When I was a kid, our neighbors replaced their deck. The scrap wood lay there in piles. “If you get it out of here, it’s yours,” they said. And so I got to work, hauling the scrap over to my house, where I turned it into a treehouse. It was my first introduction to building and made me realize how much I enjoyed bringing ideas to life. So I continued chasing that passion.

In high school, I began working for a small contracting business. During the summers, I remodeled apartments near the University of Pittsburgh and learned about the cleanliness – or lack thereof – of the average college student. I truly enjoyed banging nails for those few years, but I knew I didn’t want to do it long-term. I decided I wanted to widen my scope and focus on projects more holistically, rather than specific scopes.

I enrolled in North Carolina State University to study engineering, knowing full well that I wanted to apply those skills toward being a builder. I graduated with a BS in Construction Engineering and Management and a BS in Economics, setting myself up for a career in contracting. I began my career in North Carolina as an owner’s representative.

During this time, I managed the design and construction of a new office, event space, and interactive exhibit. I was enthralled by the exhibit portion, which represented a melding of the art world and the constructed environment. I had the opportunity to work on both the macro and the micro, where intricate custom systems harmonized with a larger built environment for everyone to enjoy.

But something was missing – I didn’t know exactly what it was, but I yearned for adventure. And when I completed my contract on the exhibition project, I went about finding what that was. I crewed on a sailboat in the Caribbean, rode motorcycles around Asia, and spent a whole summer exploring the backroads across the Western US.

Starting with townhomes and working my way up to mid-rise apartment buildings, I gained an understanding of how to achieve energy performance goals while simultaneously managing commercial construction logistics. I gained invaluable experience on projects in dense urban settings, complex shoring systems, elevators, and tower cranes.

Above all, this created the foundation for how I ended up with Krekow Jennings. I want to meld this passion for sustainable building with complex projects and unique designs – and that is exactly what I’ve found at Krekow Jennings. I love focusing on projects with unique materials, intricate designs, and the opportunity to work with true craftspeople. It’s a perfect fit, and I’m excited to continue evolving my skill sets and bring one-of-a-kind projects to life.