Lucas Finley

President

Lucas believes if you surround yourself with hard-working, smart people, success will follow. He is proud of the team behind RUKCO and the valued partnership they provide to clients. He believes each individual, when given the opportunity, can and will make a positive impact. 

Lucas was raised in the construction and rail industry, developing an interest in safety which was later fostered through advanced research and education. His passion for safety led him to pursue expertise in behavioral based safety, safety leadership and safety culture, focusing on operational management systems as a whole.

Lucas has authored and co-authored multiple books, articles and research publications, with an emphasis on the practical application of academic models. His extensive knowledge of safety management has taken him around the world, working with a variety of industries in several different countries. He continuously seeks to improve the profession and is passionate about developing future operational and safety leaders.   

Contact Information
Direct: +1.317.502.1776
Email: lucas.finley@rukco.com

Jason Hommel

Director of
field Operations

Having a father and uncles deeply embedded within the industry, Jason was born with construction in his blood. He was molded into the professional we see today through mentorship provided by his family, determination, and tradesmen's background. Jason's appreciation for safe work and a high-level of construction operation competency is directly attributed to his experience as a laborer, carpenter, and foreman. 

Recognizing his interest, knowledge, and ability, Jason chose to expand his role to a supportive function within construction projects. He was a natural and effective fit as a quality manager on multiple projects, but found his true calling carrying a duel roll of quality and safety manager on a long-term project. 

Recently, Jason has been involved in various safety and quality program initiatives across the healthcare, utility, automotive, higher education, and energy sectors. Jason's passion for the profession is the continuous support to his fellow tradesmen. 

Contact Information
Direct: +1.317.508.1395
Email: jason.hommel@rukco.com

Paula Kennedy

Program Director

Paula’s passion in life has always been helping others. From an early age, Paula volunteered and worked in various positions with children and adults in low socioeconomic status households or those with developmental disabilities and/or mental health disorders. She found great fulfillment in advocating for those whose voices were often unheard or overlooked.

After earning a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University, Paula took a position in the occupational safety industry and immediately recognized how it aligned perfectly with her innate desire to help others. For Paula, safety isn’t just about rules, regulations and statistics; it’s about valuing each individual worker and ensuring they are put in a position to succeed at work and return to their families safely at the end of every shift.

Paula has several years of safety experience, including designing, implementing and facilitating safety programs on large-scale construction and healthcare projects. She was integral in creating the safety program utilized on Rolls-Royce Project Condor, a $400 million renovation and construction project. Over the course of five years, Paula created data collection software, developed program onboarding and a safety handbook, performed regular leadership interactions and audits, generated daily/weekly/monthly reports, held annual safety summits, and consistently reassessed and improved upon the project's safety.

Paula has authored, co-authored and edited several articles and publications on safety culture. Her broad experience, multilingual skills, passion for helping others and ability to interact with personnel at all levels of an organization are have enabled Paula to build strong relationships with clients and contractors, built on teamwork and trust.

Contact Information
Direct: +1.317.508.0019
Email: paula.kennedy@rukco.com

Gayla Hurson

Business Development

Gayla is responsible for developing business and clients as well as assisting with marketing efforts.

Gayla was previously with the Construction Safety Council (CSC) since its inception in 1989. She took over as Interim Executive Director in June 2011 and was named Executive Director in June 2014. Prior to leading the organization, Gayla served as administrative director and oversaw all functions of the CSC. Her experience includes work in project management, financial management, event planning, facilities management, fundraising and human resource management supported by a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Illinois State University.

She has been active in volunteering for several nonprofits, including holding various positions on school boards, heading committees, running school fairs, and served many years as a youth baseball coach. She has actively raised thousands of dollars for local and national charities.

Contact Information
Direct: +1.317.690.0389
Email: gayla.hurson@rukco.com