The Builder Behind the Builders: Tim Worke’s Industry Legacy
By Sheri Hansen | May 21, 2026
Tim Worke, CEO of Associated General Contractors of Minnesota (AGC-MN).
SPOTLIGHT
You won’t find Tim Worke taking a victory lap in his 1972 Dodge Challenger as he prepares to retire. But colleagues and industry partners say his influence on Minnesota’s construction industry will continue to be felt long after he steps down as CEO of Associated General Contractors of Minnesota (AGC-MN) at the end of this year.
Worke joined AGC-MN in 2003 after a career with MnDOT, bringing extensive experience in government relations and public policy. Over the past two decades, he has helped guide the organization through economic shifts, workforce shortages, and changing industry priorities. Colleagues describe his leadership style as galvanizing and empowering, focused on building consensus and developing programs with long-term impact.
One of Worke’s most significant recent efforts has been helping lead the Minnesota Construction Mental Health Alliance, an initiative that brings together contractors, labor organizations, and project owners to address mental health and worker well-being across the construction industry. The alliance has worked to broaden conversations around workplace stress, safety, and industry culture.
Throughout his tenure, Worke has also worked closely with leaders across the architecture, engineering, and construction sectors through the Building Jobs Coalition (BJC), a group formed in 2008 to advocate for policies affecting the industry. The coalition has supported efforts related to infrastructure funding, workforce development, safety initiatives, and education programs. Industry partners say Worke consistently made AGC-MN resources and relationships available in support of those shared priorities.
In addition to his work with AGC-MN, Worke is engaged with multi-employer benefit trust funds, serving as a trustee on several joint Taft-Hartley committees as well as appointing employer trustees to similar committees across the industry.
Mary-Margaret Zindren, executive vice president of AIA Minnesota, has worked alongside Worke through the Building Jobs Coalition for the past decade. She describes him as “steady and measured,” while also willing to challenge assumptions and encourage difficult conversations.
“His work on mental health in the building industry has been particularly important,” says Zindren. “He’s helped bring together a wide range of stakeholders to talk openly about the pressures unique to construction work and the need for cultural change across the industry. Tim cares deeply about the people he represents—it shows in everything he does.”
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