-1.png?width=113&height=85&name=MicrosoftTeams-image%20(5)-1.png)
What’s your favorite EDA value, and why?
My favorite EDA value is Demonstrate Humility. Many people, including myself initially, associate the word humility with weakness. After much reflection on the word and its meaning, I now view it as an amazing sign of strength. It takes courage and strength to admit when you do not know something, recognize your own shortcomings, and ask for help. Being open minded and asking others for their opinions shows you have confidence in your own abilities, acknowledge that you do not know everything, and are looking to gain knowledge in a constant state of self-improvement.What are your communication and decision-making styles?
I have been told that I am very levelheaded and calm during discussions. I do not believe in the notion that the louder person wins the argument. If you address every issue with facts and a growth mindset of “how can we fix the issue”, you do not need to bring irrational emotions into the conversation. Those that know me also know that I do not like to fight for air space, meaning I do not like it when people talk over one another. One of my favorite quotes is “You have two ears and one mouth, use them accordingly.”
What’s the best piece of advice you have been given relating to your job/career?
“Just say yes” – Especially in a first job, a new company, or anywhere you are looking to make an impression, just say yes and do whatever is asked. Stay late, sweep the floor, make a delivery, work an extra shift, or anything else to express that you will be part of the team. If you are at the right company and have the right people surrounding you, this will be noticed, and it will serve you well in your career growth. A second piece of advice was “Always walk like you have somewhere to be”. This stuck with me at an early age as it represented that you should have a purpose in everything that you do. Your time is valuable and whether that is walking to a meeting, to the bathroom, or to get the mail, act as if that is the most important task at that moment.
What has been the best part about your experience working with EDA so far?
I have been at EDA for almost 70% of its existence and have seen a lot of changes through the years. The best part has been witnessing the growth and opportunities that it has created for people. As we continue to grow, whether in adding scopes of work we perform, geographical areas, or size of projects, it is constantly creating opportunities for professional growth. It is truly rewarding to see members of your team grab these opportunities and develop into leaders in the organization.
Cats or dogs? Why?
Unpopular opinion, but neither. There, I said it.
What’s your proudest accomplishment, either in your professional or personal life?
Having my children, family, and friends help me create a non-profit foundation in memory of my wife that passed away of colon cancer. We have turned a very difficult loss into an opportunity to grow closer as a family and provide assistance to those that need it most. We have formed an amazing partnership with local treatment facilities where we are able to help patients and families in need while they are going through difficult times during treatments. The work that we are doing is continuing to grow, which is allowing us to help more families.
We invite you to join us on September 14 for the Janine Hee Memorial Foundation's 4th Annual Fundraising Event. It's a wonderful opportunity to come together for a great cause, with fun games, delicious food, live music, and fantastic prizes. Every ticket purchased directly supports the foundation's mission to assist families facing health-related hardships and provide scholarships to students in need.
What brought you to the construction industry?
Growing up I loved working with my hands, always building Legos, Lincoln Logs, putting bookcases together, or taking things apart just to put them back together. I worked multiple summers and holiday breaks with small local contractors sweeping floors and taking out trash until they taught me how to use the tools. I also loved drawing and sketching which is why I thought architecture would be a perfect fit for a career. It wasn’t until I was enrolled in college in my architecture program that I realized I could declare a concentration in construction management, which would bring me closer to the industry that I knew I loved. I still love watching buildings being created and the engineering that goes into getting creative designs on paper to real life beautiful structures. Being part of a team that delivers these buildings to our customers through project management and a customer focused approach is the best career I could have imagined.
Learn more about the Janine Hee Memorial Scholarship Foundation, an EDA Cares charity of choice: https://janineheememorialfund.org/