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Meet Jen Suerth
Even as a little girl, Jen was fascinated with architecture. She would tell you it's in her blood, since her great grandfather worked for Frank Lloyd Wright. Back then, the architect was also the master builder, where today we have architects, engineers and contractors. So far during her career, Jen has served in each role.
Jen's story is fascinating, from working on Burj Kahlifa (the tallest building in the world) as an intern, to her first structural engineering project winning AISC’s Presidential Award of Excellence, to helping facilitate the industry's adoption of 3D design and construction everywhere she's been. Each step has been deliberate. Every volunteer effort and board position driven from the heart - with the end goal of making a bigger and bigger difference in her home city of Chicago. This motivation led her from design and engineering into construction, where she saw the opportunity to make the biggest impact.
While at Pepper, Jen has applied her engineering knowledge and love for technology to bring people together. For her, technology is a tool that offers transparency and serves as a catalyst for people to create progress and make a difference in our communities. As such, her conversations start with the best situations and solutions and not the technology itself.
Jen's success is a result of the importance she has placed on relationships. Her positive energy and infectious personality are felt across Chicago - and not just when she's performing improv. When reflecting on the two words that best sum up what she's about, Jen is quick to respond with collaboration and diversity. Each of her major accomplishments comes back to these two ideas.
Industry and Community Contributions
Jen is driven to make a difference in the local community and in the broader construction industry. Technology aside, she believes in the idea that diversity is how we will get better. People are innovative, and diversity brings new perspectives and ideas. Technology is just the tool to help us achieve our visions.
NET ZERO JOBSITE OFFICE
The Net Zero trailer was unveiled at Green Build 2018. The trailer was designed in 3D to maximize technology and flex to changes in technology. Then, it was built using Microsoft's HoloLens. Click on the video to learn more about the story and how technology was used.
ACE Mentoring
Jen has been involved with the Architecture Construction Engineering (ACE) Mentor Program for 10 years, where she has served as a team lead and held board positions. By working with tomorrow's workforce, it helps the local community and enhances diversity in our industry. Jen believes in the organization's mission so strongly that this year she stepped down from other board positions so she could join the Executive Board of ACE.
VR Safety Training
Technology enhances visualization and allows data to be used in powerful ways. Partnering with operations and safety teams, Jen's team is developing new tools designed to improve safety. For example, her team created a realistic VR training experience, modeled off of our own jobsite and based on our own safety metrics. Because it was created in-house, we can update it as needed. Click on the video above for a view of the training. Our efforts have recently been recognized by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), which named Pepper Construction as the most innovative company in the construction industry and the recipient of the 2021 Innovation Award for our virtual reality safety training program.
Thought Leadership
Technology is a topic that captures attention. It's easy to get lost in the terminology and wow factor that it presents. That's why Jen's articles are written to help our clients and partners understand the benefits and limitations of technology and to cut through the noise of what's available now versus still in development. Of course, she's also looking ahead to what's next (and is likely involved in testing the prototype).
Additional publications in which Jen has been featured
“Building the Business Case for a Diverse Construction Workforce” October 11, 2021
“Workforce Diversity in Construction Improves Productivity and Profits” Autodesk, July 30, 2021
“Countdown: Top 5 Benefits of Using Virtual Reality in Safety Training” Autodesk Digital Builder May 3, 2021
"Amid delays and rising prices, contractors turn to tech to mitigate supply disruptions”: Construction Dive: April 28, 2021
"How the Coronavirus Could Turn the U.S. Into a Surveillance State" Popular Mechanics April 30, 2020
"Employers Hope to Limit Liability by Catching Social Distancing Scofflaws on Video" Insurance Journal April 28, 2020
"Companies bet on AI cameras to track social distancing, limit liability" Rueters April 27, 2020
"Computer Vision Deployed to Monitor Social Distancing on Jobsites" ENR April 3,2020
"Pepper Construction's Breakthrough Combination of Technology and People," Engineering News-Record, August 2019
"Pepper Construction Technology Leader on AEC Innovation Trends, Keys to Driving Adoption," Oracle blog, June 2019
"Pepper Construction Working to Capitalize on the Data Opportunity," Oracle blog, June 2019
"The construction industry has a problem, and women are going to solve it," BD+C, April 2019
"Women in Construction Week: Jennifer Suerth," Viatechnik, March 2019
"Building a Career in Construction: The Challenges and Opportunities," Forbes, December 2018
"When Con-tech is just an idle solution looking for a problem," Construction Dive, September 2018
Case Study: Pepper Construction: Site Intelligence Solution Simplifies Progress Monitoring, Collaboration and Security
"Workforce Diversity in Construction Improves Productivity and Profits," Autodesk Redshift blog, June 2018
"Making AEC Attractive to High School Students," Builtworlds, May 2018
"Innovating Women in Construction Technology: How Pepper is Breaking New Ground," Connect+Construct, March 2018
"In the Company of Women - How and Why Pepper Construction is Hiring More Women," Procore, February 2018
"Jen Suerth pushing technology in construction," Builtworlds, March 2017
“Benefits of BIM and VDC: A Contractor’s View”, AUGIWorld Magazine, February 2015
As a leading voice in the construction industry, Jen has been invited to speak at more than 30 events in the past decade.
ENR Emerging Leaders Forum Panelist, "How AI Is Changing Our Industry," 2024
Advancing Construction Technology Fireside Chat: "Disruptive Thinking to Deliver Innovation," Chicago, August 2023
Autodesk University, "The Hardest Worker on a Construction Project: A Working Mom," Panelist, 2023
AGC IT Forum, "Maximizing Project Outcomes Through Document Control," Chicago, 2023
4th Annual Illinois Women in CRE Summit, Panelist, Chicago, March 2022
Featured in Autodesk University Construction Keynote, 2022
"Career Advice: How to Follow Your Passion and Create New Opportunities," LinkedIn Audio, March 2022
Chicago Build, "The Importance of Digitalization in Construction Projects," 2022
“The Future of Architectural Technologies” – 2021 Building Performance Symposium – University of Illinois – April 2021
Digital Builder Podcast: Digital Builder Ep 8: 3 Things We Learned About Implementing Construction Innovation
BuiltWorlds Digital Summit, "Managing New Tech on the Jobsite" May 7, 2020
AGC IT Forum, “Accelerating Construction’s Digitalization Through Collaboration and Real-World Testing,” Chicago, August 2019
VRAR Chicago, “VR/AR Expert Panel,” Chicago, August 2019
US Minority Contractors Association, “A Taste of Digital Reality,” Panelist, April 2019
US Minority Contractors Association, “What Public and Private Sectors are Expecting from Construction,” Panel Moderator, April 2019
Autodesk University, "Why Diversity and Inclusion Is Important for Your Business,” Las Vegas, November 2018
ENR Webinar, “Robotic Construction: How Much, How Soon and What's First,” October 2018
Constructech Awards Dinner Panelist, July 2018
"SysQue: University of Chicago Residence Hall,” TSI User Group, New Orleans, June 2014
Technology Driving Real Estate, VDC Discussion, Chicago, November 2013
AIC Constructor Conference, “Balancing act – Technology implementation across the contractor community,” Florida, May 2018
Procore Empower Series Panel, “Impacting culture as an individual and harnessing the power of your workforce,” September 2017
BD+C Accelerate Live, “3D Laser Scanning for The Project Lifecycle,” July 2017
AEC Next, “Making It Practical: Existing Buildings & Reality Capture,” June 2017
BuiltWorlds Summit, “BIM & Construction Innovation: Museum of the Future,” May 2017
ENR Ground Breaking, Women in Technology Panel, May 2017
EUCI - Building Leadership: Women in AEC, “A Realistic Look at the Future of AEC in Technology, Equipment, and Instrumentation,” April 2017
Builtworlds – The Future of Project Management Conference, “How BIM is Affecting Project Management,” February 2017
Autodesk University, Women in Construction, November 2016
Constructech Technology Day, Keynote Panelist, August 2016
Chicago Building Congress Technology Panelist, 2015 and 2016
ENR FutureTech, “Extreme Integrations,” Atlanta, December 2014
Awards and Credentials
Jen has been working across the architecture, engineering and construction industries since 2003 and has been recognized numerous times for her leadership, including with the following accolades:
- Autodesk Construction Champion (2024)
- Midwest Women in Commercial Real Instate (2023 and 2021)
- Built Environment Futures Council Founding Member (2023)
- Autodesk Executive Council Advisory Board (2020-Current)
- Crain's Notable Women in STEM (2020)
- ACIG VDC/BIM and Technology Focus Group
- AXA XL Innovator's Circle
- BD+C’s 40 Under 40 (2017)
- Builtworlds Top 50 Technology Adoptions Leaders of (2017)
- Constructech Magazine’s Women in Construction (2016)
- ENR Midwest’s Top 20 under 40 (2015)
- Chicago Building Congress Future Leader Award of Honor (2014)
- ACE Executive Board Member (2008-Current)
Jen holds a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies and a Master of Architecture, Structures, both from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Want to learn how to implement the multiple technologies on a site? Watch Tracy Riggan (Oracle), and Jennifer Suerth LEED AP (Pepper Construction Group) talk on LinkedIn Live from Oracle Industries Innovation Lab Construction Site.
