People-First Leadership

As president of S.I.P. Inc. of Delaware, William Godfrey is celebrated for empowering teams and promoting unity among all project stakeholders. For his leadership skills, he has earned a place on Roads & Bridges’ inaugural Top 25 Under 40.

His entry into the industry began as a project manager in steel erection, which eventually led him to S.I.P., Inc to serve in the same role. He was promoted to vice president, recognized for his daily commitment and organization-wide impact. Following his promotion to vice president, the company’s former president began preparing Godfrey to take his place after his retirement.

After being named president in a unanimous vote, Godfrey now oversees all aspects of the company, steering its strategic growth, culture and operational performance.

Godfrey pays it forward to future industry leaders through coaching and mentorship programs, supporting a roster of supervisors and foremen who will carry the torch into the future of the field.

Godfrey employs a people-first leadership approach, ensuring every employee feels valued, heard and empowered in the workplace, successfully fostering a foundation for retention, accountability and performance. Not only has Godfrey forged relationships within the company, but he is also a trusted partner to the hundreds of contractors across the region, having earned their confidence by aligning diverse teams and keeping projects moving decisively. 

He does not settle for “good enough,” but promotes continuous improvement on every bridge build raising the bar on quality, safety and precision in their line of work.

As president of S.I.P, Inc., Godfrey does not operate in silos. He broke through the individualized work settings to implement collaborative work cells that promote stronger integration between project management, fabrication, logistics and field installation. He facilitates an environment that fosters open communication, using frontline voices to inform schedules, methods and site sequencing, earning the acceptance of stakeholders and improving project outcomes.

Godfrey has sowed the seeds of a workplace that exhibits teamwork and forward-thinking. He has introduced team-building programs and implemented lessons-learned reviews to ensure project gains are captured and reused on future projects. He encourages his employees to take ownership of their roles while supporting one another, which has lifted morale and productivity company wide. 

His unique approach has not only created a strong company morale, but also driven company growth and innovation by ensuring each voice is heard and promoting the sharing of ideas. Aside from the success of the company, he puts the well-being of his employees at the forefront, where his impact can be measured through their loyalty and inspiration.

Beyond S.I.P., Inc., Godfrey is involved with several state contractor associations including the Florida Transportation Builders Association, Alabama Road Builders Association and the Association of Oklahoma General Contractors. His participation has broadened the company’s exposure across the broader infrastructure industry.

Not only does he take part in industry organizations, but he also encourages employees of all levels to take part in extracurriculars in order to expand their professional growth and to keep teams aligned with industry standards and advocacy. Their industry involvement serves as a bridge between internal teamwork and external partnership that support the company’s growth and industry progress.