Q: You’ve spent 27 years with MacDonald-Miller, how did you begin your career here?

I originally took a job with MacDonald-Miller as a material handler, intending it to be a summer position before college. I started immediately and, sort of being a sponge at 18, I picked things up easily and really enjoyed it.

I entered the apprenticeship and was turned out early after four and a half years to take over a project. From there, I quickly moved from journeyman to foreman around 2002 and have been running work ever since.

Q: What are some major project experiences that led you to your current role in complex healthcare construction?

A significant period for me was running projects for Microsoft during their building renovations (around 2005–2008). I spent five or six years serving as the superintendent for all their renovation work. Following that, I transitioned into life sciences, spending about 10 years as the site superintendent at Seattle Genetics, before it became Pfizer. That life science experience where I was dealing with complex systems and working in occupied buildings where existing systems must remain online really helped me transfer into healthcare, and I made the jump.

My current role as Site Superintendent on the Swedish Project means I’m managing the largest hospital expansion in the Pacific Northwest. I take immense pride in working on projects this big and impactful. They are cornerstones, and they provide a heightened sense of purpose knowing you are working on facilities where people are saving lives.

Q: What defines the role of the Site Superintendent, and why is it so vital for partnership with General Contractor (GC)?

The Site Superintendent acts as the single point of contact for the General Contractor. I focus on the long-term outlook of the project to ensure work progresses and that team members and subcontractors have opportunities to succeed. While the general foreman manages day-to-day operations, the Superintendent addresses site issues and manages logistics, looking ahead to address issues before they impact work.

This team approach is essential because it gives the GC’s main superintendent a direct resource, eliminating the need to track down other folks on the site. It also provides an opportunity to partner with the GC to work through concerns if we feel issues are not being addressed promptly or correctly. Then, I can dive in and get to work on solutions proactively with both the site and the field office.

I really enjoy the way MacDonald-Miller views itself as a partner to the GC, focusing on the big picture to ensure all parties succeed, rather than engaging in disputes over minor issues.

Q: How does MacDonald-Miller help manage financial risk and costs, particularly on Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) projects?

MacDonald-Miller is typically the largest contractor on a project. On GMP jobs, every dollar spent ultimately increases the cost for the client. To manage this effectively, the Superintendent’s team helps explain problems in financial terms rather than simply stating there is a “huge impact”.

It is necessary to translate issues—such as 10 extra hours of work—into actual dollars covering labor, materials, and potential schedule problems, including liquidated damages for delays. Presenting the impact in dollar amounts is often easier for all stakeholders to understand.

Q: What is the leadership philosophy for orchestrating work and coordinating subcontractors across a massive construction site?

Successful orchestration requires a high degree of trust and effective delegation, focusing leadership attention on big-picture, high-ticket items. Project managers serve as the day-to-day partners, deeply involved in the details, running touch plan meetings, and managing their own divisions. Risk meetings are held frequently to ensure the team is aligned on major issues.

When managing subcontractors, the focus is on adherence to schedules and rough-in dates. The Superintendent must ensure they complete all necessary safety paperwork, manage material flow, perform their work, and clean up the site.

Q: What critical differences set healthcare construction apart from other complex sectors, such as life sciences?

Both life sciences and healthcare involve complex systems and often require working within occupied buildings, demanding that existing systems remain online. The density of systems in healthcare makes installation difficult, but the primary difference is the risk to life.

In life sciences, an error might only ruin an experiment. However, in healthcare, turning off a system incorrectly or making a severe error can lead to serious ramifications for occupants in patient or operating rooms for example. Healthcare systems also demand stringent installation requirements. Medical gas systems must be fully brazed, and high-pressure testing often requires evacuating entire floors on weekends.

Q: How does MacDonald-Miller stand out in areas like prefabrication and safety on construction projects?

Our work is typically the biggest component on a prefabricated rack, so we usually take the lead putting those together. We’ve built up the shop capacity and experience over many projects to handle multi-trade racks in-house and make sure everything has the access points and connections it needs.

Safety-wise, prefabrication actually makes the job site simpler and safer. We integrate safety into everything—the paperwork, pre-task plans, and work packages. Engineering even looks at whether we can move exterior components closer to the building to reduce risk for the crews.

Personally, safety matters to me because after 27 years here, these crew members are family. I go to their weddings and birthday parties. I’m even seeing second-generation workers now. I don’t prioritize safety because it’s required—I do it because I want everyone going home safe. It’s just how we operate.