SunSteel, LLC has a team of highly experienced and well respected individuals in the industry. Known for their depth of knowledge in construction, these leaders assist in the company’s daily growth. Click on a team member below to learn more about them.
Dan joined the Sunnyside team in 2000 soon after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Dordt College. His start in the estimating department gave him a detailed and useful knowledge base for steel construction and dozens of design/build projects bolstered his engineering skills. Many of the projects were managed by Dan from cradle to grave diversifying his overall skill set to include project management experience. Dan transitioned to the structural steel sales team in 2008 and has since proven his knowledge of the product, ability to understand and meet clients’ needs and develop relationships leading to repeat business. In addition to his 18 years of experience in the steel industry, he also has a unique understanding of metal building systems, open web joists and deck. Dan is also well versed in scheduling/sequencing, erection planning, mill ordering, estimating, tax law, insurance, cash flow analysis and holds multiple contractor’s licenses.
In Dan’s free- time he enjoys coaching baseball and basketball and enjoying water sports, camping, golfing, snow skiing and spending time with family and friends.
Paul Willden serves as the Vice-President of Pre-Construction for SunSteel, LLC. Paul joined the SunSteel, LLC / Canam team in 2011. He began his career in 1999 with a Salt Lake City area fabricator/erector. Paul has held positions as Estimator Manager, Estimator and in Production Support. He currently manages the sales and the estimating staff to make sure SunSteel’s proposals are thorough and competitive. He also works closely with our project management and accounting teams to make sure our customer expectations are exceeded and projects comes in on budget. Paul has extensive conceptually project estimating experience to help clients with budgeting, schedule development and value engineering to see their project from an idea to completion.
Paul loves spending time with his family camping and fishing. He also enjoys gardening and trying new restaurants.
Kahn Hakman is a seasoned professional with a 27-year career in the structural steel industry. Joining SunSteel, LLC in 2022 as a Senior Project Manager, his dedication and expertise led to a promotion to Director of Project Management at the outset of 2024. Throughout his career, Kahn has held various key positions, including Estimator, Preconstruction Manager, and Business Development Manager.
During his tenure as Estimator, Project Manager, and Preconstruction Manager, Kahn honed his skills in project oversight and planning. Subsequently, as a Senior Project Manager, he demonstrated proficiency in scheduling, budget control, subcontractor, and detailer management, as well as production review and logistics coordination. Transitioning to the role of Business Development Manager, Kahn's strategic acumen and relationship-building prowess were instrumental in generating revenue.
Beyond his professional pursuits, Kahn spends his free time exploring the landscapes of the Pacific Northwest through hiking adventures and enjoys staying active with cycling classes.
Lazaro has been with the company since July 25th, 1995 right after graduating high school. He started off in the shop as a fitter, painter, welder, quality control, machine operator, then leadman, and then worked his way up to supervisor in the year of 2008. As a leadman he used to run the parts department and once he became supervisor he worked to oversee the parts department. He is great with communicating with his team and creating a positive and productive environment. His wife and two kids are what motivates him to take on new challenges and grow in the company. He enjoys hunting with his son and friends, fishing, camping, hiking, and watching his kids play sports.
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Sham Thompson joined the SunSteel team in 2013 as an estimator. He then became the Estimating Manager in 2015, relocating to the Pacific North West. As Estimating Manager, Sham is responsible for monitoring and directing the estimating team. He also heads up the training & quality controls for the entire estimating department. Sham is also responsible for helping the sales team with conceptual estimates.
Prior to joining Sun Steel, Sham spent 13 years with a fabricator/erector in Utah as the Estimating Manager. Through his career he has had the opportunity to work on some very fulfilling projects such as OHSU Medical Center ( Portland) , City Center Casino ( Las Vegas) , IHC Medical Center (Utah), California Academy of Science, and the San Diego Central Library, to name a few. Sham started his career in the steel industry working for an erector in California.
Sham has a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Business Management from La Vern University. He has also been a member of the American Society of Professional Estimators for many years. In his spare time, Sham enjoys blacksmithing, woodworking and gets his greatest enjoyment from coaching his kids in football and lacrosse.
Carey joined the SunSteel, LLC, team in 2015 as a regional sales manager to focus on the Oregon and Northern California market. His prior experience with a steel erector and as chief estimator for a design-build steel specialty firm for over 17 years has provided valuable knowledge to assisting clients with design options and project framing solutions to provide the best value for each project. During his career in the construction industry Carey has developed relationships with Engineers, Architects and suppliers throughout the PNW. He has had involvement from early design discussions and pre bid stage of projects up through contract negotiations.
Carey is a member of the American Society of Professional Estimators.
Carey’s personal interests include scuba diving, working on cars and home improvement projects.
Damion joined the SunSteel, LLC, team in 2024 as a regional sales manager to focus on the Utah, Idaho, and Arizona market. He’s held numerous positions in the 15+ years he’s worked in steel fabrication, such as project management, business development, sales, as well as being a board member for steel fabricator associations. He has participated in projects up and down the west coast, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, and more. Damion’s prior experience gives him the ability to provide valuable knowledge on designing, planning, and implementing large scale steel projects, from contractual/commercial terms to discussing methodology needed for site conditions.
In his free time, Damion spends time with his wife and their 3 active boys. Chances are if he’s not at work, he’s attending one of the boy’s baseball tournaments or enjoying the outdoors whether he’s fishing, skiing, or hiking.
Matt first joined the SunSteel team in the summer of 2014 as an intern, taking on an estimating role that helped him build a solid foundation in the steel industry. After earning his bachelor’s degree in business administration and computer science from Dordt College, he began his career as a software developer for a genetics company. Although his career took a different path, Matt’s positive experience at SunSteel led him to return in August 2022 as an estimator. He quickly refreshed his knowledge of the industry and transitioned into the sales team. Since February 2023, Matt has focused on working with clients and vendors in the Southern California market, while continuing to expand his expertise in the steel industry. His background in software development allows him to approach projects with a keen attention to detail, helping bring them to life from concept to completion. Matt thrives on discussing future projects and possibilities.
Outside of work, Matt enjoys waterskiing, riding motorcycles, playing volleyball, and hitting the golf course—activities that fill much of his free time.
