In 2020, SBS Construction was lucky to have Russell Leone intern in our Finance department with Charlie Leone, (you got it! His dad.) Russell received a Bachelor’s in Finance with the highest distinction summa cum laude from the University of Texas – Dallas. Below is his first-hand experience interning at SBS in which we are grateful to have shared with Russell.

“I am immensely grateful to have had the opportunity to complete an internship with SBS Construction. The experience that I gained during my time there will undoubtedly benefit me throughout the rest of my academic and professional career. All the employees were exceptionally helpful, informative, and welcoming.

During my time at SBS Construction, I learned how the company operates from top to bottom. From tracking projects financially and operationally to visiting job sites and seeing how the company’s field services are executed, it was very eye-opening to see how everything comes together. I was able to see how money is made and lost on projects due to a myriad of factors.

I also thoroughly enjoyed being able to read various contracts as it related to construction, scope of work and insurance as well as discussing the differences between contracts and the reasoning behind each contract. The financial and legal importance of reading and, more importantly, understanding contracts became clear very quickly.

Sitting in meetings and listening in on calls gave me a greater understanding of the logic and planning required to successfully run a company. I learned a great deal about industry analysis during meetings, calls and conversations with various employees. Many times, I was able to see how what I learned in class can be applied to real-world situations. Additionally, learning how information flows through a company, and the importance of clear communication, was a key part of this internship. I was able to see first-hand how good communication can solve problems swiftly.

I would like to say again, how much I appreciate the opportunity I had to complete an internship with SBS Construction, and I am truly grateful for everything that I learned and the connections I made during my time there.”

Russell Leone, Bachelor’s in Finance, summa cum laude, University of Texas – Dallas, December 2020