Untold Potential
by Ben Bradley
The stunning mountain mecca of Sun Valley, Idaho, inspires everyone who visits its rugged landscape, especially those lucky enough to call it home. Surrounded by unspoiled wilderness and limitless options for unadulterated solitude, it could not provide a more natural setting for one to indulge in some of the introspection and soul-cleansing meditation often ascribed to trendy practitioners of mindfulness. And yet there is something about the mountains that seems to impart this reflective wisdom to all who spend time in their presence.
“The Greek translation for happiness is the joy a person feels moving towards their true potential,” Ogden says. “I believe that is our ‘why.’ Always working hard to find our full potential.” Certainly not the response one might expect.
Third-generation builder Tyler Ogden was born and bred in and around the mountains of Idaho. In speaking with him, it is readily apparent that his life in the mountains has given him a uniquely philosophical perspective on the building industry that he has been a part of in one form or another his entire life. Ogden helms the celebrated firm Intermountain Construction, which was founded by his grandfather Myrlin Ogden nearly 50 years ago and run by Tyler’s father Jeff before him.
Taking on a multitude of massive public projects across the Mountain West region, Intermountain quickly developed a reputation for construction quality that was beyond reproach. They also seemed to thrive in the harshest and most challenging mountain environments. They even garnered a Build America Award for their work renovating the Old Faithful Lodge in Yellowstone National Park, which was completed nearly entirely in the winter, necessitating all labor and materials to be snowmachined in and out of the worksite. Their work eventually caught the eye of Sun Valley Company owner Earl Holding, who eventually selected Intermountain to build some of its most iconic buildings, including River Run Lodge, Warm Springs Lodge, and the Sun Valley Pavilion.
When asked what it is that sets Intermountain apart from the crowded field of talented builders in Sun Valley, Ogden is the first to admit that on the surface, most everyone puts forth similar differentiators: quality, commitment, etc. Instead of following the more predictable arc of elaborating on his team’s methods and strengths and accolades, Ogden goes a little deeper.
“The Greek translation for happiness is the joy a person feels moving towards their true potential,” Ogden says. “I believe that is our ‘why.’ Always working hard to find our full potential.” Certainly not the response one might expect.
While Intermountain’s current work may have less prominence and involve fewer projects annually than it did under his father and grandfather, the refined scope has allowed Ogden to find clarity in his vision for the future and given him an opportunity to methodically hone the very ethos of the company, understanding that all the actual building work will be an extension of this thinking. In this way, Ogden and the Intermountain team continually elevate their work and achieve remarkable results through a deep, shared understanding of the motivations that drive each other.
At the helm of such a longstanding family-run business, Ogden fittingly notes that the Intermountain team is itself much more akin to a tight-knit family. In their collective mission to achieve peerless build quality, Ogden regularly reminds his team, “Take care of the work, and the work will take care of you.” This culture of accountability, excellence, and camaraderie may have begun organically, but Ogden reveres its intrinsic value and is steadfast and deliberate in its cultivation. He understands the role his leadership plays in fostering the culture, and he sets the tone by consistently knowing every minute detail of a project inside and out, creating a positive working environment and holding everyone involved in a project accountable. The effects of this strong culture extend far beyond the Intermountain team, influencing each subcontractor and designer that contributes to a project.
Unsurprisingly, Ogden has applied the same contemplative approach to the intimate relationship that ties a homeowner to their builder. He establishes the immense amount of trust that must exist between the two by welcoming them into the extended family and taking on their vision as the common goal towards which he and the entire Intermountain team will set their sights. And Ogden seems to relish in the building of each new relationship, understanding how important the project is to them and just how well they will know each other by the time the project concludes. Ogden chuckles as he notes, “The older I get the easier it is, as I’m catching up to their ages, so we have a lot in common with our kids and things like that. And it’s fun, it’s a lot of fun, and I’m just enjoying the process more.”
As he looks towards the future, Ogden envisions steady growth for Intermountain, but he doesn’t seem to be too terribly concerned with the shape or speed of that growth. He has made the conscious decision to continue looking inwards, letting his unique philosophy continue to drive his relentless commitment to quality and his pursuit of Intermountain’s truest potential.
“The older I get the easier it is, as I’m catching up to their ages, so we have a lot in common with our kids and things like that. And it’s fun, it’s a lot of fun, and I’m just enjoying the process more.”
–Tyler Ogden, Intermountain Construction
