Before joining Shanahan, Curtis served in the Royal Engineers with the 23 Para Engineer Regiment and 35 EOD & Search. Alongside a demanding military career, he trained as an endurance athlete, competing in long-distance running and obstacle course racing. After winning multiple competitions and representing the UK at the World Championships, he went on to explore a wide range of physical challenges—from skiing and freefall skydiving to ultra-marathons and mountaineering some of Europe’s highest peaks.
Following his Army career, Curtis began renovating a property from first fix stage, which sparked a move into construction management. Starting as a trainee site manager, he progressed quickly to construction manager, overseeing a diverse portfolio of projects. His work ranged from new build sites to high-spec, bespoke renovations—including listed buildings in collaboration with local council heritage departments, multimillion-pound barn conversions, and grand-design-style developments. He thrived in high-pressure environments and rapidly developed a deep knowledge of the construction industry.
He later joined a major PLC housebuilder as a site manager, where he was responsible for all aspects of a Bedford site, from materials and labour to customer care and aftersales. As the main point of contact for everyone on site, he also served as the Mental Health Advocate, offering support to colleagues when needed. Despite the scale of the operation, he found himself drawn back to the values of smaller, more collaborative teams.
This brought him to Maydencroft and ultimately to Shanahan, where he now works as Contracts Manager. He saw clear potential to help grow the business and lead it into a new chapter—expanding its groundwork and drainage services across Beds, Bucks, Herts and beyond. Curtis believes in strong family values and building a team culture where people feel welcome to pick up the phone and trust that Shanahan will do everything possible to deliver results—whether above or below ground.