 and opened his own small business. Flying high on the Reagan-inspired patriotism of the mid 80s, he named it Eagle Construction of Virginia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At 26 years old, Kornblau started with 60 lots and benefitted from The Chief\u2019s wisdom, his own gained from his UF education, and the market timing. Slowly, the business grew throughout the rest of the decade. After surviving the Savings and Loans Crisis and driven by the work ethic of his old man who came into the office every day until he was 93 years old, Kornblau eventually turned his 60-lot company into the state\u2019s largest privately held homebuilding company. By the mid-2000s, the firm was recognized as <em>*the*<\/em> homebuilder of Central Virginia, winning a plethora of Homearama People\u2019s Choice Awards on their way to 135 communities and 5,000-plus homes. When the financial crisis of 2008 hit, Kornblau once again timed the market perfectly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe sold our land positions due to the demand because it was so hard to get construction done at a reasonable price,\u201d Kornblau said. \u201cWe were making more money selling our landholdings than we could actually building and physically improving the property.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thanks to learning the art of the deal from The Chief, Eagle flew right through America\u2019s downturn before starting a private equity fund manager with the first fund at $32 million. After selling everything in his nest to Markel Venture in 2013, Kornblau assumed his aforementioned role as the chairman and a principal of the new private equity firm, Markel\/Eagle Partners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cEagle has continued to be a leader in the market, in different types of mixed-use projects and also different innovative types of housing for sale,\u201d Kornblau humbly proclaimed. \u201cBut even with the success at the time, I was continuing to ask myself, \u2018How do you fix a car while it is still racing around the track?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/DSC_0483-copy-1024x511.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-174078\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">In 2017 Kornblau&#8217;s Rinker Legacy was cemented forever with his induction into the Rinker Construction Management Hall of Fame<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>ANOTHER RINKER LEGACY BEGINS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As Kornblau was looking for the answer to his question of how to take his business to the next level, two Rinker graduates in the small town of Bristol, Rhode Island, were introducing an unassuming, neatly dressed undergrad to <a href=\"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/faculties\/r-raymond-issa\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/faculties\/r-raymond-issa\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dr. Raymond Issa<\/a>, Rinker\u2019s Director of the Center for Advanced Construction Information Modeling (CACIM).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rwu.edu\/academics\/schools-and-colleges\/seccm\/faculty\/bilge-gokhan-celik-phd\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.rwu.edu\/academics\/schools-and-colleges\/seccm\/faculty\/bilge-gokhan-celik-phd\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dr. Bilge G\u00f6khan \u00c7elik<\/a> (Ph.D. \u201906) and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rwu.edu\/academics\/schools-and-colleges\/seccm\/faculty\/michael-j-emmer-phd\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.rwu.edu\/academics\/schools-and-colleges\/seccm\/faculty\/michael-j-emmer-phd\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dr. Michael Emmer<\/a> (Ph.D. \u201909) introduced me to Dr. Issa at an American Schools of Construction Conference in Reno, Nevada,\u201d said <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/n-blinn\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/n-blinn\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Nathan Blinn<\/a> (MSCM \u201915, Ph.D. \u201918), who was the star of the Roger Williams University underdog team who finished above a team from Stanford at the ASC competition. \u201cInside the Reno-Tahoe International Airport was the first time in my professional life where I had a moment where you find this connection with someone and realize there is something really interesting there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After researching the Rinker School, Blinn decided to pack up everything and move down to the Sunshine State for graduate school. As he got involved with as much research as he could with different groups in different departments, he also started teaching and working on different grants to understand how to make a difference in the industry. After receiving his <a href=\"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/rinker\/academics\/masters\/construction-management\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/rinker\/academics\/masters\/construction-management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">master\u2019s of science in construction management<\/a> in 2015, Blinn was a doctoral candidate on Sept. 16, 2017, when he made the life-changing decision to introduce himself to a man who was being <a href=\"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/news\/kornblau-inducted-into-rinker-schools-construction-hall-of-fame\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/news\/kornblau-inducted-into-rinker-schools-construction-hall-of-fame\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">inducted into the Rinker Construction Hall of Fame while wearing a magnificent orange-and-blue plaid sports coat: <em>Bryan Kornblau<\/em>.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A Rinker grad with Virginian insight had stumbled upon a doctoral student looking for a professional invite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Nathan-PhD-Graduation-1024x619.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-174088\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Blinn and Dr. Issa at Blinn&#8217;s doctoral commencement ceremony.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>A BOND LIKE NO OTHER FORMS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Unlike science, when the positive charges of Kornblau and Blinn interacted, the forces didn\u2019t go against each other. In fact, they went toward the same goal. Not being intimidated by the larger-than-life personality, Blinn approached Kornblau and let him know he\u2019d be heading up a VIP tour showcasing Blinn\u2019s lab and his doctoral work. It was not just a tour though. It was an experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOn that Saturday, we had a big group go through his lab and he gave a great presentation,\u201d Kornblau happily recalled as if it were a memory of opening a Christmas gift as a child. \u201cI&#8217;ll never forget the holographic projector that he displayed as he explained the new innovation in scanning, three-dimensional scanning, drone scanning, modeling and building information modeling. I remember looking at him and thinking to myself, \u2018If I can recruit him to Richmond, we can do some special things.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Just like meeting Dr. Issa, Blinn had found another special someone. Kornblau was not just asking surface-level questions. The inquiries were deeply insightful, interesting, and hard-hitting \u2013 ones Blinn had never considered that immediately moved both to even bigger-picture thinking. It was then at that exact moment six years ago when the residential construction industry transformed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt is that beautiful moment when you find somebody who has an unwavering desire to be better,\u201d Blinn explained. \u201cA phrase I use a lot is \u2018Build Better.\u2019 We did not realize it at first, but we found that in each other. I care about him deeply, and he cares about myself and my wife and our families. I consider him family now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A few short weeks later Kornblau flew his entire executive team down to Gainesville to meet Blinn, whose persuasiveness, positivity and potential made a deep impact on the Eagle team. As Kornblau continued to think about driving real change in an industry, he asked a decades-long question for the last time: <em>How do you fix a car while it is still racing around the track?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI searched for that answer for 30 years, and it was answered when I met Nathan Blinn,\u201d Kornblau said. \u201cI saw Nathan as the one who could actually be the mechanic to fix that car while it was still running around the track, changing the tires and tuning up the engine without losing the lead.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Kornblau-Blinn-BIM-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-174076\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kornblau taking part in Blinn&#8217;s presentation in September 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>RECRUITING A FIVE-STAR PROSPECT<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-thumbnail\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/10.08.22-Rinker-Construction-Hall-of-Fame-Ceremony-Nathan-Blinn-1-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-174082\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite the connection, Kornblau at times felt like Nick Saban trying to recruit Tim Tebow away from Florida. Blinn\u2019s wife, Andrea, had a great job in Venice, and the couple could have worked anywhere in the Sunshine State. As Nathan sat inside Andrea\u2019s Sarasota apartment, the two faced a crossroads: do you lean into this powerful connection, or do you not? Unlike Tebow, this five-star prospect decided to go out of state. In Blinn\u2019s words, it wasn\u2019t to work for a residential builder; it was to work for somebody who had a vision for a better future. The Blinns were all in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cArguably, Bryan put a lot of trust in somebody that hadn&#8217;t earned it yet,\u201d Blinn acknowledged. \u201cI think we just had that connection to fundamentally shatter the way we do business. We were able to foster an interesting dynamic where we were side-by-side pushing this thing to unknown places. I would not trade it for anything.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kornblau had gone from learning about the construction business from his father to slowly turning into a professional father figure of his own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-medium\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/09.21.21-Rinker-Residential-Summit-Bryan-Kornblau-Nathan-Blinn-and-Eagle-Construction-Employee-2-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-174094\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br><strong>TRANSFORMING THE BUSINESS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With a vision, passion and willingness to move mountains, Blinn and Kornblau transformed a Virginia construction company into a BIM-based organization. Through intense process research and program customization geared toward the residential industry, Eagle was quickly able to produce fully-flushed drawing sets, complete with takeoffs ready for permit, in less than two hours. Furthermore, the idea of developing homesteading protocols with home-site reports that tie in drone mapping and laser scanning to tighten down their \u201cbelow the sill plate\u201d costs has become easy to Eagle. However, it is only easy now because Blinn was not afraid of it being difficult back then.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe most dangerous phrase of all is, \u2018That&#8217;s how we&#8217;ve always done it,\u2019\u201d Blinn said. \u201cThat phrase gets used more in construction than I care to admit, and that\u2019s because we work in a business that is slow in adapting, changing and integrating new things.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With this new technology in place, Eagle has been able to change the narrative from a contractor asking another business to do something to a contractor using \u201cwe\u201d when discussing making improvements with Eagle. The you-to-we transition in verbiage has been extremely critical in the relationships between Eagle and its partners. Having started with the vision, it is now the commitment and passion that pushes the company to new heights. For Kornblau, whose business had been around for more than three decades, it felt like going from driving a Studebaker on a dirt road to accelerating in a brand-new Ferrari on the Autobahn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI have a lot of extremely intelligent people collaborating for honestly the first time since my organization was born. It is funny how the collaboration is a theme that always comes back up. It comes back up because it is important, which is why we felt it was important to help with DCP\u2019s Collaboratory.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Rinker-North-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-174090\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kornblau and Blinn are surrounded by Rinker graduates in Richmond, Virginia<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>RINKER NORTH<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With Kornblau and Blinn leading the way, Richmond has developed a new nickname thanks to Eagle and their hiring practices: \u201cRinker North.\u201d At one point in the last few years, as many as 11 Rinker graduates were working for the company full-time. With a fantastic quality of life in Richmond, the organization continues to recruit impactful individuals from Gainesville who can help the dynamic duo transform the company. But why?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI have unwavering trust in the program,\u201d Kornblau explained. \u201cI went through it in the 70s and early 80s and developed lifelong relationships with the directors, professors, and classmates. I continue to have trust in the curriculum and honestly feel 100 percent comfortable knowing that the graduates that come out of Rinker have the entrepreneurial spirit and drive to take advantage of the technology that we provide.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/DSC_0553-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-174100\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Eagle maintains a constant presence at DCP and Rinker Career Fairs in Gainesville<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While it may be difficult in theory to ask a young adult to move the 700 miles north of UF after graduation, the success rate has been tremendous due to <a href=\"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/news\/2021residentialsummit\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Eagle\u2019s consistent visits to Gainesville<\/a> and their 100 percent participation rate in DCP\u2019s annual career fairs. With Blinn\u2019s story of success, as well as him overseeing the internship program, Rinker\u2019s influence is obvious. Even more so when you visit his office in Richmond and see Rinker\u2019s floor plans on the wall. The relationship has evolved into a win-win all the way around for both Eagle and DCP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe spoke many years ago that now is the time where if we are not intentional about being part of the future of the industry, we are going to look up and not have the talent or the resources to continue what we have started,\u201d Blinn said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With Rinker graduates donning Orange and Blue all over Virginia now thanks to Kornblau, Blinn and their coworkers, Eagle felt an obligation to honor Bryan and provide the next generation of talent with opportunities and resources they can\u2019t find at any other construction management school in the country. Hence the gift to the Ramos Collaboratory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/06.14.21-TEC-Lab-Robert-Cox-pointing-to-his-Rinker-office-on-the-wall-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-174098\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rinker Director Dr. Robert Cox points to the Rinker floor plans on the wall at Eagle&#8217;s workplace in Richmond, Virginia<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>GIVING BACK<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As Blinn and Kornblau talked about a way to give back, they both realized how important their interdisciplinary education at DCP was and how Eagle needed to step up and be the one to foster that type of space. In an industry where those in the built environment are working with other universities and researchers to continuously move forward, it is easy to miss the mark because of being inside an intense, work-focused bubble.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt will help create those interactions and be a place where interdisciplinary skills are developed,\u201d Kornblau said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For Blinn, the upcoming lab named after Eagle is near and dear to his heart because of the opportunities he received as a student at Rinker. His desire is to <a href=\"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/blog\/spotlights\/eagle-construction-gifts-250000-fellowship-to-dcp\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/blog\/spotlights\/eagle-construction-gifts-250000-fellowship-to-dcp\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">pass what Rinker taught him in terms of resources and diversity of education down to future students<\/a>, creating an environment where other industry professionals yearn to partner with UF to work on problems that are vital to the continued progress of the industry. By breaking down the barriers to entry in this technological space, this new lab provides an opportunity to revolutionize the construction business and make every person in the industry better off for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis Collaboratory is trying to bring these architects, designers, planners and construction professionals together to make something extremely special,\u201d the <a href=\"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/news\/202240under40\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/news\/202240under40\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">recent 40 Under 40 recipient<\/a> said. \u201cThe mission of the Collaboratory really struck me from the very beginning as a very powerful one, because it&#8217;s something that&#8217;s had a huge impact on my life. This will ensure UF continues to be the place where people want to go to move technology forward.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This of course, has always been the vision of Dean Anumba.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI remember sitting in the auditorium during Chimay\u2019s interview to be the dean, and I remember telling the person next to me after he walked out that UF would be crazy not to hire him,\u201d Blinn revealed. \u201cHe understood what our industries meant to the world and how DCP could shape it. When you share that vision, and you see it in action, it is very easy to trust.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/06.15.21-McRae-Lacy-Site-Visit-Nathan-Blinn-and-Chimay-Anumba-2-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-174092\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Blinn and Anumba on a 2021 site visit to Eagle Construction at McRae &amp; Lacy in Richmond, Virginia<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The goal of this vision, whether it be a landscape architect, interior designer or any other discipline at DCP, is to manifest that dream in the new Ramos Collaboratory. The Eagle VDC Lab will give all students the opportunity to do just that. Every toolbox and every technology will be at the disposal of DCP students thanks to gifts from people like Kornblau and Blinn. Perhaps the biggest tool in that box is artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With the new Eagle VDC Lab, an environment will be created where AI can be explored and applied to solve real-world problems. Now on the fastest track of them all, the Eagle race car is helping DCP make sure AI partners with BIM and other advanced technologies to make the new space a fertile ground for advancement in the industry. Along with UF\u2019s supercomputer, the HiPerGator, the investment in the AI space at UF will allow every design, construction and planning student and professional to tap into AI and supplant the old ways of doing things with collaborative, revolutionary improvements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMy entire life, both at Rinker and in my profession, would have not happened if it was not for collaboration,\u201d Kornblau finished with. \u201cThat is why we decided to give back.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Nathan Blinn - 2015 Construction Management Master&#039;s Graduate, 2018 DCP Ph.D. Graduate\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/TPxO-Laa4SQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>At 17 years old, a tall, skinny boy from Richmond, Virginia took the advice of his father and traveled down to the University of Florida with dreams of winning championships for UF Head Golf Coach Buster 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