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Behind
every successful company is an Unsung Hero
Stories by Nathan Comp
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Joe Graney Age: 52 |
Graney relies on experience
Before builders build, they must first have work.
That’s where Joe Graney fits in. As the chief estimator for J.H. Findorff & Son’s Milwaukee office, he manages, in essence, the company’s time and money.
“Joe’s got a very good skill set, making sure the right components are assigned to the right task,” said John Rodell, Findorff’s vice president. “He works under tight bid windows, has great organizational skills and can give direction.”
Working behind the scenes on the pre-planning end of projects, Graney develops the cost modeling for Findorff projects, assessing the scope and price impact of each building. His strengths, according to Rodell, lie in his memory, a critical asset for any estimator.
Though he’s been with Findorff just two years, Graney brings to the table more than 35 years of estimating experience. Rodell said Graney uses that experience to recall historical facts and figures, which are crucial when determining the cost of a project.
For example, if a building is commissioned in 2006, but the groundbreaking is a couple years out, Graney must rely on his historical knowledge of pricing to anticipate how the market will influence the future cost of goods.
“Managers need to have total confidence in their estimators,” Rodell said. “Joe is extremely organized and is able to communicate to others his approach, assumptions and can answer just about any question asked of him.”
The multigenerational knowledge is not only an asset to Findorff but also to the younger estimators who lack a similar breadth of historical perspective. That also makes Graney somewhat of a rarity in estimating.
Many young estimators eventually leap to the execution end of the business where there’s more opportunity for praise, but Graney found what he enjoys and is sticking with it.
“It’s a rare person who says, ‘This is what I want to do,’” Rodell said. “This is truly a behind-the-scenes job.”
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Paul Sims Age: 43 |
It all adds up for Sims
Buildings once came in pretty much one shape: rectangles.
But as technology allows for increasingly complex architecture, so increases the complications survey technicians like Paul Sims are presented with.
For 15 years, Sims has worked for National Survey and Engineering dissecting designs to flush them of any dimensional discrepancies. He also mans a crew that uses his calculations to stake out layouts for buildings, column lines, underground utilities, and curbs and gutters, among other things.
“He’s the best guy I’ve seen in the business,” said Paul Taivalkoski, manager of National Survey’s Survey Construction Services Group. “I feel very confident that when I give Paul plans, it’ll get done correctly.”
That’s a big compliment, considering the high-risk nature of Sims’ work. Cracking the geometry of designs and staking out a building’s footprint can sink thousands of unnecessary dollars into a project if done incorrectly the first time.
The goal is to eliminate 99 percent of the discrepancies before the ground breaks.
“The nature of the work is high liability,” Taivalkoski said. “Paul’s attention to detail reduces that liability. He does such a good job breaking down the plans that the field crew has an easy time staking out the site.”
Cracking between 50 and 100 plans a year, Sims must rely on more than just a complete grasp of numbers and geometry. According to Taivalkoski, Sims has a very even demeanor, which is a major asset when dealing with the architects and engineers whose designs he picks apart.
“He’s great to have around the office,” Taivalkoski said. “I’m more than confident in his abilities.”
Sims recently worked on the design for the GE Healthcare facility at the Milwaukee County Research Park and is working on plans for a University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee student-housing project.
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Matthew Mikolainis Age: 33 |
Mikolainis gives integrity to structures
The double heliport, three hangars and refueling pad that the University of Wisconsin Hospital & Clinics wanted built presented HGA Inc. with a unique set of challenges.
First, because of the hospital’s awkward design, the project’s tower crane couldn’t get closer than 150 feet to the building, preventing it from raising the 40-foot hangar beams to the roof.
Second, the existing heliport remained operational throughout construction, presenting a risk of collision or lethal delays in Medvac deployments.
Enter structural engineer Matthew Mikolainis, whose problem-solving skills made the project go, and who was also tasked with promptly shutting down construction and clearing the way when Medvac was needed.
“Matthew has the unique combo of being a great, people-oriented engineer,” said Gordon Pierce, vice president of HGA. “He’s a team player from all angles.”
Mikolainis earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1996. He joined HGA in 1998 following a brief stint after graduation with another company.
Projects under his belt include the Waukesha Justice Center and the Marine Terminal Building in Milwaukee, which also is where HGA is headquartered.
But no matter what job he’s working on, Mikolainis’ role is arguably one of the most important aspects of any building project, Pierce said. Architects provide the conceptual framework, but people like Mikolainis ensure the structural integrity of the design.
And just how did Mikolainis get those 40-foot beams onto the UW Hospital & Clinics’ eighth-floor roof? He brought in a second, smaller crane to hoist the 4-ton beams onto a lower, third-floor rooftop and then used the tower crane to take them the rest of the way. Wisconsin Builder named the job one of the Top Projects of 2005.
“He sees the bigger picture,” Pierce said. “We like finding employees like Matthew.”
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Dan Siebers Age: 42 |
Siebers finds the right price
Town & Country Electric had a problem.
When Hurricane Katrina collided with New Orleans, the storm took out several PVC plants in the disaster zone. With the plants out of service, the availability of PVC piping plummeted, and Town & Country was left with a major dent in its supply chain.
It was a precarious spot for the company. It could either pay exorbitant prices for the material or stall on several big projects, which simply wasn’t an option.
But Dan Siebers, Town & Country’s corporate procurement manager, had an idea. He coordinated a mass PVC-pipe buyout from several Home Depots, where the pre-Katrina stock remained at the pre-Katrina price. And business proceeded as usual.
For Siebers, it was just part of his job handling logistics for the company that installs lighting and electric infrastructure. But for Rollie Stephenson, president of Faith Technologies Inc., of which Town & Country is a subsidiary, it was a testament to the ingenuity with which Siebers has approached his job for more than 20 years with the company.
“It was a real cool idea that worked out real well,” Stephenson said. “He makes sure a lot of stuff gets done on the front line.”
And that’s understating the scope of Siebers’ day-to-day responsibilities. If he’s not managing the company’s 14 shops and fleet of 300 vehicles, he’s coordinating some 1,500 workers, 80 percent of whom are in the field at any given time. Efficiency is the game, and Siebers plays it well.
“It sounds easy, but it’s not,” Stephenson said.
Siebers began his career as an apprentice, became a journeyman and eventually landed in the procurement manager’s seat. Despite being promoted last year to logistics manager, Siebers still does materials purchasing for the company, dealing with suppliers at the national, regional and local levels.
“I’ve seen him go above and beyond on so many occasions,” Stephenson said. “He provides tremendous behind-the-scenes support. Dan is a guy who gets results.”
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David Garacci Age: 36 |
Garacci puts art in architecture
David Garacci is no stranger to late nights and long weekends.
No, he’s not on a perpetual pub-crawl. Instead, he’s logging some serious hours at Engberg Anderson Design Partnership.
As a designer and illustrative artist, Garacci cranks out, on average, three conceptual renderings a week.
“David is able to take abstract ideas and turn them into beautiful renderings,” said Mark Ernst, partner with Engberg Anderson. “His ideas are very well defined.”
An architect by training, Garacci joined Engberg Anderson five years ago and, in a way, represents where the old school intersects with the new. While possessing all of the essential illustrative and conceptual aptitudes, he also brings the technical ability to construct fly-throughs, which are 3-D renderings that let clients take a virtual tour through the guts of a building.
“There used to be quite a bit of mystery in what we did,” Ernst said. “Now it’s so literal. His fly-throughs are absolutely mind-blowing.”
Sometimes, ideas for renderings are already articulated, leaving Garacci to bring a client’s vision to life. But more often than not, he provides the conceptual framework, wowing his employers and their clients.
His eagle’s eye for detail and commitment to his company’s success has made him the in-house pacesetter, Ernst said. Garacci’s complex renderings are stunning, but he also has a knack for simplicity, which Ernst said he finds refreshing — particularly in the renderings Garacci produces with nighttime ambience.
“His night renderings are very sexy,” Ernst said. “In fact, they’re pretty magical.”
Just as important as his raw talent is Garacci’s ability to work within a team environment. That means taking criticism as easily as praise.
“Sometimes I love what happens, but sometimes the renderings need some work,” Ernst said.
Ernst said Garacci is never defensive. He keeps clients first and has no problem going back to the drawing board when his eye betrays him.
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Regina Tesnow Age: 53 |
Tesnow keeps council’s engine running
Most successful organizations have a quiet but formidable presence.
For the Milwaukee Building and Construction Trades Council, that person is Regina Tesnow. Since her hiring in 1997, Tesnow’s responsibilities grew far above and beyond her original job description, said Lyle Balistreri, president of the organization.
Because he’s often away from the office, Balistreri said, he relies heavily on Tesnow to accommodate clients. She’s quick to provide answers for what are often complicated questions.
And with billions of dollars in contracts at stake, doling out the right information can be as nerve-racking as it is critical.
“She’s got my back,” said Balistreri, who added that Tesnow is the glue that holds his operation together. “She takes calls, provides people with information or whatever the problem takes to be solved.”
The Milwaukee Building and Construction Trades Council is the central labor body in a four-county area. As chief of staff, Tesnow manages the day-to-day affairs of the three-person office.
Through her dealings with clients, she developed over the years a deep and meaningful understanding of labor relations and other contractual vagaries, Balistreri said.
“She’s able to answer questions about labor violations or jurisdictional problems and much more,” he said. “She works quietly but effectively behind the scenes.”
In May, Tesnow organized a press conference to compel the state Legislature to follow the lead of 17 other states that signed the Helmets to Hardhats initiative, which assists returning veterans in finding careers in the trades. The effort required meticulous planning and coordination.
Wading through a matrix of competing schedules, Tesnow ultimately succeeded in bringing together several very busy individuals at the same time and place. It was, at times, a test of patience.
But, ultimately, it’s a testament to Tesnow’s wherewithal and her value to the council, Balistreri said. He said the event was a bona fide success.
“She’s absolutely wonderful,” Balistreri said. “I’d be in bad shape without her.”