Case Studies Region: Southwest

Kody Wood operates at the center of one of the most complex environments in collegiate athletics, where tradition, revenue pressure, and constant change intersect daily. As associate athletic director for facilities operations and capital projects at Texas A&M University, he manages an infrastructure that must serve a massive fan base while adapting to a revolving […]

Before Christina Pimenta ever set foot on a construction site, she was arguing cases in a Massachusetts courtroom. A political science graduate of UMass Amherst who earned her JD from New England Law Boston, Pimenta spent roughly six years as a litigation attorney before a pivot into real estate law opened a door she hadn’t […]

There is a meeting happening somewhere right now where nobody can agree. The engineers want more time. The contractors need a decision. The budget is already strained. And someone from Tokyo is waiting on a call. Karen Flachman has been in that meeting. In fact, she has built a career out of surviving them—and, eventually, […]

Jason Patak‘s grandfather was known around town as “Stan the Man with the Plan.” Stan never met a stranger, and he could talk to anyone about anything. Decades later, sitting in and around offices and construction trailers outside a hospital that never stops running, Jason realizes he inherited more than the nickname’s spirit. He inherited the gift of […]

Christian Evans still remembers the uncertainty that comes with finding the right lane in a career. Like many college students interested in athletics, he initially explored different paths, including marketing. But it did not take long for him to discover that his strengths were better suited elsewhere. An internship in event operations at the University […]

Dan Stewart’s path to leading procurement and real estate for Gen4 Dental Partners did not begin in an office or a construction trailer. It started in health and wellness, a world where he helped clients plan nutrition programs, build strength, and create sustainable routines. Those early experiences taught him how to motivate people, structure processes, […]

Cole Murray didn’t set out to build water parks. He set out to build himself. Growing up in a family of educators—both parents retired teachers, his sister a kindergarten instructor—Murray followed what felt like an inevitable path toward education at Stephen F. Austin State University, where he eventually graduated with a degree in history. But […]

Adam Dutter did not set out to build a career in public education. His path into school construction came through the private sector, hospitality, and retail, shaped by years of managing complex facilities and capital projects long before he ever stepped onto a school campus as an owner’s representative. Today, as director of construction for […]

Operational complexity defines the landscape Logan Kelly stepped into when he joined Shell Mobility and Convenience USA in September 2024. Charged with leading facilities and maintenance operations across company-owned Shell gas stations and Timewise convenience stores, Kelly encountered a portfolio shaped by decades of mixed ownership. Some sites dated back to 1967. Others had been […]

Jon Potts did not arrive at project management through a straight line. His path into the electrical trades began during high school, when he spent summers working for a family friend performing residential electrical installations in custom homes. The early exposure gave him a feel for the fundamentals of the craft—and a quiet appreciation for […]