Leadership
Brent Schafer is the CEO of Todd Construction, Inc. During his lengthy career, he has been involved in the construction of projects that have become increasingly larger and more complex, reaching a total value exceeding $2 billion. His experience, success and longevity in a tough industry give him an inside understanding of construction few others can claim.
Brent grew up in Douglas County, Oregon, graduated from Glide High School and worked his way through college as a logger. He attended Umpqua Community College and Oregon State University, earning a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering. He joined Todd Construction as an estimator in 1985 and worked his way up, quickly advancing to Chief Estimator, then Vice President of Construction and Vice President/General Manager. He was named Company President in 2001 and is now CEO.
His favorite quote, posted on the wall of the Company headquarters office, came from legendary football coach Vince Lombardi, who said: “We will chase perfection, and we will chase it relentlessly, knowing all the while we can never attain it. But along the way, we shall catch excellence.”
Brent has been a board member of the Oregon-Columbia chapter of Associated General Contractors for several years and he sits on the board of St. Mary’s Home for Boys. He’s also reforesting hundreds of acres of timberland lost in the 2020 Archie Creek wildfire near Glide, Oregon.
Ken Dixon has been with Todd Construction since 1998 and was named President in 2024. Ken began his career as a CPA for an international accounting firm and could have chosen any industry to land in, but he particularly enjoys working in commercial construction.
“When I left the public accounting world of numbers, I wanted to produce something I could touch and feel. I can always point to what Todd Construction has built and, for me, that’s a good thing.”
With his background, it is natural for Ken to directly oversee the company’s professional relationships with bonding companies, banks, insurance companies, legal counsel, auditors, and regulatory authorities, as well as company financial operations.
Additionally, as part of his corporate duties, Ken chairs Todd Construction’s Safety Committee, where he involves company personnel from all levels. Such an approach increases safety awareness on the job. He aims for zero accidents and injuries on our job sites.
Outside of work, Ken is a timber farmer and volunteers in the foster care system as a Court Appointed Special Advocate. As he looks to the future, his goals include setting up the company for the next generation of leadership.
Ken is a lifelong Oregonian who grew up in Salem and graduated from Oregon State University.
Matthew Dalla Corte is Vice President of Todd Construction. He brings a valuable perspective to the project teams he works with because of his varied background in construction. He has experience in real estate development, architecture and construction.
Matthew joined Todd in 2019 as a project manager, bringing an extensive resume of housing projects, from affordable housing to luxury apartments. He’s known for his clear and concise communication skills, ability to adapt to quickly changing conditions, and creative solutions to project challenges.
He enjoys working with clients to turn potential into reality. He collaborates with project teams to balance aspirations with budgets, dreams with constraints, and aesthetics with function.
Matthew holds a Master’s of Architecture and a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts from the University of Oregon. He has volunteered to build accessible ramps for citizens with disabilities, and he has coached his daughters in their athletic pursuits.
In this spare time, he and his family enjoy skiing, fly fishing, whitewater rafting, and other outdoor activities.
Monte Carothers is the General Superintendent of Todd Construction. He oversees the work occurring on all Todd job sites while also serving as field superintendent on major projects.
One of his top priorities is to build up and train the next generation of superintendents and foremen to improve further the qualities the Todd Construction workforce is known for: high-quality work, integrity, and innovative problem-solving abilities.
Monte looks out for everyone, encouraging them to remain physically, emotionally, spiritually and mentally healthy.
Monte has worked in the construction industry in Oregon since 1985. He joined Todd in 1994 as a foreman and quickly rose to superintendent. He’s worked extensively on education projects in the K-12 and Higher Education markets.
When he’s not working, he spends time with his family going on outdoor adventures: trail riding on horseback, climbing mountains, paddle boarding or snow skiing. They also love to enjoy dinner and theater together.
