Nick Moldaner

Since its inception in 2013, Nick has played an active part in shaping RNGD’s dynamic growth. His expertise extends through everything that makes RNGD what it is today – a signature preconstruction process, relentless project execution, engaged business development, and a distinct renegade culture. 

As COO, Nick leads RNGD’s continued evolution with strategies that support the company’s energetic vision. His work entails support for both team leaders and executives, ensuring they have the essentials to maintain peak performance and deliver quality projects. Though his title has changed over the years, and his responsibilities have grown from the granular aspects of project management to delivering on big-picture objectives, Nick doesn’t hesitate when it comes to a complex challenge. His cool-under-pressure approach allows him to thrive in high-intensity environments and situations, benefitting both team members and the company itself. 

Raised in New Orleans, Nick grew up in the construction industry, taking a summer job with his father’s business at age 12. It inspired him to actively pursue this career path from an early age and he feels fortunate to have had that clarity. After earning his degree in Construction Management from Louisiana State University, he embarked on a 17-year construction journey and hasn’t looked back. Driven by the opportunity to challenge the status quo, build lasting landmarks, and give back to the community, Nick jumped into the development of RNGD (Palmisano at the time). As a young company, they were perfectly positioned to drive change through a hands-on approach that brought everyone to the table. Ten-plus years later, Nick believes the company still holds to that quality—collaborating with a team of renegades who are uniquely qualified to deliver high-quality services and who relentlessly pursue value for the customer. 

Apart from his leadership at RNGD, Nick is actively developing the next generation of movers and shakers. He’s served as a mentor in the New Orleans chapter of the ACE Mentor Program, served two terms on the Greater New Orleans Inc.’s NextGen Council, and is a member of LSU’s Construction Industry Advisory Council. Nick was also named to ENR Texas & Louisiana’s Top Young Professionals class of 2020.

Family is everything to Nick. Coming from a big Italian family, he knows how valuable those moments are. Outside of work, Nick is focused on creating happy, long-lasting memories with his wife and three young children. When he has the chance, he pilots his leadership style with his kids (but finds at their young age, they’re the least receptive to it). In his free time, Nick indulges in a love for design. Crediting his mother for this left-brained tendency, he offsets the fast-paced nature of his work by diving into the influence and possibility of place and space. He used the renovation of their home as an opportunity to flex that passion through architectural and interior design—ultimately upholding an inherent pursuit of opportunities to create something meaningful.

RENEGADE PHILOSOPHY: “For, in the end, it is impossible to have a great life unless it is a meaningful life. And it is very difficult to have a meaningful life without meaningful work.” – Jim Collins