Driving success: A double feature on project management
At the heart of McCownGordon Construction, it’s the people who truly make the difference in delivering the best building experience. Beyond their professional expertise, Senior Project Managers, Jake Herrstrom and Kyle Montoya have made a profound impact on our community by engaging wholeheartedly within the projects they oversee for the Manhattan region.
1. What has been your favorite project that you’ve worked on with McCownGordon and why?
Jake: Emporia Jones Early Childhood Development Center – Jones has been my favorite project so far because it was my first project that was a greenfield site and had good design and construction teams. Building in Emporia has been fun because the owner has been very easy to work with and is generally just excited to get new spaces.
Kyle: My favorite project would have to be the Patterson Health Center. A 60,000+ SF ground up hospital funded by the founder of Cerner (Oracle) corporation, who grew up in the small town of Anthony, KS. The hospital joined two rural communities together and had very high finishes compared to other rural hospitals in the area.
2. What do you love most about your job?
Jake: I very much enjoy working at the intersection of preconstruction and construction groups at the start of projects. During that time period you are able to make the biggest impact on any given project, in the shortest amount of time, with the least amount of effort.
Kyle: The fast-paced nature of construction and the many hats that come with it. Contrary to popular belief of an office worker, I enjoy the chaos of solving new problems each and every day!
3. What motivates you in your career?
Jake: Employee Ownership – I have worked most of my career with employee-owned companies. If knowing that you own a piece of the pie doesn’t motivate you, I don’t know what will.
Kyle: Being able to help change the lives of our clients through the projects we build. Whether it’s in the healthcare field or education, our projects truly make a difference. I have a soft spot for rural projects from growing up in a small community myself.
