The Innovation Issue

The Employee Magazine for Skanska in the U.S.
2008 / Issue 04
coasttocoast
The Innovation Issue
How to Curabitur
Get a Great
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Works of
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page 14
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All in a Dey's Work
page 16
The Real Key is Innovation
The world has changed a lot in just a few short months. The financial system
nearly collapsed and the world economy has been severely impacted.
It appears that the financial markets are now stabilizing but we are
faced with dealing with a tough recession. This means fewer projects,
tough competition and pressure in profit margins.
If we want to continue to outperform, and we do, we are going to
have to reduce costs. The alternative, accepting lower profitability, is
not the Skanska way. Of course we have to manage overhead downward.
But that by itself will not get us to the outperform targets. Competitive
pricing will require us to do more.
The real key is innovation. Develop new and better methods and
tools to reduce costs and improve performance. There are lots of great
innovative ideas being implemented on Skanska projects all over the
world. Innovation includes everything from creative contracting and
purchasing, to the use of new technology, to clever means and methods,
to new design concepts like the energy efficient data centers being built
by USA Building. I recently saw an example of a simple alternative weld
testing process on one of our water treatment plants that will save an
enormous amount of time and money. The definition of innovation is
very broad, but the goal is simple – separate us from the competition and
add to the bottom line.
I suggest we look at innovation with the same passion and
commitment that we do in safety. Set a target on every project for adding
to our margin through one or more innovative concepts. We don’t need a
fancy program or bureaucratic process – but we do need action.
There are thousands of opportunities to be innovative and a lot of
profitability that can come from it. Like safety, it takes a positive mindset
and the discipline and commitment to make it happen. Finally, don’t
overlook ideas developed on projects years ago that may be applicable on
your projects now.
Remember 60,000 colleagues are out there with an awful lot of know
how; so connect the dots in your search for profitable innovation.
Contents 2008 • Issue 04
Page 02
Page 04
Page 10
Page 16
Page 14
Page 19
Safety
02 Improving Safety Records
How a hand protection policy
can reduce injuries.
03 Pre-Task Planning Makes Perfect
03 How to Keep Your Jobsite Safe
03 Do's and Don'ts
Our People
04 Sal Mancini Tribute
See how Sal has affected
fellow employees during his
time at Skanska.
05
05
06
06
07
08
Editorial: Innovation in Construction
Day in the Life
Standing Strong with Skanska
Panel Question
Community Timeline
Examples for the Future
Our Projects
10 How to Get a Great Idea
Ten innovations and the stories
of how they came to life.
14 Real Works of Art
16 All in a Dey's Work
Stu Graham, Chairman, Skanska USA
Focus
Editorial note: Our last issue featured the article "It IS Easy Being Green,"
in which we incorrectly stated that the featured image was of our Seattle
office, when in fact it is a shot of the architect's office in the same building.
Also, the office overlooks Lake Union and not South Lake Washington. We
apologize for the misinformation.
18 Setting the Tone
Our leaders set a course for
navigating the financial crisis at the
management meeting in Orlando.
18
19
20
20
Dashboard is Quick on the Draw
Safety First—in Financing as in the Field
Building Blocks for Diversity
Global Trainees Hit the Road
coasttocoast Publisher Stuart Graham Editor Cole Ruth Editors/Writers Caroline Bucquet, Karen Diemer,
Allyson Orfan, Shana Bitterman, Mary Humphreys, Shelby Adams, Jessica Murray, Marshall Jones, Jay
FSC STAMP TO BE
PROVIDED BY PRINTER
Weisberger Photography Michael Macioce, Per-Anders Pettersson, Gamboa Photos Printer Dolan Wohlers
coasttocoast is the quarterly employee magazine from Skanska USA. Subscribe free of charge by sending an
email to: coast2coast@skanska.com. coasttocoast is printed on FSC certified environmentally friendly paper.
Feel free to copy from the magazine or quote us, but please name the source. No responsibility is taken for
unsolicited material, though you are welcome to send your ideas and suggestions to the editor at: cole.ruth@
skanska.com. If you have a story you’d like to see covered in coasttocoast, or one that you’ve written and want
to see published, contact the editor at: cole.ruth@skanska.com
Proper
Proper Attire
Attire
Dos
Dos and
and Don’ts
Don’ts
Practice Makes Perfect
Safety Week 2008 was dedicated to reinforcing the significance of
pre-task planning, a simple activity that is part of the way of life
Do!
Do!
Proper attire is a must when
Improving Safety Records One Glove at a Time
you areattire
working
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visiting
Proper
is a must
ayou
jobsite.
Make
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you
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are working on or visiting
wearing
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and
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steel
wearing
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vesttoed
and boots
and
hand
protection
at
allhand
times.
glasses, hardhat, boots and
protection at all times.
It’s been over a year since USA Civil Northeast’s safety department initiated an in-depth incident
reporting and automated analysis program of company injuries that tracks worker safety training.
Opting not to use third-party software saved the office approximately $500,000.
The first course of action to be initiated as a result of the analysis
system was a hand protection policy. Upon reviewing incident
reports over a three year period, it was found that 24 percent of
all injuries were finger and hand related. “We estimated that 104
finger and hand injuries out of 132 could have been prevented with
proper personal protective equipment (PPE),” says Paul Haining,
Safety Director.
"We initiated the program
at the end of February and it's now
mandatory on all projects."
A cost/feasibility study also determined that an allowance of
$150/year per employee for the purchase of hand protection was
significantly lower than the $146,000 spent on direct medical and
workers compensation costs last year. Armed with this information,
the safety department launched an action plan.
“We initiated the program at the end of February and it’s now
mandatory on all projects,” explains Paul. “The unions are fully
supportive of any measure that helps keep their guys safe. Initial
effects of the policy have been very positive.” In fact, finger and hand
injuries have decreased and the new gloves have saved a life.
At the Second Avenue Subway project, a laborer was chopping
through concrete that had live utilities in it. He hit a 13-Kilowatt
line that would have killed him had he not been wearing the
protective gloves.
“We’re leading the industry with our hand protection policy
and our overall reporting and analysis,” Paul continues. “All of
our workers and subcontractors are less resistant to our safety
programs than in the past. They’re slowly realizing that we’re
trying to protect them.” ◆
throughout our company.
Simply put, pre-task planning is assigning safe work. Rather than trudging onto the jobsite every
morning and going about the daily grind, pre-task planning gives new tradesmen direction and support
in their work, and reminds those who are more experienced just how dangerous their jobs can be. Typically a subcontractor foreman or superintendent conducts a short meeting each morning at
which the foreman divides up and assigns the work amongst the team for the day. He then asks the
workers to explain the potential hazards they may face. The intent is to get the team to take responsibility
for their own safety, and consider the dangers facing them that day. At the Gulf Coast Hospital project in Fort Myers, FL, our team does a great job supporting the
subcontractors' pre-task planning efforts. Everyday, following an energetic Stretch and Flex session,
everyone on the job heads to an assigned meeting point to plan for the day ahead. The workers,
sometimes in spite of a language barrier, are engaged by the foremen and willingly participate before
taking on their tasks at hand.
As Environmental, Health & Safety Vice President Paul Settle says, “You can plan work without
safety, but you can’t plan safety without the work.” ◆
Hub Survey: How do you keep your jobsite safe?
• At the Turtle River I-95 project in Brunswick, GA, we’re asking employees to point out unsafe acts in
order to promote a safe working attitude.
• Taking an active role in the project's Safety Leadership Team. We audit pre-task plans and conduct
walk-throughs to look for safety violations.
Don’t!
Never wear office attire on
Don’t!
the jobsite. Make sure you are
dressed
in aoffice
shirt attire
that covers
Never wear
on theyou
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and
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Save the fashion for the office.
• Talking with the foreman during the design and bid package process to incorporate the safest
installation practices and designs.
• On the Tampa Museum of Art project, we are holding a structural steel pre-erection meeting with
the steel company owner, erectors, our account managers and safety directors to welcome them
into the injury free environment (IFE) culture and review our requirements for fall protection and
pre-certification of the crane operators.
• Making sure all new employees received a hardhat, vest and safety glasses before stepping foot on
the site to enforce that they must be prepared.
• Mandatory 10-hour Occupational Safety and Health Administration training and refresher courses.
• Enforcing company policy by issuing reprimands and re-training not only to crew member found in
violation, but also the foreman, superintendent and project manager.
2
coast to coast
coast to coast
3
“Throughout the 20 years that I have had the
privilege of working with Sal, I have admired his
passion for the construction business and the
respect and loyalty he gets from the people that
work with him."
Innovation in Construction
An Editorial by Vince Tirolo
—Bob Koch
“What I feel stands out about Sal is how much he
genuinely cares about the people that work with him.
Sal has always been supportive and really made me
feel as though I were important to him personally as
well as to the company. He is truly one of Skanska’s
Great Bosses.”
—Camille D’Alessandro
Sal Mancini: A Tribute
Sal Mancini, President of USA Civil, will be retiring at the
end of the year after 41 years of service to the company.
We took the opportunity to ask some employees what
made Sal the exemplary leader that he was and what they
would miss about him.
“Sal has shown me over and over again that if you want people to perform at a high
level, you must first find the right people, treat them with respect and dignity, show
them your loyalty, be clear of your expectations, point them towards the end zone
and they will score touchdowns. The good ones never disappoint.”
—Richard Cavallaro
“Sal is not only a leader of Skanska but also of the construction industry. One of the
things that I learned from him was to treat the craft people with respect and fairness.
He always recognized their effort and what it means to the company’s bottom line.
Many of our foremen begin and end their careers only working for Skanska.”
—Mike Attardo
—Stan Merjan
“Sal was always a square shooter; strong family values
while being passionate about his work ethic. He tells
it like it is–no sugar coating. He once told me, ‘the
superintendent is the general in our army. Only if he
has the right mix of love, discipline and intensity will he
be able lead the field forces to victory. If the work is not
executed efficiently in the field then the result will be
less than anticipated’.”
—Gary Winsper
“You always had the feeling that Sal truly cared
about you. He always asked how you were doing
before he asked about how your business was doing.
He presided over the consolidation of all of our
individual companies into a unified team that makes
up one of the largest single construction entities in
the USA. I think this legacy will stand for a very long
time here in the U.S.”
“On the day Sal asked me to consider relocating to Boston for work he prefaced the
request with these words ‘Do you have any sick parents, brothers or sisters that you’re
caring for?’ These compassionate words and his teachings are engraved in my heart and
have helped shape my ideas and approach to life and business. His legend as a man of
integrity and sensibility will stand tall along side the great structures that he built.”
—Salvatore Taddeo
—Lino Floretta
4
Safety, Health and Environmental Manager, USA Civil in Cortez, CO
5:30am
“About fifteen years ago Sal issued a companywide
directive regarding charges to our jobs for usage of
company-owned equipment. This continues to have a
considerable impact on how management looks at our
fleet of equipment costs versus income. Having dealt
with the charges for equipment usage for many decades,
I firmly believe this was the best decision ever made
regarding this subject.”
—Eric Taylor
Clark Peterson
According to philosopher Deng Ming-Dao “problems cannot
—Curtis Broughton
“Four years ago when this operating unit was going thru a very difficult time, Sal was
always supportive and displayed great leadership during a very tumultuous time.”
A Day in the Life…
“I knew when I hired Sal to work for Underpinning
(40 or so years ago) that he would do well. I obviously
underestimated how well. Sal started in the trenches
(literally) and rose to the pinnacle of our industry.
Horatio Alger, step aside.”
coast to coast
be resolved at once. Slowly untie knots. Divide to conquer.”
Innovation in construction is not work for amateurs. You need to know the business and
your project. Experience and understanding are at the core of innovation. This mastery
gives you the ability to break down complex operations into more manageable activities.
Within these manageable activities you can focus on the kernels where innovation can
make a real difference.
"Innovation in construction is not
work for amateurs. You need to know
the business and your project."
Innovation in construction is only meaningful if it reduces risk and the better we
manage risk the more likely our projects will be successful. Risk may include physical
hazards to employees, damage to third parties or facilities adjacent to a project and
business risks associated with subcontractor performance, relationships with unions,
equipment availability, lead times material delivery and the financial markets.
While new ways of working can be initiated within engineering, estimating, during
the bidding process or in the office, the combined limitations of time and constantly
moving targets can inhibit innovation. So, inventive ideas often originate within field
operations. Since field personnel live and breathe a project for months and even years,
they know its ins and outs, which is how most innovative designs are conceived.
Engineering then takes those often undeveloped original ideas and expands them
into computations and drawings that can be presented to our clients and engineers. An
engineer practicing under those circumstances is part scientist, part constructor and part
snake oil salesperson.
Most often, our teams are successful because our clients know the reduction of risk
that comes with innovation is in everyone’s best interest. ◆
coast to coast
7:00am
7:10am
8:00am
8:30am
10:30am
12:30pm
1:00pm
2:30pm
2:30pm
3:30pm
4:30pm
5:00pm
Wake up and get ready for work.
Arrive at the office.
Meet with estimators to discuss safety needs
for upcoming proposals. Sometimes these
projects require special safety training or
have environmental issues that must be
addressed during the proposal stage.
Catch up with four safety managers to
discuss lessons learned and follow-up on
corrective actions that must be taken. We
review the project’s schedule to examine
upcoming assignments that could require
special training.
Work on developing the safety sections of
our bid proposals.
Visit one of our projects to meet with
the management team to discuss their
safety concerns.
Time for lunch.
Do a site walk-around with the site safety/
environmental manager to ensure that
safety protocols are being met.
Review the project’s environmental
issues with the site engineer and safety/
environmental manager.
Time to head back to the office.
Develop safety training programs with
input from senior executives.
Meet with SVP Curtis Broughton to review
my schedule and upcoming training needs.
Leave the office to travel home.
5
Our Community Timeline
What does innovation mean to you?
Priyanka Shingore Global Trainee, Alexandria, VA
landmark anniversaries as well as those who
had previously celebrated anniversaries. This
Boca Raton, FL: Drawing blood
Alongside Project Executive Maria Houle, the
project team at the Lynn Cancer Center collected
62 units of blood.
time around we are saluting those who are
celebrating milestone anniversaries this
year. Thank you for all of your hard work
Zollie Privette
Walter Duggan
John Saunders
Dennis G. Cox
30
Allan J. Caliman
Stephen W Best
Francis Lavery
Eric Nylund
Gary Winsper
Charles W. Askins
David D. Eseltine
Jack S. Liles Jr.
Richard A. Shipley
Chris C. Eastin III
Todd Collier
Bob Babitsky
Matt D. Edwards
Mark E. Mcquater
Ricky Clayton
Robert J. Moore
Frank J. Young Jr.
James K. Bradford
Donald H. Bullock
6
Robert Annino
Victor Caiazzo
Derrick Chance
Frank Falco
Frederick Jost
Arthur Kaiser
Thomas Karas Jr.
Timothy Klein
Dennis Yat Lam
Brian McGuinness
Enrico Perez
Sandy Primiano
David Rosenbaum
Angel Santiago
Matthew Schwartz
Roi Smith
Thomas Smith
Alfred Spitzer Sr.
Douglas C. Ellis
Sean Wall
Edward J. Damm
Jacques S. Yeager Jr.
Ramon R. Beltran
Joel B. Johnson
Steven G. Olson
Kevin Barrett
James D. Corriveau
Michael K. Smith
Earl Douglas Hall
George J. Fadool
Michael F. Leondi
Robert W. Losch
Harleysville, PA: Charity
challenge
The Blue Bell office held its
first annual Skanska Charity
Challenge Golf Outing
during which $15,500 was
donated to local charitable
organizations.
Randy Smith Senior Superintendent, Durham, NC
“
Philadelphia, PA:
Paddling away – again
The Skanska Hammerheads
paddled their way to a
silver medal again at the
Philadelphia International
Dragon Boat Festival.
Proceeds support the Fox
Chase Cancer Center.
At the Raleigh Convention Center we created a 3D
model to show how the structure would be built, to
create site logistics plans and to provide coordination
drawings. We also had tablet computers to write notes,
review contract drawings and shop drawings. To stay
competitive and remain valuable to our customer, we
must embrace technology to build safer, cheaper, faster
and better.
Virginia Beach, VA
“
With today’s large-scale and highly technical projects,
efficiently managing job-related information is a
monumental task that relies heavily on technology. In
many cases, application of new technology enables
our people to have quick access to quality information,
which ultimately enhances our ability to outperform.
coast to coast
coast to coast
Orlando, FL: Educating our youth
The office sponsored the ninth annual Foundation
for Orange County Public Schools’ golf tournament
benefit, which raised more than $100,000 for schools
in the district.
Parsippany, NJ: Walking for a cure
Our Smart-Walkers team participated in a 5k walk for the
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, raising around
$33,000, which is more than double from last year.
Boston, MA: United way
The office participated in a United Way campaign
and raffle, which raised $20,000.
Parsippany, NJ: Making
strides against cancer
Our Countdown to the
Cure team participated in
and sponsored the Making
Strides Against Breast Cancer
5k walk. The team raised
around $5,000 including our
$2,500 sponsorship.
Valhalla, NY: A+ for effort
Our project team at the Cat/Del UV Treatment Plant made
a donation to the Yonkers School District to help a needy
school within the region.
Rockville, MD/Blue
Bell, PA: Denim day
The offices participated
in National Denim Day
sponsored by Lee Jeans.
More than $1,300 was
raised to support this
campaign
Stephen Van Essendelft Manager Project Controls,
“
Richard Redmon
25
At Skanska ID, we're challenged with developing
new strategies that mitigate and share risks among
stakeholders of PPP projects. Also, I'm participating
in our Global Trainee Program, which exposes me to
other business units and regions to learn and share
our best practices.
“
45
40
35
“
Tampa, FL: Light the night
The Skanska Hammerheads competed in the Tampa
Bay International Dragon Boat Races to benefit the H.
Lee Moffitt Cancer Research Center and the Florida
Aquarium’s Center for Conservation.
“
and commitment!
OCTOBER
Last year we listed our employees who reached
New York, NY: Race for the kids
Employees participated in “The Race for the Kids” 4k
run to support the Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York.
The team raised more than $2,500 for the program.
New Bern, NC: Along for the ride
John Yunker, Anthony Faranda, Erin Flynn,
Chris Reeder, Andreina Perez-Greene and Frank
Conversano from the Durham office participated in
a bike ride benefiting MS.
SEPTEMBER
Panel Question
New Haven, CT: Walking
for heart health
Members from the office
gathered with family members
to participate in the American
Heart Association’s (AHA)
2008 Start! Fairfield County
Heart Walk.
Seattle, WA: Seattle’s got heart
Workers and subcontractors from the office partook in
the Start! Puget Sound Heart Walk, raising $54,642 in
support of the American Heart Association.
NOVEMBER
Standing Strong
with Skanska
Alexandria, VA: Promoting literacy
Skanska ID is promoting literacy by donating books
to “Everybody Wins!” The books will be used in an
elementary school nearby the office.
7
Strong leadership is the key to success
At Skanska ID, a twist of fate marked the start of Financial Analyst Doran
Bosso’s relationship with his mentor Bid Director Chris Guthkelch.
“I ‘borrowed’ him from my good friend Amando Madan who was
introducing Doran to the complexities of Project Finance,” Chris
explains. “Having studied Public Private Partnerships for his master’s
degree at Virginia Tech, Doran was an ideal candidate for putting
theory into practice as we developed the Midtown Tunnel PPP project
in Norfolk, Virginia.”
With the company just six months, Doran says working with Chris
has already opened doors to all aspects of the business. “Chris has
included me in every decision and meeting he has made regarding the
Midtown Tunnel,” he says. “Rather than focusing on just finance, he
has exposed me to the legal, construction and proposal development
activities. It’s really helped speed my development as an employee, and
hopefully will make me an important part of the team going forward.”
Hailing from London, Chris has learned a great deal about local
rules and regulations while working with Doran. “He’s definitely
expanded my knowledge of Virginia’s PPP laws and procurement
process,” Chris admits. And the schooling hasn’t end with just
professional guidance. “As a tri-athlete, Doran is disciplined with his
work-life balance and has given me some excellent advice on my diet!”
Chris’ outlook on teaming up with young, new hires is nothing but
optimistic. “Clearly each generation thinks and works differently from
the previous one. But the impact of globalization, sustainability and
climate change concern every generation, so if we pool our experiences
and learning then we’ve got more chance of getting things right.”
Mike Attardo, pictured in the foreground with Domenick Dinizo (left) and Pete Mesbah (right).
Serving Up Examples for the Future
On the right track
We're constantly being made aware about the lifestyle and career differences between Baby Boomers and
Generation Yers. But at Skanska, we've found that when employees from these two generations join forces,
both the new employee and the experienced mentor stand to benefit.
Team spirit
Upon joining the ranks in USA Civil’s Core Competency Training
Program, Domenick Dinizo was promptly assigned to the Dey Street
Concourse project where he met Mike Attardo.
Mike is currently Vice President of Operations and the first
recipient of the Stuart Graham Dirty Boots Lifetime Achievement
Award, which he received at this year’s Management Meeting.
Domenick’s first encounters with Mike were when he was an
assistant superintendent on the R/W Concourse at Dey Street. “I
observed how Mike interacted with team members, the client and
the engineer and took note of how he built a team atmosphere,”
Domenick explains.
After moving on to the Second Avenue subway job, Domenick’s
first joint-venture project, he saw how Mike’s philosophy of treating
people with respect resulted in a spirit of cooperation. “Employees
8
really like him,” remarks Domenick. “You understand what he wants
because he’s very clear and he’s so easy to work for that you don’t want
to disappoint him.”
Mike’s several decades of experience in heavy civil construction also
helps as he passes along his know-how to new employees. “Aside from
his knowledge, he also knows many people in the agencies we deal
with,” Domenick says. “He knows who to contact to get things done.”
Living by the mantra, “If you work hard, you will be rewarded,”
Mike instills this behavior in younger employees. “Mike taught me
to always put myself in a position to succeed and not undertake
something I can’t handle,” says Domenick.
Although Domenick is relocating to Sweden in January as part of
the Skanska Unlimited program, he’s confident that Mike’s invaluable
instruction over the last two years won’t be forgotten.
coast to coast
Operations Manager Mark Maloney’s relationship with his mentee Matt
Pirolli began before Matt officially joined the company last year.
“I interviewed him at the Blue Bell office before he was hired as a project
engineer,” Mark explains. “He portrayed confidence, purpose and selfawareness and was excited to start a career in construction.”
“The first time I met Mark, I was impressed with his knowledge of the
industry and passion for his work and the company,” Matt counters. “I
knew right off the bat that I could learn a lot from him.”
Since then, Matt says, everyday has been a new learning experience.
“Mark takes the time to share past experiences and provide insight on his
current projects. I’ve learned that hard work and determination can get you
anywhere, but to always be cognizant of how you got there.”
Mark has gained a lot from teaming up with young, new hires too.
“They are educated in the latest technology. Matt and the rest of Generation
Y bring the innovation and questions. We need to embrace the innovation,
accept the questions and continue to challenge our existing processes and
systems so that we don’t fall behind our competitors.”
With the company for 17 years, Mark wants to continue attracting
a bright, diverse workforce that can strengthen our culture. “There are
differences in working and ways of thinking between the generations,” he
admits. “The key is channeling these differences in a positive direction
instead of dwelling on the lack of experience." ◆
coast to coast
Doran Bosso and his mentor Chris Guthkelch.
Matt Pirolli and his mentor Mark Maloney.
9
The new Route 1 was built on top the old one.
2
GPS-controlled dozers in Colorado.
The flying forklift.
1.
Take a bird's eye view
In November 2007, the team at the Route 1 project outside Washington,
D.C., faced a dilemma.
They had started moving traffic off of a section of beltway in order
to demolish the asphalt and put down new road. Then, with cold
weather about to hit, they learned that the soil underneath the road
had been swampland, making it unable to carry the load of the new
traffic. The team would have to dig another 2-5 feet deeper and replace
the soil before they could put new road down.
Looking at the DOT’s aerial photographs, they realized that
the new road could sit on top of the footprint of the old one.
“The phasing on this job was so challenging that we were always
investigating new ways to save on the schedule,” says Senior Project
Engineer J.J. Moegling.
The DOT saw how much time could be saved by putting the new
road directly on top of the old one. And, thanks to a break in the
weather, the team put down 35,000 tons of asphalt that winter.
After five years, the project is drawing to a close, gaining accolades
like the #4 Road Project in the country for 2008 as nominated by Road
and Bridges magazine.
How to get a
Great Idea
2.
Be open
What conditions are necessary for a new idea to take shape?
Where do new ideas come from? To find out, Coast to Coast
investigates ten innovations.
Satellites controlling your dozer? It may sound like science fiction,
but in Colorado, the team is using Global Positioning Satellite (GPS)
in order to make exact cuts into the earth.
The team has taken a standard GPS surveying technique and
tied it into the hydraulics of four bulldozers and one motorgrader.
The GPS/machine controls package is provided by Caterpillar and
Trimble as an option on the equipment. The GPS coordinates the
location of the receivers on the blade of the dozer. The computer
10
coast to coast
coast to coast
1
3
knows what elevation it needs to be at and controls the hydraulics.
“We used to have to put down wood reference stakes and the driver
had to hit an imaginary line between them. It was hit or miss. Now,
if you move slowly, you can get within a half an inch of accuracy,”
exclaims Gary Shrewsberry. The technology cuts down on re-work and
improves safety since they no longer need someone on the ground.
“Acceptance can be the tough part,” Gary continues. “When there
are no sticks in the ground you have to trust the technology and the
AutoCAD guys. We are lucky to have a guy like George Adams, one
of our superintendents on the Rocky Mountain Arsenal project. He
had seen the survey technology before and was excited about using
it as machine controls.”
3.
Think around the problem
Working against the clock on a concrete frame high-rise in Seattle,
Brian Thomas and the team were frustrated with the formwork
sticking out past the perimeter of the building, keeping them from
using the tower crane to access the floors below. But safety was too
important to jerry-rig the formwork.
At the time Brian had an ironworker working with Skanska who
had come up with other inventions, so he and his team asked for the
man’s input. The result is the Flying Forklift, a patented technique that
is now used on all vertical high-rise projects in the northwest.
“By attaching a forklift to the tower crane with a sliding counterweight, we can pick up to 18,000 lbs. and reach up to eight feet
underneath the formwork,” Brian explains. “It enables us to erect
precast panels underneath the working floor that is cantilevered out
from the existing building edge, which allows the external facade to
chase the formwork system up the building."
As a result, the work is completed quickly and generally ahead of
schedule. In fact, in the case of this project, the Flying Forklift saved
two months off the original schedule.
11
8.
Using Google Earth for surveying.
4
5
Increasing mass concrete pours in New York.
Using team sites for reviewing drawings.
4.
See beyond the limitations
At the Croton water treatment plant in New York, the team is pouring
a daily average of 300-400 cubic yards of mass concrete. This concrete
contains only 30 percent of the cement content of regular concrete
– meaning that it gains strength a lot slower, and stays in liquid state
much longer, putting extra pressure on the formwork.
“Because mass concrete hasn’t been used on this scale before, there
wasn’t enough data to confirm safe pour rates for walls while using this
mix design. The ACI building code requirements for structural concrete
also had limited information concerning these types of mix designs,
so the form designers couldn’t provide a maximum pour rate. We were
therefore limited to a maximum wall pour height of 15 feet for certain
form systems,” explains Project Engineer Robert Hansen.
That’s when the team found a section in the ACI code that
allows for experimental testing to determine pour rates and
Carpenter Superintendent Scott Spencer suggested asking Rutgers
University for help.
Using the test results, the team has been able to increase the heights
to which the walls can be poured, and speed up pour rates, saving time
and money. “Now we can do one pour instead of two pours over three
days,” Robert concludes.
5.
Experiment
In Cortez, Colorado, dealing with remote locations is part of daily life.
In the past, putting together a bid on large, private jobs meant sending
someone out with a hand-level or a GPS.
So when the software, Civil 3D, added the Google Earth Pro
feature, lead estimator James Melvin and his colleagues, Keenan
Willbanks and Shad Peabody, couldn’t help but play around with
it and see what they could do. “We can get the elevation, longitude
and latitude of a specific area from Google Earth and then import it
into Civil 3D,” says James. “With these points we make a 3D drawing
of the existing ground also known as a digital terrain model. This
allows us to get extremely accurate digital terrain data without
doing an actual survey.”
12
6.
6
Use your tools
TeamSites are picking up steam as a great way to centralize information and
hold teams accountable for staying informed. At the Meadowlands, Brian
Tighe thought of a new way to use their TeamSite to streamline the steel
shop drawing review process.
“Each piece of steel has its own document – that’s a total of nearly
15,000 documents,” Brian explains. “With several people reviewing and
collaborating on one document, we had to make the process more efficient.”
So they moved the process online. By embedding review stamps on
the submittals, the reviewing engineers did not have to print them out.
Reviewers provided drawing comments on the electronic files, rather than
using a traditional red pen. When a document was saved with a new file
name, an automatic email alerted the team that action was required. “We
cut the approval time and got everyone on the same page – and saved on
printing, packaging, and shipping costs,” says Brian.
7.
Information is power
When you’re buying 1.8 million gallons of diesel fuel a year, it
helps to know where that fuel is going.*
“Fuel is a huge part of our equipment costs,” says Lloyd Smith, USA
Civil’s SVP for Equipment, “and with the right tools, we can monitor
and compare fuel costs.” The quest to find those tools took months,
covered many miles and involved many hands: from Garry Merrifield
in Colorado to Jeff Buckmaster and Mason Ford in California.
Today they are perfecting a solution with a company called
OEM Data Delivery that involves attaching tracking devices to the
equipment. As the machines are fueled, the amount pumped, and
meter hours are recorded onto a PDA. Then the data is uploaded
into the CGC cost accounting system which helps drive the
maintenance schedule.
“Now that we can track the fuel usage, we know how much fuel each
piece of equipment uses per hour of operation,” says Lloyd. “This helps
us compare fuel consumption between two pieces of like equipment
and provide better estimating information for future work.”
*Amount of fuel purchased by USA Civil in Riverside, California, in 2007.
coast to coast
Follow your gut
Michael McGarry knew that the fan coil would fit. They had one sitting around
the office for months and one weekend, he took it home and went at it with a
set of metal shears.
Michael works at the Harbor Towers renovation project in Boston, where
the team is running a $75-million program to replace the HVAC and electrical
systems in two 40-story residential towers.
Everyone said that it was impossible to find a manufacturer today with a fan
coil that would fit the existing box. But the alternative meant ripping out millions
of dollars worth of custom finishes.
“It didn’t fit perfectly,” says Michael of his mock-up. “But I proved it was
possible.” Then he challenged three suppliers to create a solution. “By making a
simple alteration, they stood to gain an order of 1800 coils.”
The team saved $2.5 million on the fan coil installation, but the bigger savings
- about $10 million - was what the unit owners saved on not having to re-do their
finishes. With this and other innovations, the team is seven months ahead of their
22-month schedule.
9.
A fuel monitoring device.
The fabled fan coil.
7
8
Aim for perfect
The next time you go to Washington, make sure to examine the precision of the
paver stones outside the Lincoln Memorial. According to the architectural plans,
Giancarlo Bulfon and his team needed to lay stones around the monument - but on
one side of the memorial, the stones needed to take an elliptical shape, while on the
other side the formation was more circular. “The two radii were not equal to each
other,” Giancarlo explains. “So every ten feet we had to measure in order to maintain
a nice radius. At first we wasted two weeks cutting the stones by hand with a free
saw, but it just wasn’t working. We couldn’t get a straight line.”
The team took a step back and with help from Andreas Chrysostomou of the
National Park Service, and Carlos Otero from their subcontractor, Metro Paving,
they found a solution. They mounted the saw on a platform and put the platform on
rails. The result was a perfect cut. “When you walk through now, you don’t see any
wiggles or jumps,” says Giancarlo enthusiastically. “Just a perfect line.”
This innovation enabled them to re-coop the time they’d lost – and put them two
weeks ahead of schedule.
Cutting paver stones.
9
10. Ask for help
When Superintendent Hank Timme ran into Josh Kanner from VELA Systems at a
conference, Hank asked if VELA could improve the tracking of incomplete work at
the UNC Cancer Hospital.
“Handwriting punchlists can turn into a daylong process with editing and
revisions,” says Hank recalling the old way of working. “VELA has helped us make
that process instantaneous. I can go through a room in five minutes rather than 20.”
The other improvement is the amount and quality of information the system
can hold. Hank worked with the owner, architects and engineers to create a joint
punchlist, and now all of the documentation is attached and synched up. “I’ve got
all the cut sheets loaded for the owner’s equipment, like cyberknives and x-rays.
If I’m doing an in-wall inspection, I can ascertain whether the plumbing and
electrical are correct on the spot,” he exclaims. “As I walk though I can pull up
a room number and assign repairs to floors, ceilings or walls. I can even open a
drawing, apply a digital push-pin and enter a repair code. It’s fabulous.” ◆
coast to coast
Electronic punchlists in action.
10
13
Real Works of Art
Stick to a fixed budget and schedule? Sure. Keep
humidity levels constant and execute complicated
architectural plans flawlessly? All in a day's work
for our museum projects across the country.
Patricia and Phillip Frost Art Museum.
In many of our markets, we’re building museums that will serve as unique parts of
each city’s cultural mosaic. Owners tend to turn to complex architectural designs
to create a recognizable regional icon and our project teams must determine how to
make those sketches become reality. The job we’re doing, though, makes it seem like
no trouble at all.
Patricia and Phillip Frost Art Museum
Aerial shot of the Brooklyn Children's Museum.
Set in a picturesque location on Miami’s Florida International University campus,
the Frost Museum is a new hub of cultural life. Clad in granite and featuring a
three-story glass entryway, the building sparkles in the Florida sunshine.
The trick was getting the artwork to do the same. Artwork looks best in
natural light, but direct natural light destroys it over time.
So, for three of the museums' galleries, we had to devise an elaborate light
diffusion system that allows natural light to illuminate the galleries without
harming them. The result looks like palm fronds.
“When the fronds arrived, the quality of their painting and manufacturing was
not acceptable,” says Senior Project Engineer Vincent Collins. “So we hired a
subcontractor to repair and repaint every petal before installation. This required
us to turn 40 percent of the second floor into a temporary painting booth.”
The diffusion system wasn’t the only challenge for the team. A “floating”
cantilevered stairway in the lobby had to be flown in piece-by-piece by a crane
over the building’s curtain wall. To ensure a good job, the team tested each step to
hold 25,000 pounds.
“We felt this testing, though not required, was necessary due to the unique
design,” Vincent says. “We also performed an x-ray of the stair embeds to ensure
proper placement.”
Despite all these challenges, we were able to minimize any effects on
project schedule.
Brooklyn Children’s Museum
Project Engineer Andy Burch at the University of Michigan Museum of Art.
14
Just over eight million: that’s how many people live in New York City. And that’s
how many yellow tiles cover the facade of this new museum.
“You’ve got Rafael Viñoly, a world-renowned architect, not bound by cost and
schedule and an owner who wants a signature building,” says Project Executive
Michael Dolecki. “It’s up to us to manage these different needs and conclude with
a beautiful product that everyone loves.”
coast to coast
Michael and our team couldn’t start from the ground up; they had to start
underground. The old museum was completely below grade and accessed from a
vintage subway portal. Now, the museum is one of the most visible landmarks for
pilots approaching LaGuardia Airport.
Additionally, with a city full of visitors, all work had to be done while the
museum remained open for business.
“The site had to be safe and secure at all times,” explains Michael. “We never
had an issue because our team had a tremendous communications process with
the museum. We had to remember we were a guest in their place and be flexible.”
As for that façade? The team built a mock-up in Pennsylvania to learn how it
would hold up to everything from searing heat to ice and snow.
“When you’re dealing with a building of this age,
you have to consider asbestos abatement, lead paint
on existing walls and undiscovered field conditions
that come to light,” says Senior Project Manager John
Biaglow. “The team had to be aware of these challenges
while creating the proper protocols to handle them.”
While that kind of behind-the-scenes work will
get little consideration from future visitors, the use
of polished concrete on the basement level and first
floor and white oak wood flooring on the second
and third floors should get plenty of attention. John
notes that polished concrete is unusual for the upper
Midwest. The project’s complex design – including
the cantilevered second and third floors of the new
building – added to the challenges.
As the museum’s addition is completed, the team
must keep the new area at 50 percent humidity
throughout the finishing phase.
“We have to monitor temperature and humidity
levels in the building for a six month period, which
started in September” John says. “Collected data will
be used to certify the facility as being acceptable for
displaying artwork.”
Like the Frost Museum, the new galleries also employ
a system of skylights and shades to allow the sun to light
the upper-level galleries without harming the artwork. ◆
Tampa Museum of Art
Situated on the Hillsborough River and in a highly-visible downtown location, this
museum will be a showpiece for Florida’s Suncoast. We are not only building the
museum but also the park that will surround the structure. And when complete, the
exterior metal skin will include a complex LED lighting system that will serve as a
“canvas” with thousands of options for lighting designs.
“There’s a heightened sense of responsibility with this project,” says Project
Manager Oteman Delancy. “The press, the community and public officials are
constantly tracking progress.”
Again, complicated designs require extreme attention to detail and none more
so than the cantilevering of the building’s upper floors.
Execution of the design requires the project team to understand the challenges
and approach them properly. “We’ve had numerous workshops to reiterate the
importance of detailed coordination and performing work with the greatest care
and quality with regards to the architect’s intent,” Oteman notes. “Every
subcontractor has been contractually bound to recognize the building’s heightened
aesthetic requirements.”
The result is that the team is having fun with the challenges and numerous
compliments from public officials have bolstered morale even more.
The University of Michigan Museum of Art (UMMA)
Alumni Memorial Hall Addition and Renovation
Many of the challenges faced by our other teams have been tackled for this
project’s 56,000-square-foot addition. Renovating the 100-year-old existing space
made this more of a historical renovation.
coast to coast
Stat Shot: Museums
Patricia and Phillip Frost Art Museum
Size: 46,000 square feet
Completion Date: November 2008
Brooklyn Children’s Museum
Size: 53,000 square feet
Completion Date: September 2008
Tampa Museum of Art
Size: 85,000 square feet
Completion Date: June 2009
The University of Michigan
Museum of Art
Alumni Memorial Hall Addition
and Renovation
Size: 98,000 square feet
Completion Date: October 2008
Harvard's Fogg Museum
Size: 200,000 square feet
Completion: In preconstruction
15
The Dey Street Concourse, or passageway, is part of the Metropolitan
Transportation Authority's (MTA’s) program to rehabilitate the
downtown area after the September 11th attacks. According to Project
Manager Norman Hirsch, “It was the most challenging project that I’ve
ever worked on.”
Early challenges
Before the team could begin work, they had to replace and move a 100
year-old steam main. But there was no place to put it – so they hung it
from the decking covering the street above.
Then, when they started constructing the 80-ft-high secant walls,
they found steel and concrete obstructions everywhere that had to be
removed from 26-ft-deep pits. “There was also a two-level sidewalk
vault from an adjacent building that we were initially supposed to
demolish,” Norman explains. “But plans changed and we had to
support it as we dug down.”
Excavation under two fully operational subway lines was another
puzzle piece. “We had to support the structures while digging and
the bottom slab had to be replaced to accommodate excavation,” says
Norman. “And the excavation wasn’t easy. It required dewatering, use
"We had a very experienced
and skilled team. I don't think
another contractor would have
been able to complete the job."
of jet grout and mini-piles, which we’ve never constructed in the U.S.
However, by working closely with Underpinning and Foundations
Skanska, we were able to install the mini-piles successfully.”
In spite of the challenges at every turn, work never stopped. “We often
had to keep working to discover what the problem was,” says Norman.
A host of engineering feats
All in a Dey’s Work
Engineering and logistics were just a few of
the challenges on the design-build Dey Street
Concourse Project in lower Manhattan.
16
Norman and his team worked closely with Dennis Lam and Vince
Tirolo in Skanska’s engineering department as well as DMJM Harris
and the MTA. For the engineers, the challenges began when they first
looked at the project and noticed that the structures would be very
expensive and difficult to build according to the proposed means
and methods. So Dennis and Vince devised new plans to support
the subway structure using almost 60 percent fewer mini-piles than
originally called for – saving both time and money.
“In New York City, you never know what you’ll run into,” says
Dennis, the project’s assistant chief engineer. “The old plans are often
incorrect.” This was the case when it came to working under the 4/5
subway station. Upon excavation, the team found that the footings
supporting the station’s old cast iron columns were not continuous, as
the plans indicated. So they had to come up with an alternate means of
excavating that would support the footings and the surrounding area.
coast to coast
The project team on the Dey Street Concourse job [pictured clockwise from back]: Gino Morales, Lek Boonpektrakul, Joe Mannino, Mike Bruno, Nir Golan, Ed Pucciarelli, Jay Harrison, Tom
Maxwell, Nick Baldassarre, Steve Vick, Norman Hirsch, Al Bonura, Antoinette Brown and Sam Genovese.
To throw another wrench in the plans, a surveyor noticed that
an adjacent building had leaned a few inches due to construction.
“We had to perform compaction and fracture grouting around the
building’s foundation to alleviate the problem,” Dennis explains.
Always learning
In such a complex and unique job, there are always lessons to be
learned. “In the future, we should do more field investigations so we
have a better understanding of conditions surrounding the project
instead of making assumptions,” says Dennis.
“It’s important to have enough staffing to stay on top of change
orders and continue to manage the project,” Norman adds. “I’ve also
learned how important it is to work with the owner. With so many
technical problems to resolve, a good relationship with the owner is
coast to coast
what keeps the work moving.”
Yet all the research in the world may still not be enough to
prepare for the complicated logistics of working downtown in the
city that never sleeps. There are traffic restrictions and space issues
to name just a few.
Dennis concurs with Norman that Dey Street was his toughest
job, “This project utilized all of my experience and knowledge and
really required creative problem solving.”
This November, the Dey Street Concourse reached substantial
completion. “Seeing the job progress has been our reward,” Norman
concludes. “We had a very experienced and skilled team. I don’t
think another contractor would have been able to complete the job.
We’ve also been awarded the next project in Lower Manhattan, a $70
million foundation job, and we can’t wait to get started.” ◆
17
Safety First - in Financing as in the Field
Three employees have crossed the Atlantic
to support our U.S. business in becoming
financially more efficient and effective.
In 1998, Skanska created a support unit called Skanska Financial
Services (SFS) to serve and support the Skanska group in financial
matters such as project finance and treasury. After having supported
Skanska’s U.S. operations for several years, SFS established a branch
presence here in 2008 with three representatives based in New York:
Magnus Paulsson, Nils Lundberg and Monika Sandberg. All three
have worked at Skanska for many years, primarily with SFS at our
company headquarters in Sweden.
Their task in the U.S. is two-fold: to help manage financial risk
and arrange project finance solutions, as well as to provide expertise
in treasury matters, including efficient management of the cash
generated by our U.S. operations.
Setting the Tone
The 2008 management meeting coincided with the news
that banks all over the world were failing. The Senior
When should a project turn to SFS?
Executive Team used this gathering to create a sense of
urgency and stimulate action. Rather than proceed with the
planned agenda, they adapted it to the situation at hand.
CEO Johan Karlström set the stage: “Our strategy is the same as in 2008,” he said,
“Long-term we will begin to grow our project development side of the business. We
are not just a construction company – we are a project development and construction
company. In construction our focus remains on the bottom line.”
Then CFO Hans Biörck spoke about the market situation. He illustrated his point by
turning off the lights. “We do not have a full picture of the extent of this crisis,” said Hans.
The rest of the Senior Executive Team then gave a combined picture of our business units
and markets, (the PPP market, Construction, Commercial Development and Residential
Development), emphasizing Skanska’s cash-rich and diversified business portfolio.
Johan then turned the onus on the managers, asking the Business Unit Presidents
to take their management teams into breakout sessions where they would set proactive
measures to prepare for the stormy economy. When they returned, he called on them
to stand up and share their plans.
The afternoon session included a report on green construction and plans for
implementing the fifth zero.
On day two, the conference host, Latin America, brought in Nando Parrado,
a survivor of the 1972 plane crash in the Andes. Nando told his desperate story
of survival, of how leaders surface in crises by rising to the challenges of the new
situation. He left the audience certain of what matters most in life: family and friends.
It was a hard act to follow, but Tor Krusell, Global Head of HR, played a video
of Steve Jobs’ commencement speech at Stanford University. “Live life as if each day
is your last,” Jobs cautioned. “Because one day, it will be.” Tor told stories of several
managers who had left strong legacies at Skanska, and then asked, “One day, we will all
leave Skanska. What mark will you leave behind?” ◆
For full presentations and videos from the event, go to: www.skanska.com/orlando2008
18
Dashboard on the Horizon
A project to match our outperform strategies
with project health indicators is in the
works. This tool, which a national team has
spent the last year developing, is called a
Performance Dashboard or performance
management strategy.
Tying strategy to performance helps
effectively match our day-to-day activities to
the things that matter to our success.
Key health indicators will be presented in
the online dashboard to provide more reliable
project information with less effort. Managers
and project teams can then easily view key
indicators and make informed decisions quickly,
thus reducing the burden of project reporting.
Drawing data from existing systems including
finance, safety, human resources, client satisfaction
and our project management information system,
the dashboard will allow teams to observe
performance across many aspects of their projects in
order to make proactive choices.
A plan to launch a prototype dashboard and
corporate performance management strategy in 2009
is currently being developed through focus groups with
more than 75 team members across the country. ◆
coast to coast
“SFS can assist in project assessments and provide pre-ORA/ORA
assistance and bid/marketing support,” says Nils. “The earlier we can
get involved, the more we can contribute. We can also tailor-make
financing to fit the needs of Skanska and our clients. One thing we
need to make clear, however, is that we don’t lend or invest money
ourselves,” Nils explains.
Skanska Financial Service's Nils Lundberg and Monika Sandberg
Rest-assured: the money is being managed.
Much for the same reasons that SFS started in Sweden, the goal of
SFS in the U.S. is to efficiently manage the money so the construction
units can focus on making it. “Realizing that about a third of Skanska’s
turnover is generated in the U.S., efficient cash management is essential.
Over time, more active handling of the cash flow and cash balances will
yield a greater benefit to the company,” says Monika.
The goal of SFS in the U.S. is
to efficiently manage the
money so the construction
units can focus on making it.
“One way to think of it is that money that is earned at USA Building
and USA Civil is gathered centrally. We then oversee the flow of that
money – coordinating all of the procedures, systems, risk exposures,
bank relations and administration that go with it,” she explains.
As with all activities at Skanska, risk management is key. During
times of financial turmoil, SFS’s role as manager of financial risk
becomes increasingly important. ◆
coast to coast
Magnus Paulsson leaves U.S. to head up SFS
This November, Magnus
Paulsson was named President
of SFS. He succeeded
Anders Årling who was
named President of Skanska
Infrastructure Development.
Magnus has been with
Skanska for more than six
years, most recently as part of
SFS’s New York team.
“I’m very excited about taking
on this inspiring new task with
an ambition to further develop
SFS’s important role within
Skanska. The presence we’ve
established in the U.S. is a step
in that direction as it enables us
to enhance our services for the
American business units.”
19
Building Blocks for Diversity
Through our diversity program, we continue to look for innovative ways to rise to the challenge
of strengthening relationships between women, minority and small business contractors and
opportunities with potential construction projects throughout the country.
“There is an advantage in offering potential owners an added-value benefit by
proposing creative solutions to assisting minority vendors in their efforts to bid
successfully,” explains Director of Diversity James Threalkill.
With this in mind, the Building Blocks Program was developed to provide women,
minority and small business contractors with access to a multitude of industry topics
designed to strengthen and promote
their business expertise.
of
Held in classroom settings
creating a new mindset throughout the U.S., sparticipants
learn about estimating, contract
in the
documents, submitting bids,
marketing and public relations, field
management, bonding and insurance
and legal and compliance issues. The classes are presented by employees from our various
departments as well as industry experts.
To acknowledge the participants’ completion of the program, a graduation ceremony
is held at which owners are recognized for their support and familiarity among business
owners is enhanced to encourage joint venture partnerships.
“The Building Blocks Program represents our commitment to ensuring that minority
businesses are included in contracting opportunities that traditionally have been beyond their
grasps,” says James. “It’s our way of creating a new mindset in the construction industry.” ◆
"It's our way
construction
industry."
Glen and Yvonne Garth with Garth Solutions and Director of
Diversity James Threalkill at the Building Blocks Program.
Global Trainees Hit the Road
When the second round of Global
Trainees met in Stockholm this fall, six
Americans were among them.
During the 20-month Global Trainee
Program, the trainees will rotate between
different tasks in the field within four
business units around the world.
Beginning the first assignments in their
home markets, the American participants
are Nyime Brown, Ryan Prime and Megan
Heugle with USA Civil; Priyanka Shingore
with Skanska Infrastructure Development;
and Natalie Djurovski and Heather Gough
with USA Building.
Ryan Prime, who is assigned to
the Second Avenue Subway project
in New York City, previously worked
as a legislative analyst for the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration in Washington,
20
DC. Looking for a change of pace,
he applied for the Global Trainee
Program. “I wanted to learn about
a new industry and how to achieve
goals in a versatile and complex
environment like construction.”
Priyanka Shingore is working with
ID in Washington, DC, to develop
Public Private Partnership management
strategies. “I was interested in working
with this team because I’m studying
PPP projects for my master’s thesis
at Virginia Tech,” she explains. “This
program is an avenue to realize this
ambition while gathering international
experience and opportunities to learn
from diverse people.”
The trainees will remain at their
current assignments for eight months
before going abroad. ◆
Clockwise from top: Heather Gough, Megan Heugle, Nyime Brown,
Natalie Djurovski, Ryan Prime and Priyanka Shingore.
coast to coast
coast to coast
21
The Skanska Top 10
124 U.S. managers joined
in our global Management
Meeting 2008 in Orlando.
Our Durham office is providing
construction services for
three separate buildings on
Virginia Tech’s campus in
Blacksburg, Virginia.
The Durham
Performing
Arts Center completes
1 million injury-free
man-hours.
Mike McNally has been
appointed EVP of Skanska AB,
member of the Senior Executive
Team and President of
Skanska USA.
USA Civil's Corona
Maintenance Shop &
Car Wash project and USA
Building's Carilion Roanoke
Memorial Hospital
Consolidation project win big
at the Design Build Institute of
America's annual awards dinner.
coast tocoast
The Employee Magazine for Skanska in the U.S.
Safety Week 2008 was
a great success, with 149
executive site visits and
only one lost time accident
involving a wrist injury to a
sub-contractor employee.
Making Green Real
website goes live at
GreenBuild 2008 :
www.makegreenreal.com
Our Ft. Lauderdale office is
performing a $5 million
renovation of the
Broward County Schools
Dillard Museum.
Following 22 years with our
company, Bill Flemming
has been appointed the
new President of USA
Building.
Mike Attardo
becomes the first
recipient of the Stuart
Graham Lifetime
Achievement
Award (aka., The
Dirty Boots).