As a superintendent at Johnson & Jennings General Contracting, David Back has managed a number of construction projects, but building the annual Fantasy on Ice Rink at Horton Square is the coolest by far. Besides involving a 300-ton refrigeration unit, it also benefits Children’s Hospital.

Back, 34, is certainly qualified for the task. After joining Johnson & Jennings in 1991 as a field technician, he quickly rose to the rank of project superintendent.

He manages multimillion-dollar construction projects for organizations such as HNC Software, Plus Orthopedics and Francis Parker School. While the ice rink project might seem minor by comparison, Back approaches it with his trademark professionalism.

When company president Jackie Jennings proposed getting involved with the Children’s Hospital ice rink project about six years ago, Back was quick to volunteer. “It’s nice to contribute and do things for people, so when Jackie brought it up, I definitely wanted to get involved,” Back says.

That first year, Back was already operating as a superintendent, but he broke out his carpentry tools to lend elbow grease to the project. Actively involved every year since, Back now manages the planning and coordination.

Back also was one of the first to volunteer when his company got involved with the Polinsky Center Toy Drive, and once again he rolled up his sleeves. “The first year we were in charge of distributing the barrels to all locations with our own pickups, and then it got so big that the following years we had to get moving trucks,” he says.

Back, the father of three, believes that helping children is its own reward, but his contributions to the community have earned him the respect of his clients and peers.