Cindy McCleary, managing principal, Leo A Daly’s Minneapolis office

As managing principal of Leo A Daly’s Minneapolis office, Cindy McCleary has seen the impact of a bonding bill and what it means for the industry and the state as a whole. Leo A Daly’s project portfolio includes the Fort Snelling Visitor Center, the Second Harvest Heartland headquarters, and the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s facility. All were paid for with help from previous state bonding bills. Besides playing a role in those impactful projects, McCleary has provided legislative support to groups seeking state money for their construction projects. McCleary has 20 years of experience in design, planning, and management. She joined Leo A Daly in 2011 as market sector leader for the public and institutional sector and was promoted to managing principal a year ago. In the following interview, McCleary speaks with Reporter Brian Johnson about the Legislature’s failure to approve a $1.8 billion bill, the state of the building industry during the pandemic, and other topics.