In Kitchell’s early days, founder Sam Kitchell didn’t just manage projects—he flew to them. With work spread across Arizona, Sam piloted a Piper Tri‑Pacer and later a Cessna 182, often landing right at remote job sites.

One story has lived on in Kitchell history. Flying into Casa Grande, Sam swooped low over a cotton gin project, skimming telephone wires and aiming for a narrow strip of dirt between the unfinished walls and the job trailer. “The laborers hit the dirt,” recalled then superintendent Floyd Swann. “Sam offered me a ride back to Phoenix, but no way was I gonna’ take him up on that offer!”

Sam’s daring flights captured his hands-on leadership style. He was an estimator, supervisor, and pilot all in one—bringing management straight into the field and shaping the get-it-done culture that still defines Kitchell today.

Floyd’s own career took flight too: he progressed from superintendent to senior superintendent in 1980, and ultimately president of Kitchell Contractors-Arizona in 1984—a testament to the growth opportunities and spirit of advancement that have defined Kitchell for 75 years.