At 36, Nyoki Mokeba is already building the kind of legacy many spend a lifetime chasing. After losing his mother to leukemia at age 11, he committed himself to honoring her memory through service, leadership and a drive to help others facing similar battles.
As ABC’s 2026 Young Professional of the Year, Mokeba is proudly bearing the fruits of his labor—and his 12.5-year career at Baton Rouge, Louisiana-based Performance Contractors stands as a testament to how merit builds legacy.
“I don’t have an education in construction management,” says Mokeba. “You would think someone like me would be behind the eight ball, but I have proven that I will work hard and learn. Advancement in the merit shop isn’t based on who you know, how long you have been there or what your name is.”
LINING UP THE SHOT
For Mokeba, cultivating his career and leadership path in Baton Rouge—the city that raised him—was not always the plan. After earning a bachelor’s degree in marketing and a Master of Business Administration from Southeastern Louisiana University, he chose to pursue a career in construction from the ground up.
“I just tried to find my way into an interview and let them know, ‘If you teach it to me, I will learn it and I will be as successful as possible,’” he said.
That goal-setting mindset at Performance Contractors set Mokeba on the path to where he is today. “Goals need to be realistic but also challenging. They need to be attainable and achievable, and they need to not only benefit me, they need to benefit other people as well,” he says.
Mokeba began working primarily in the field before transitioning into a corporate role. During that time, Josh Rounds, vice president of project services and controls at Performance Contractors and a past ABC Pelican Chapter president, along with Lance Glaser, director of strategic procurement, equipment and logistics, encouraged Mokeba to get involved with ABC.
“Growing up in Baton Rouge, you see a lot of different ABC members that are based there. You see the life that they live—they’re very stable and always growing,” Mokeba says. “I am grateful to work for Performance Contractors, a company that not only supports my professional growth but also encourages me to pursue my personal passions. Their support has given me the platform to make a meaningful difference.”
FAMILY MATTERS
Mokeba’s endeavors to refine his career and leadership have been shaped by positive role models and guiding principles. His father, a political science professor at Louisiana State University for the past 36 years, instilled the philosophy of servant leadership.
“I think it’s simple—putting others before yourself and being kind,” Mokeba says.
Trademarked as his best attribute, Mokeba has been adamant in his maintaining selflessness, kindness, faith and service throughout his career. One of his guiding mottos reflecting that mindset? “Be the person that you want your daughter to marry,” he says. “I want my daughter to see me working through hard things—to see that everything you want in life comes from sacrifice and hard work.”
While his servant-leader qualities have been a useful tool in navigating challenges in the industry, Mokeba’s ethos of service extends beyond his career. Over the past five years, Mokeba has raised more than $30,000 for cancer research, supporting the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and the American Cancer Society. He also serves on the board of Fork Cancer.
EARN IT
Mokeba’s vision for the future of the industry reflects a meaningful balance between embracing the inevitability of technological advancements while preserving the integrity of older generations of craft professionals. “We need to combine both to ensure we’re not losing what got us here, while also becoming more efficient with our practices,” he says.
Supporting the next generation of construction professionals has become a natural extension of his work. For the past four years, Mokeba has volunteered with LSU construction management students preparing for ABC’s annual Construction Management Competition. This year, the LSU construction management students won first place and were named Student Chapter of the year. “I have taken the lead over the last few years—arranging speakers and industry experts, speaking in classes to recruit students and sharing how beneficial this experience can be for their future,” he says.
It comes as no surprise that Mokeba’s character and merit have already been recognized by ABC. In 2024, he received the Committee Member of the Year Award from the ABC Pelican Chapter for his work with its Young Professionals Committee. “Given the Pelican Chapter’s respected reputation in Baton Rouge and across the nation, being selected for the award was both humbling and motivating,” Mokeba says.
Naturally, Mokeba’s commitment to growth extends beyond the jobsite. He serves on the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry’s 2026 Emerging Leaders Council and is currently pursuing a post-baccalaureate certificate at LSU in contract writing and construction project management.
Winning ABC’s 2026 Young Professional of the Year is a milestone—but not the destination. “These achievements remind me that success is not just about personal milestones, but also about giving back and creating opportunities for others,” he said.
At the top of his priorities? Fostering a culture of safety and inspiring the next generation of craft professionals. “The industry is growing right now,” he says. “And we need more people. We need more talented and smart people.”
