Part One – Introductions and Insights

Brian Mullen brings more than 21 years of industry experience to his role as Vice President at Pepper Construction. He leads teams on our largest and most complex healthcare projects, from new construction to expansion of existing facilities and interior renovations. An expert in Lean Construction methodologies and projects that employ an Integrated Form of Agreement (IFOA), he holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from The Catholic University of America.

We caught up with Brian to explore how his project management strategies put clients ahead of the curve on complex healthcare construction. In this opening part, Brian shares his insights on what it takes to execute success.

I found a passion for solving “puzzles” – coming up with good solutions working towards a client’s ultimate goals – as an undergraduate civil engineering major. Fastforward to my first hospital project: for about six years, I ran projects in all types of spaces in a hospital that was made up of about 15 different structures built over time. I learned quickly about fire-rated separations and phasing, and how to maintain building operations while renovating occupied spaces – how to solve for success.

I brought that experience to the healthcare work Pepper was already doing. My work with Pepper started with renovating and adding operating rooms at Evanston Hospital in 2007, and it’s been all healthcare for me ever since. Today, if it’s in a hospital, I’ve touched it.

Healthcare is constantly evolving, which means we have to be bold thinkers and skilled problem solvers. I’ve worked as a two-person team, as a project manager and superintendent, and on 10-plus person teams. Cutting your teeth on large and small jobs, you absorb the different needs of both varieties and how to scale up or scale back. My broad experience gives me the ability to understand all the trades, appreciate the nuances of managing the pace of a complex project, and communicate effectively with different team members. Flexibility rises to the top for bringing the best value to every job, and this involves moving relationships from transactional to strategic partnerships. As a true partner, I’m meticulously dedicated to working alongside our clients and demonstrating, at every turn, that our partnership is priority.

First and foremost is understanding, as quickly as possible, what the client is trying to achieve.

This starts by actively listening to the client. We can address a lot of issues in a lot of different ways. If speed-to-market is a priority, we can make it happen. If we need to keep a certain number of patient rooms active, we have a reliable strategy. The key is transparency and communication, having conversations to understand, apply, produce and work side by side. At every step, we work with the client to understand what they need and to deliver in the best way.

The goal is zero surprises along the way. We listen for what’s important. We build a plan. We review it with the client, adjust to accommodate client feedback and get buy in. When work is starting, we notify them about what’s coming up weeks in advance. We create some plans months ahead of time. Getting closer to the work, we make sure everyone contracted to execute it is up to speed on all fronts. We all know that sometimes, the best laid plans have changes, which is why we prioritize communication. Keeping everyone in the loop helps ensure that everyone understands what choices were made and what options exist every step of the way.

I also like to approach healthcare projects from the view of the patient and the staff. How is their work going to continue while we’re doing our work? We’re constantly thinking about what’s important for each stakeholder to know and always working to make sure the right people are in the right place, while managing expectations along the way. We work to create an environment that anticipates possibilities and avoids surprises, so we can navigate challenges with agility and meet them with effective solutions.

The industry has a high focus on low cost and fast schedules. We think not just about the cost and schedule, but about what’s important to the owner and the people who will occupy and maintain the spaces we build, now and in the future. For us, it’s also about that long-term relationship. We focus on the relationship we’re building with our clients while we’re working with them to achieve their goals.

We’ve also got our strong, diverse experience of successful work with a number of different healthcare systems to draw on for every project. I’ve been working with Christ Hospital since 2011 and that history allows me to partner with the client at strategic, actionable levels. Our clients appreciate the breadth of insight we provide, because these insights lead to action that effectively addresses their needs.

“No surprises” says it best. We strike a balance to bring value early in a project, thinking about how components go together in the design phase. When a building takes shape, the focus for the architect is on what it looks like. Our focus is on how component A is going to attach to component B and act like a unified system. We put a lot of effort in this to make sure that when it comes time to build, everyone knows their part. Solving issues in this way creates less changes, less delays. These early efforts drive value.

A great example is a project with Christ Hospital that started with 16 phases. We initiated a two-hour working session that allowed us to consolidate to five phases and cut two years off the schedule. That meant increased cost savings while still satisfying the client’s program and operational needs.

In our next installment with Brian, we’ll discuss more about his “no surprises” commitment to value engineering plus preconstruction planning, as well as his insights on emerging technologies and high-performance, sustainable construction.
 

Do you have a question about an upcoming project or work you’re envisioning that would benefit from Brian’s experience and perspective? Contact him at BMullen@pepperconstruction.com.