MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
- Chip Mansfield
- 6 days ago
- 5 min read
Dr. Ryan Penlerick
Professor of Practice & Program Director, Concrete Industry Management and Construction Science and Management
Texas State University
Member Spotlight: Ryan Penlerick
Building the Future of Construction Through Industry Experience and Education
For Dr. Ryan Penlerick, construction education is about more than preparing students to earn a degree. It is about preparing them to step onto a project, into a company, and ultimately into leadership roles with the knowledge and confidence to make an immediate impact.
That philosophy is grounded in more than 25 years of experience spanning construction, concrete, business ownership, military service, and education. Today, as Professor of Practice and Program Director of both the Concrete Industry Management (CIM) and Construction Science and Management (CSM) programs at Texas State University (which together enroll approximately 1,100 undergraduate students) Dr. Penlerick brings those experiences together to help prepare the next generation of construction and concrete industry professionals.
As a Lifetime Member of the American Council for Construction Education (ACCE), his career exemplifies the important connection between industry experience and construction education that ACCE works to strengthen.
From the Construction Industry to the Classroom
Dr. Penlerick's path to the classroom began in the United States Air Force, where he served as a 3E5X1 Civil Engineer. That experience shaped the discipline, leadership, and problem-solving mindset he has carried through the rest of his career.
After his military service, Dr. Penlerick built an extensive career in construction and concrete, with experience spanning project management, estimating, and senior leadership roles.
His work has touched a diverse range of commercial, residential, multifamily, and concrete construction projects. He ultimately founded his own commercial construction company in New Braunfels, Texas, and throughout his industry career managed and delivered projects across multiple states.
That combination of construction, concrete, and business ownership experience ultimately led Dr. Penlerick into full-time academia, with the Concrete Industry Management program at Texas State University serving as his entry point into higher education.
That experience provides Dr. Penlerick with something especially valuable in the classroom: a practitioner's perspective.
Students are not simply learning construction theory. They are learning from an educator who understands the realities of estimating, project management, contracts, cost control, constructability, leadership, and the day-to-day decisions required to deliver construction projects successfully.
His teaching interests reflect that background and include construction estimating, construction project management, constructability, construction contracts, precast and prestressed concrete systems, and construction cost controls.
Leadership at Texas State University
At Texas State University, Dr. Penlerick serves as Professor of Practice and Program Director for both the Concrete Industry Management (CIM) and Construction Science and Management (CSM) programs within the Department of Engineering Technology.
Both programs combine technical education with business and management principles to prepare students for careers throughout the concrete and construction industries. Under Dr. Penlerick's leadership, CIM and CSM alike emphasize the relationship between classroom learning, hands-on experience, professional development, and direct engagement with industry, and he has made the continued growth and modernization of both programs a priority.
That connection is especially important to Dr. Penlerick's approach to construction education. His work consistently focuses on ensuring that graduates possess not only academic knowledge, but also an understanding of what employers and the construction industry expect of emerging professionals.
His academic preparation reflects the same combination of construction and education. Dr. Penlerick earned a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management from Colorado State University, a Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and a Ph.D. in Construction Science from Capitol Technology University.
Research Focused on Graduate Readiness
Dr. Penlerick has also contributed to the construction education profession through research examining one of the industry's most important questions: What makes construction graduates truly ready for the workforce?
His research interests include construction management education, construction workforce development, construction productivity, reducing construction waste, contractor licensing and certification, and the relationship between construction materials, methods, and insurability.
In 2025, Dr. Penlerick received the Best Paper Award at the 61st Annual Associated Schools of Construction International Conference for research co-authored with Dr. Craig Capano.
Their study, “Effect of Construction Management Instructors’ Degree and Industry Experience on Construction Management Graduate Job Readiness,” examined how faculty academic credentials and real-world industry experience influence construction management graduates' career preparedness.
The research speaks directly to an issue at the heart of construction education: finding the right balance between academic rigor and practical industry knowledge so graduates are prepared to succeed from the beginning of their careers.
Texas State University also recognized Dr. Penlerick as a Student Success Champion within its College of Science and Engineering, further reflecting his commitment to students and their professional development.
Service to the Construction Profession
Dr. Penlerick's influence extends beyond Texas State.
He has been active in professional and industry organizations throughout his career and currently serves in leadership and service roles supporting construction education and workforce development.
In 2026, Dr. Penlerick was elected to the Board of Directors of the Associated Schools of Construction (ASC) as Director of Region 5. In that position, he supports member institutions, regional initiatives, collaboration among construction educators, and ASC's broader strategic direction.
His professional service has also included involvement with the American Institute of Constructors (AIC), the Associated General Contractors (AGC), the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI), and the Precast Concrete Manufacturers Association, among others.
He is also a Certified Professional Constructor (CPC) through the American Institute of Constructors.
Together, these roles allow Dr. Penlerick to remain closely connected to the challenges facing contractors, educators, students, and the construction workforce—and to bring those perspectives back into the classroom.
In His Own Words
Asked what Lifetime Membership in ACCE means to him, Dr. Penlerick said:
“Consistency is key. Staying involved in influencing standards and helping other programs—as well as our own—grow and modernize, is important to me.”
On the importance of the academia-industry partnership ACCE champions, he added:
“Industry is the driving factor behind applied programs like Construction Management and Concrete Industry Management. The industry changes fast, and without direct industry input into curriculum, we can't maintain relevant programs and assure students are Ready Day One.”
Beyond the Classroom
Outside of Texas State, Dr. Penlerick's proudest role is as a husband, father, and grandfather. His wife runs a title company in San Antonio, and the couple has four children—three daughters and a son—and one grandson.
Their oldest daughter graduated from Texas Tech University and is a middle school English Language Arts teacher. Their son graduated from Texas State and is now in law school specializing in construction law. Another daughter graduated from Texas State and is pursuing a second bachelor's degree in nursing. Their youngest daughter begins her freshman year at Texas State this fall in the CIM program.
When he's not teaching, Dr. Penlerick spends nearly every free weekend on the water in Rockport, Texas, fishing for speckled trout and redfish.
A Career Connecting Industry and Education
Perhaps the defining characteristic of Dr. Penlerick's career is the bridge he has built between construction practice and construction education.
He understands industry expectations because he has spent decades working within it. He understands educators' responsibilities because he now leads and teaches students preparing to enter that same profession. And through his research and professional service, he continues to explore ways the two communities can work more closely together.
That combination makes his Lifetime Membership in ACCE particularly meaningful.
ACCE Lifetime Members represent professionals who choose to make a long-term commitment to construction education and to the continued advancement of the profession. Dr. Penlerick's work embodies that commitment through teaching, research, professional service, and a sustained focus on student success.
The American Council for Construction Education is proud to recognize Dr. Ryan Penlerick as an ACCE Lifetime Member and to spotlight his continued contributions to construction education, Texas State University, and the construction industry.
Thank you, Dr. Penlerick, for investing your experience, leadership, and knowledge in our profession's future.
We enjoy spotlighting ACCE members, including their industry accomplishments and contributions to ACCE and our accredited programs.
Stay tuned for more in the future! Steve Nellis.
CEO/President, American Council for Construction
