As the construction industry continues its transformation into a more data-driven, digitally integrated field, a standout event in Denver brought together innovators, contractors, and tech leaders to share insights, forge partnerships, and look ahead. Co-hosted by Lumber, Tenna, Construction Software Solutions (CSS), NUCA of Colorado, Crest Insurance and DCY Projects, LLC, this May 8 networking event was more than a mixer—it was a pivotal moment for reshaping how construction businesses think about equipment, finance, and digital infrastructure.

The event’s centerpiece came from Mike Dow, a construction ERP strategist who knows the pain points of outdated systems all too well. In a sharp, engaging keynote, Dow painted a picture of where the industry has been—and where it needs to go.

Gone are the days of disjointed spreadsheets, on-premise servers, and duct-taped tech stacks. In their place: mobile tools, cloud-native platforms, and seamless integrations between systems that used to exist in silos.

And it’s here that the evening’s sponsors played a starring role—not as vendors, but as enablers of the very transformation Dow described.

One of the most talked-about platforms of the evening was Lumber, a modern workforce management solution purpose-built for the construction industry.

Designed to eliminate the back-office chaos that plagues many contractors, Lumber delivers a full suite of tools for, payroll processing tailored to prevailing wage and job costing, time tracking across jobsites and crews, digital onboarding and certifications, HR management and compliance, field-ready mobile apps for workers and supervisors and more. As construction firms face growing labor challenges and mounting compliance pressures, Lumber offers a streamlined, cloud-based alternative to generic HR platforms. More than a timecard app, it’s a system of record for the people who power every job.

Mike Dow referenced Lumber specifically in his discussion of “new stack” technologies that are replacing patchworked spreadsheets and legacy systems. “This isn’t HR software retrofitted for construction,” he noted. “This is built for the trades from the ground up.”

Meanwhile, Tenna brought the asset side of the story to life. Their fleet and equipment management platform gives contractors full visibility over every piece of equipment—where it is, how it’s performing, and how much it’s costing.

Tenna goes beyond dots on a map. With features like maintenance tracking, utilization reporting, driver safety monitoring, and ERP integration, Tenna ensures that every machine and vehicle is working as hard as the crew using it.

As Dow emphasized, systems like Tenna eliminate “swivel-chair work”—jumping between platforms—and instead power a unified construction tech ecosystem.

As the firm behind the event’s planning and presentation, Construction Software Solutions (CSS) showed why they’ve become a go-to guide for contractors looking to modernize.

Specializing in construction-focused ERP implementations (Acumatica, Viewpoint, Microsoft Business Central), CSS helps companies identify the right digital tools and implement them with minimal disruption. They’re not just consultants—they’re interpreters, translating IT into something builders can use.

In today’s construction environment, margins are tight, timelines are tighter, and skilled labor is harder to find than ever. But with platforms like Lumber and Tenna, the ability to run smarter—from workforce to workflow—is now within reach.

Explore the platforms building better construction operations:
Lumber – Construction workforce management for payroll, HR, onboarding & more
Tenna – Equipment, fleet, and asset management made smart
CSS – ERP and system integration specialists for contractors
NUCA of Colorado – Advocacy and training for Colorado’s infrastructure workforce
Crest Insurance-  full-service independent insurance brokerage offering commercial, personal, employee benefits, and risk management solutions, with a strong focus on construction, healthcare, and transportation sectors.
DCY Projects, LLC- consulting firm that helps businesses rapidly improve through organizational changes, technology integration, and revenue optimization