Thomas Dapp
Thomas Dapp
CEO and Chairman of the Board
Experience
Tom founded Gradex in 1973 after spending the first 7 years of his career with another contractor working in Wisconsin, Illinois, West Virginia and Indiana. Tom realized he wasn’t going to be happy unless he tried it on his own. Tom serves as CEO and Chairman of the Board.
Education
Tom is a Professional Engineer with a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering and a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) both from the University of Wisconsin where he attended as an Evans Scholar.
Involvement
Tom has been very active in the construction community for many years including as a Lifetime Director and committee chairman of the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), and as a three time chairman of the Indiana Construction Association (ICA). He continues to serve as an employer trustee of Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA), the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE), and as a Director of the Western Golf Association (WGA). He helped form the Metropolitan Indianapolis Coalition for Construction Safety (MICCS) and served as its Vice-Chairman. Tom is a long time Board member of the Indianapolis and Carmel Chambers of Commerce and served as President of the Carmel Library Foundation. He is a member of the Indianapolis Opera Board and is currently serving on the advisory board of Old National Bank.
Honors include being designated a Distinguished Hoosier by Governor Orr, selected to Who’s Who in Construction, Design & Engineering by the Indiana Business Journal, as well as being chosen as one of the 30 most influential persons in construction in the last 30 years. Tom is a Blue Chip Award recipient and a past Board member. He was recognized as Contractor of the Year in 1999 and is a SIR Award winner.
Tom enjoys golf and travel. He is a member of the Century Club, traveling to more than 120 countries and visiting all seven continents.