Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Timeline
Generic

Merideth Kessen

Grand Rapids,MI

Summary

Experienced and strategic Senior Project Manager with 7 years of construction industry experience in retail renovations/remodels, new store builds, and site acquisition seeking an opportunity in real estate management for a well-respected major retailer. Proven capability leading teams of up to 8 project managers, as well as mastery in budgeting, quality control and industry best practices. Honest, hard-working, and dedicated to building positive rapport with clients, vendors, and peers and leadership.

Overview

8
8
years of professional experience

Work History

Senior Project Manager

CBRE
06.2021 - Current
  • In 2021, promoted to a Player Coach and supervised a team of 5-8 project managers, completed on-boarding trainings, mid-year and year-end reviews, weekly touch bases, and monthly visits to my team spread across 5 states.
  • Executed and managed ~20 full retail remodels, various smaller remodel types, and new store builds totaling more than 300 million in project budgets as an owner's representative.
  • Coordinate project meetings, manage construction schedules, and collaborated with general contractors, subcontractors, vendors, engineers and architects on each project.
  • Implement cost saving tactics across project portfolio to save client at least $50,000 per project through thorough review of change orders, scope adds due to misses on the architectural drawings, and reviewed at a field level how the contractors executed this work to match the inputted costs in change orders.


Project Manager

JLL
06.2018 - 06.2021
  • Responsible for the execution of multi-faceted retail construction projects for financial centers regionally.
  • Lead retail renovation projects through planning, designing, and execution of scope.
  • Collaborated with contractors, architects, engineers, and public agencies to complete projects within timeline limitations and budget constraints.
  • Managed budgets across project portfolio through gathering quotes from general contractors, equipment and material suppliers, and negotiated contracts.

Site Acquisition Specialist

SAC Wireless
01.2016 - 06.2018
  • Managed a portfolio of 60-80 sites for a major telecommunications provider to install fiber in existing and new sites regionally.
  • Review soft and hard audits, develop Site Development plans and budgets, acquire permits and jurisdictional approval for work, and coordinate with the construction teams to execute fiber installations.
  • Collaborate with legal, permitting departments, and project coordinators to acquire all leasing, zoning/permitting, and pre-construction deliverables to drive projects to execution stage.
  • Served as a liaison between client and construction department to facilitate communications and project developments.


Education

MBA - Masters of Business Administration

Lewis University
Romeoville, IL
05.2017

Bachelor of Science - Environmental Health Engineering

Illinois State University
Normal, IL
12.2015

Skills

  • Multi-Project Management
  • Project Drawings
  • Subcontracting Management
  • Status Meetings
  • Cross-Functional Communication

Timeline

Senior Project Manager

CBRE
06.2021 - Current

Project Manager

JLL
06.2018 - 06.2021

Site Acquisition Specialist

SAC Wireless
01.2016 - 06.2018

MBA - Masters of Business Administration

Lewis University

Bachelor of Science - Environmental Health Engineering

Illinois State University

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Merideth Kessen