In collaboration with Meghan Hunt from HG Ventures

Twenty-three years is a long time to spend working in any organization, but Corey Baugh’s passion remains undimmed–in large part, he says, because he seeks out new ways to think about the impact that Milestone has on the world, through his collaboration with other parts of The Heritage Group.  

Corey joined Milestone as a Developmental Trainee in 2001 and has held several positions in the company, including as an estimator and in operations. Now a VP/Area Manager in Columbus, Indiana, Corey brings the depth and breadth of his experience to bear to help Milestone clinch major projects and deliver them to the highest possible standard.  

For many, such a role would provide more than enough challenges and job satisfaction, but for the past five years Corey has also been sharing his expertise with The Heritage Group’s New Ventures team.  

 “It all started when I participated in a leadership training program with colleagues from across the Group,” explains Corey. “The focus was on bringing people together to find new ways to connect, collaborate and innovate, which was really exciting.” 

 Corey has a reputation for thinking outside the box across Milestone, and he was invited to be part of the inaugural selection committee for The Heritage Group Accelerator, which brings entrepreneurs to Indianapolis for an intensive 13-week program to develop their concepts into viable businesses.  

Sitting on that first selection committee in 2019, being exposed to dozens of budding founders was “like a speed date from hell”, says Corey. And he loved it. “It was so cool to be in the room with all those inspiring individuals,” he says, “And to observe the New Ventures team in action.” 

 With so many of those passing through the Accelerator program focused on heavy highway-related construction, Corey’s input that first year was invaluable as a mentor to the startups, and he’s been participating ever since.  

“Ours is a mature industry,” he says, “But being exposed to all those innovative ideas gives me a whole new perspective on where things might be heading, and the improvements that are still possible. In a way it makes what we do feel a little smaller, but that’s not bad thing.” 

Corey’s admiration for founders is perhaps in part because he is no stranger to entrepreneurship himself: He developed and holds a patent for Triangular Scale Tape, which provides multiple conversion scales on one tape measure. He jokes that it is “so successful I still work a full-time job”, but his tape is used by engineers and architects the world over.  

Ask Corey why he takes on the additional responsibilities of working with the New Ventures team and he’ll tell you: “I just want to help. It makes me happy to do it.” 

Corey found another kind of happiness through his work with the Accelerator, too: Through remaining in contact with one company from the Accelerator, he traveled to Colombia to evaluate a startup’s technology for Milestone and met Carolina Mendez, a project manager. Corey and Carolina married in 2022.  

The day Corey and his wife, Carolina, met in Columbia at Zilper Trenchless