Ryan Begay excited to be joining familiar faces
Ryan Begay joins Pulice – a FlatironDragados company with a clear sense of purpose and an understanding of what he wanted next.
Though new to Pulice, Ryan previously worked with the team on the I-10 Broadway Curve Improvement project. This experience showed him the company's operational excellence and pride firsthand.
“I’d seen some of the projects Pulice completed, and I knew the amount of professionalism and skill that the team possesses,” Begay said. “That’s the part that I wanted to join.”
Now, as a new senior project engineer, he is bringing that enthusiasm to the upcoming 303L MC 85 to Van Buren project in Goodyear, Arizona. For Ryan, the move is both professional and personal.
“I knew that this was a dream job,” he said.
Drawn to excellence and opportunity
One of the biggest factors in Ryan’s decision to join was what he observed firsthand on Broadway Curve teams that took pride in their work and people who continuously pushed themselves to grow.
That impression stayed with him. So did the opportunity he saw to keep building his own career.
“I saw an opportunity to learn new things and then at the same time grow from it,” Begay said.
He brings more than a decade of industry experience to that next step. After graduating from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff with a degree in civil engineering, Begay built a career that gave him exposure to design, dirt work and heavy civil construction. Over time, he sought broader experience across structures, drainage, paving and concrete work, all of which helped shape the path that led him to Pulice.
Helping lay the groundwork on 303L
Begay has already been deeply involved in preconstruction on the 303L MC 85 to Van Buren project, particularly in planning around High Energy Impact Compaction. Based on the project addendum, the work requires pre-construction surveys and documentation of privately owned residential and commercial properties within 100 feet of the Arizona Department of Transportation right-of-way before HEIC activities can begin. The process also requires owner notification, tracking and detailed photo and video records to establish baseline conditions before construction starts.
For Ryan, it is an early chance to get immersed in the scale and complexity of the job.
“It’s going to be exciting,” he said, pointing to the earthwork, drainage infrastructure and major structures that will shape the corridor over the life of the project.
He said he is especially energized by the bridge work ahead and by the chance to help deliver a project that will support the fast-growing West Valley.
“To be a part of that new change in the area is exciting,” he says.
Grounded in family and roots
Ryan grew up in Wide Ruins, a small community on the Navajo Reservation in Northern Arizona. He is the son of a heavy equipment operator, and he said watching his father follow work across the Southwest helped shape both his view of the construction industry and his work ethic.
In Navajo culture, Begay said the early dawn carries special meaning. It is a time for prayer, reflection and preparation before the day begins. That mindset, he said, taught him to work hard, take pride in what he does and see things through from beginning to end.
“That kind of instills that in you, to wake up every day and then to work hard and then to take care of what you have and then to just be the best at what you do,” he said.
Today, Begay lives in the Valley with his fiancée, their 3-year-old daughter and three dogs. He enjoys traveling, fishing, camping and spending time outdoors with his family. He also makes time to return home to be with his parents and relatives, and he wants his daughter to grow up knowing where she comes from.
“My heart still lives with my family on the reservation,” he said.
A strong addition to the team
Ryan joins Pulice at an important moment, with a major project ahead and room to grow in a new role. He said he is grateful for the opportunity, excited about the team around him, and motivated to keep building a career with purpose while staying close to his family.
Pulice is excited to welcome Ryan to the team. His experience, values and drive to keep growing will strengthen the company and support the success of the 303L MC 85 to Van Buren project in the years ahead.