Open to opportunities

Branden Keesling

@brandenkeesling

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I lead heavy civil estimating teams, systems, and competitive bid strategy.

United States

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What I'm looking for

I'm looking for a heavy civil, sitework, or utilities leadership role where I can lead high-volume estimating, strengthen bid strategy and operating standards, and apply automation, production benchmarks, and analytics to improve competitiveness.

At C.C. Carlton Industries, I lead a nine-person estimating department delivering 50–70 heavy civil, sitework, lift station, and utility bids each month for public and private work valued up to $35M.

I've standardized estimating through a 290-page HeavyBid Codebook, production and unit-price benchmarks, scope-review standards, and predictive bid analytics. I also built browser-based tools that transform Bluebeam CSV exports into standardized takeoffs and Schedule of Values outputs, increasing takeoff productivity by an estimated 15–25% and saving approximately 780 labor hours annually.

My background spans civil utilities, sitework, gypsum cement underlayment, project management, change orders, contract review, and client coordination. Earlier, I built a gaming media brand to more than 500K subscribers and was featured in Forbes and the NYT bestseller OpTic Gaming.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Director of Estimating

C.C. Carlton Industries

Dec 2023 - Aug 2026 (2 years 8 months)

Lead a nine-person estimating team pursuing civil sitework and utility projects valued up to $35M. Manage 50-70 bids per month and serve as final reviewer for estimate accuracy and scope completeness.

Bluebeam Revu Procore Excel Geospatial Bid Analytics WASTEWATER Water Subdivision and Commercial Development

Estimator

C.C. Carlton Industries

Jul 2022 - Dec 2023 (1 year 5 months)

Estimated civil utilities and sitework for subdivisions, offsite utility lines, and commercial projects. Started establishing documentation and scope-review discipline later adopted department-wide.

Bluebeam Revu Procore Excel WASTEWATER Water

Estimator

CEMPLEX

Jan 2022 - Jun 2022 (5 months)

Estimated gypsum cement underlayment, concrete balconies, waterproofing systems, and related multifamily scopes from $5K to $1.2M+.

Gypsum Cement Underlayment Concrete Balconies Waterproofing

Estimator / Project Manager

Sound-Crete Contractors

Jan 2017 - Dec 2021 (4 years 11 months)

Owned end-to-end gypsum cement underlayment estimating, budgeting, client communication, change orders, contracts, and project execution for multifamily developments. Led scope clarifications and negotiated change orders.

Gypsum Cement Underlayment Estimating Budgeting Change Orders Contract Management Project Management