20 People to Know in Construction 2025: Matt Zaryk
Louisville Business First recently recognized Matt Zaryk, President of Construction at Denton Floyd, as one of the 2025 20 People to Know in Construction. People to Know serves as a bridge between the Louisville-area business community and key figures shaping essential industries in the area.
Matt Zaryk
President of construction, Denton Floyd Real Estate Group
Years in current job: less than one
Years in the construction industry: 21
What do you like most about working in the construction industry?
The challenges associated with every project. While many projects might seem repetitive, they all produce fundamental and unique challenges that require innovation and creative thinking among project teams.
There is an overwhelming sense of pride that encompasses the leadership team as you watch the project teams troubleshoot and overcome these challenges.
What’s the most exciting thing happening in the industry right now?
It is certainly the volatility in the market and the demand to be adaptive in our approach to building more economically efficient while building the best quality product.
What project are you most proud of?
Not a specific project — I am proud to lead the project teams of Denton Floyd and build a team of talented and dedicated industry professionals who genuinely care about the organization and its future.
How do you manage risks like fluctuating material costs?
This requires a strategic approach that includes fostering established relationships, cultivating new vendor and subcontractor relationships, as well as instilling confidence in our trade partners as to the future pipeline to ascertain the competitive edge.
How is the labor pool for construction — how do you adapt to that?
The labor market certainly presents challenges from both an internal and external perspective. As a leader, it is always the goal to hire the best and brightest candidates, which requires recognition of the competition within the market. To counter the competition, it is imperative that we offer the most competitive salaries and benefits package available, as well as offer perks to our employees.
From an external perspective, understanding our trade partner limitations and the calculated approach to awarding projects aids in the mitigation of labor challenges. Additionally, staggering the commencement of projects to accommodate labor shortages is vital to not only our success but the success of our trade partners.
How do you approach a complex problem or situation?
Logically and analytically. In a leadership role, it is imperative to never make decisions based on emotion. Understanding the totality of circumstances relative to the issue at hand and making an informed decision based on facts.
This method of thinking is actively fostered among project teams, and like many other key traits, it begins with leadership and resonates throughout the entire organization.
What’s a lesson you learned early in your career that you’d like to pass along to the next generation in the industry?
Understanding that the success of every project is contingent on the collaboration, communication and partnership of all team members — this includes design professionals, trade partners, government entities, finance partners, etc.
Every stakeholder serves a vital role that is critical to the success of the project. There is no place for attitude or ego in this industry.
Does AI and automation have a role in the industry?
AI is, without a doubt, critical to the construction industry and its innovation. AI is not only beneficial as it relates to the labor shortage but also the pace and quality at which we build. As we continue to grow, Denton Floyd has committed to technological innovation and adopted it into our core principles of construction.