Kirk McClure is the vice president at JE Dunn Construction, one of the largest domestic general building contractors in the United States. “In my role at JE Dunn, I pursue new business for the Phoenix office and assist several national market sectors.” Learn about Kirk McClure…
Follow at: @captaindtk310; @stadium_classic; @3ten_golf
Hometown: Pinckney, Michigan.
First job: Sorted cans and bottles at a convenience store at 10.
Favorite ways to spend your free time in AZ: I don’t have much free time, but when I do, you can find me on one of the many golf courses. My favorite is Grayhawk, where I used to work right out of college. I also have a side business focusing on apparel needs for charity golf tournaments and corporate clients called 3Ten Golf.
Your biggest accomplishment and why: Starting Stadium Classic, a 501c3 charity golf tournament played at TPC directly after the WM Phoenix Open. It gets bigger and better every year, and to date, we’ve raised $77,000 for a charity that supports dogs and veterans. I’m also very proud to be a Fiesta Bowl Yellowjacket.
The biggest obstacle you overcame: Like many, I have encountered many obstacles in my personal life and business, but Lupus must be the biggest. I was diagnosed in my 20s with a life-threatening autoimmune disease after getting some alarming news that if something didn’t change after months of chemotherapy, my days were numbered. I was lucky enough to receive an experimental stem-cell transplant at Northwestern University. Although I ended up having a kidney transplant years later due to the disease, I am in permanent remission for an incurable disease and have zero complications from it today.
Someone who inspires you and why: My father and grandfather. They both fought in wars that shaped America and were great Americans. My father was in Vietnam and was not welcomed back as a hero, like my grandfather, who flew in WWII and Korea. We owe a debt of gratitude to men like them and the ones that follow to defend this country. My dad inspires me daily because he never shied away from hard work. He showed me hard work and grit will help you persevere in any challenge that comes your way.
Advice to someone pursuing a career path in what you do: Always find someone to meet and ask questions. I have built my career and my reputation on relationship building. Relationships are the key, in my opinion, to life and business.
Favorite quote: “Once you know what failure feels like, determination chases success.” — Kobe Bryant
Something someone would be surprised to learn about you: I had the very fortunate opportunity to be a part of the Honorary Commander program at Luke AFB from 2014 to 2016, one of the most rewarding and enjoyable extracurricular activities I have done in my professional career. I not only got to peek behind the wall of the world’s largest training Air Force Base in the world, but I also developed lifelong friendships. I was part of the 310th Fighter Squadron and went through the sacred “naming process,” where I was bestowed as “Captain.” I strapped into the back of an F-16 Fighting Falcon, referred to by the pilots as the Viper, where we flew faster than the speed of sound, pushed the G-limit of the jet and climbed over 1,000′ a second – what a ride!
What makes someone fabulous: Giving back, especially to those in need and doing something they’re passionate about to make a difference and benefit the community around them.