Project Managers Receive National Kudos
The Southeast Sunbelt is proud to proclaim that two members of our Public Buildings Service (PBS) family have just won the GSA Office of Design and Construction 2012 Project Management Awards. Alisa Scalley and William 'Buddy' Hill were commended for their “Excellence in Project Management” for two professionally challenging prospectus-level projects in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and Atlanta, Georgia. Moreover, the Tuscaloosa team was also nationally recognized as an Outstanding Project Team.
The new Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Tuscaloosa, Alabama was successfully completed under the strong leadership of Project Manager Alisa Scalley. Ms. Scalley embraced global project management principles and practices, and assembled a team that included all PBS business lines. She actively engaged the tenant agencies through every phase of the project, and conducted monthly town hall meetings to communicate construction progress and expectations. The team of Alisa, Curtissa Coleman, and Valerie Riecke-Smith was collectively recognized for collaborating successfully on all aspects of the project.
The project itself contained many intricate architectural elements that required extensive attention to detail to ensure that quality standards were met. To achieve success, the trade contractors were required to submit quality control samples, and in many cases, mock-ups were constructed to establish quality levels and to identify and resolve constructability problems early in the process. Ms. Scalley also evaluated risk and oversaw the development of a change management process that resulted in a change rate of only 3.6%. She embraced the use of technology to enhance collaboration and communication among team members, which contributed greatly to the team's success in delivering this project on schedule and under budget.
William 'Buddy' Hill successfully managed the historic Elbert P. Tuttle U.S. Court of Appeals Building Annex project in Atlanta (now known as the John C. Godbold Federal Building) with his keen attention to detail and effective leadership skills. The Annex required the adaptive reuse of historic properties and a budget that tailored the scope of construction to the funds available. Mr. Hill identified the historic preservation requirements and site acquisition concerns, and led his team as they solved technical problems in the most cost-effective way. One such challenge was the risk associated with the temporary support of the second floor through the roof structure. The design-build approach used by Mr. Hill provided the team with the flexibility, creativity, and innovation needed to successfully resolve this problem.
At the project’s inception, Mr. Hill established a budget and assessed the risks for each major component. Throughout the project, he reassessed the risks and reallocated funds as necessary. Mr. Hill recognized the benefit of an electronic project management system and used a collaboration tool on the project to inform decisions during both design and construction. Mr. Hill's collaborative approach was a critical factor in the success of this project.
