The story of how Urbana’s Mid Illinois Concrete & Excavation, Inc., came to be is one the boss will never tire of telling.
“There have been so many memorable moments,” Kevin Modglin says, “but one that stands out is the day I was sitting around a table with the four men who helped me start this company — Scot Davis, Jason Dodds, Brad Houk and Chris Rennels — and we all said, ‘Let’s do this.’ We had this big idea: let’s start a concrete and excavation company. The funny thing is, we didn’t even have a shovel. Well, maybe they did — but I sure didn’t. That was the day my life changed. I’m extremely grateful for those four men and the trust they placed in me. Thanks, fellas!”
It’s been 14 years since the business Modglin presides over was founded. A Rantoul native who grew up during the “booming era” of Chanute Air Force Base, he went the military route straight out of high school, serving six years in the U.S. Navy. That was followed by two years at Parkland College, a transfer to the University of Illinois and a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering.
Married to his high school sweetheart and father to two sons, Modglin still calls Rantoul home and is an active member of Christian Life Church in the village.
In 2025, the company president took part in News-Gazette Editor Jeff D’Alessio's Beyond the Boardroom feature, spotlighting leaders of local organizations big and small.
The hardest thing about being a leader is … people taking me so seriously — that’s something I never expected. I never thought that what I had to say could actually have a significant impact.
But I’ve learned that words carry weight. I have to be careful what I say, how I say it and who I say it to. I once read, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue,” and now I understand just how true that is.
My one unbreakable rule of the workplace is … be honest with me. If you make a mistake, own it. Mistakes aren’t the problem; they’re part of the process.
If you’re not making any, chances are you’re not taking initiative. What matters most is learning from those mistakes and growing because of them.
My philosophy on meetings is ... simple: they should be useful, purposeful and kept to a reasonable length. I used to dislike meetings and considered them a waste of time, but over the years, I’ve come to realize they are a powerful tool for proper planning across many areas of our business.
One of my mentors ingrained the 5 Ps in me: Proper planning prevents poor performance. The collaboration that happens in a well-run, efficient meeting can make a significant impact on the bottom line.
I can’t live without my ... faith. I honestly don’t even want to think of where I would be without it. It is my foundation, my rock on which I stand.
The three adjectives I hope my staff would use to describe me are … empathetic, honest and trustworthy.
On my office walls, you’ll find … lots of pictures of my grandchildren — River, Remington and Cloe. Oh, how I love those kids!
My professional role model is ... John Bonacorsi. I miss him dearly. He taught me so much. He was my role model, mentor, pastor, neighbor and best of all, my friend.
I’m frugal in that … I’m a blue jean and T-shirt kind of guy.
If I could trade places for a week with any other business person in town, I wouldn’t mind switching with … my friend and partner, Scot Davis, owner of Davis Electric. Scot has faced tremendous adversity with an incredibly positive attitude. If I were to switch places with him, I believe — no, I know — I’d gain a much different perspective on a number of things.
The single-most important question I ask job candidates during interviews is … are you sure you want to work here? Because this is hard work.
The first thing I do when I get to work most days is … try to go around the building or job site I start my day on and tell everyone, “Good morning.”
For lunch … I have to give a shoutout to Drew and his family at Smith Burger Co. I enjoy taking the office staff to Smith Burger for lunch at least once a month.
I wind down after work by … getting in some sort of exercise — whether it be walking, jogging, swimming, golfing or something to slow my mind from the busyness of the work day.
The last luxury in which I indulged was ... my wife and I going on a cruise with our neighbors to the western Caribbean last year. I had gone through the Panama Canal nine times while I was in the Navy, and this trip marked my 10th trip through the canal.
The last good book I read was … “The Ride of a Lifetime” by Robert Iger, CEO of Disney Corp. A quick read and surprisingly a really good book on leadership.
I’m up at … 5-ish during the week, but I don’t always like it. I like my sleep.
My exercise routine consists of … cardio and HIIT workouts, which I try to do three to four times a week. I love my NordicTrack treadmill with the IFIT trainer assist.
The first job I ever had was … around 12 years old, when my dad got me a job cleaning on Saturday mornings at one of the local dry cleaners in town.
I am so thankful for the work ethic my parents and other family members instilled in me at a very young age. It has helped me become the person I am today.
The worst job I ever had was ... detasseling corn and walking beans. I was young and wanted to be doing something fun — and neither was very fun.
As far as my career calling goes … I worked a construction job during my senior year of high school and loved it. After graduation, I joined the Navy, where my division officer often talked to me about the high demand for civil engineers — especially with the aging state of our transportation infrastructure.
That stuck with me. So when I got out of the Navy, I decided to go to school to become a civil engineer. One thing led to another, and now I have the privilege of working with a great team, helping to build our community one project at a time.
