One of the primary reasons I am running for a board position with the Monroe school district is due to my in-depth experience in commercial construction. I believe, should the district be able to move forward with constructing a new high school facility, I will be able to help ensure we are able to efficiently construct a high-quality building while managing construction costs and controlling unnecessary spending.
I began my construction career 16 years ago as a project manager overseeing the complete project life cycle for new stores and remodels for Blain’s Farm & Fleet. My first major solo project was the conversion of the old Walmart building in Freeport to the current Farm & Fleet store. I drew the conceptual plans using computer aided drafting (CAD) software, bid the project, selected contractors and wrote contracts, and oversaw construction.
Since that initial project, I have slowly progressed from managing a few projects at a time to overseeing all construction activities for the company and working at a more strategic level as Director of Construction. Although I still directly manage some projects, such as the new Monroe Farm & Fleet location in 2021, I now focus more on managing a team and the Farm & Fleet construction portfolio as a whole. I get involved at the earliest stages of a new development project and work with our team on real estate transactions, entitlements, and municipal approvals. I also work with our real estate and facilities management teams to develop and manage both long and short-term capital budgets for construction, real estate, and long-term facilities planning. Should I get elected, I look forward to taking an active role on the board and with the administration to ensure they are able to leverage my knowledge and experience in construction and development.