Vladimir Maslev, Senior Project Manager, is celebrating 15 years at Alberici this month. In honor of this milestone, we asked him to share some thoughts about his time at Alberici.
In your time at Alberici, which project was your favorite and why?
Actually, it is my current project, a brewery expansion in Mexico. The size and complexity of the project along with the interaction of talented US and international professionals who come from different backgrounds brings many challenges but also many rewards. Seeing our team’s commitment to the success of the project and giving the client the opportunity to meet market demand is fantastic.
What do you enjoy most about your current role?
Every day brings new challenges. I have had great mentors at Alberici who have taught me not to leave today’s work for tomorrow. I enjoy ensuring we perform to the client’s satisfaction and bring new business to Alberici. In the end, you make lots of friends who enrich your life.
What are you most proud of in your time at Alberici and why?
To see the continuous growth of Alberici along with my personal satisfaction that I have made my contribution. It is rewarding to drive by a building and share with your kid that you were part of team that built it. Also, prioritization of safety has made a great leap nationwide, and Alberici’s safety policy and our commitment to executing the work in the safest means possible to achieve Zero Incidents has made us a leader in safety.
What do you like most about working at Alberici?
I enjoy the culture. Our core values enshrine the idea of “providing opportunities for exceptionally fulfilling work”. I find working at Alberici incredibly fulfilling.
How has the construction industry changed since you started?
The schedules are shorter while the clients are more sophisticated. On the other hand, the widespread computerization has taken some of the everyday technical burden off of our shoulders. For example, the scheduling and project management software that we use now streamline our processes on a job site.
What piece of advice would you give to someone just starting in the construction industry?
Be humble and respectful, yet be persistent in reaching your goals and chasing your dreams. And always ask for help when you need it.
You’ve worked in a variety of markets, but mainly building/healthcare and industrial process. How are those two markets similar and how are they different? What do you like about working with each market?
The markets and clients are different but the end goal is the same – we have to meet or exceed client expectations. Each market has influenced me in a different way with respect to skills and thinking. For instance, in the building/healthcare market, I learned the steps to close a building and complete the interior finishes. That experience helps me in the current project now and in the industrial process market in general.
You have an engineering degree, but you also have a master of management and an MBA. How have your business degrees been helpful to you?
I would encourage anyone to pursue a graduate degree because graduate education provides the opportunity to see business from a different perspective. For me personally, managerial and financial accounting, operations management, and legal and ethical studies significantly influenced my professional development. My graduate education also provided the foundations I needed to obtain project and quality management professional certifications.
If you were a piece of construction equipment, what would you be and why?
I guess I would be an excavator. It’s a machine that works slowly, but it unavoidably completes its task.
Is there anything else you’d like to share about your time so far at Alberici?
Working at Alberici has been a great journey so far for me, and I am looking forward to future fulfilling challenges.