PMB Employee Spotlight – Candice Bigley
This week, as part of Women in Construction Week, we celebrate the women that have dedicated their careers to construction. Candice Bigley, LEED Green Associate, has played an instrumental role in PMB’s Architecture and Construction team for nearly 19 years. As Project Manager of tenant improvements, she works directly with clients to help build out their suites. She oversees architects and general contractors while maintaining schedules and budgets. Candice’s positive attitude, attention to detail and focus on maintaining proactive communication with each client has garnered her an exceptional reputation in the industry. She has managed the construction of over 1,000,000 square feet of medical tenant improvements and is an active member of the U.S. Green Building Council.
We sat down with Candice and talked about what inspires her, some of her highlights and challenges on the job and what she would tell young girls looking to start careers in the construction field. She provided this insight:
‘I’m inspired by experienced colleagues who add a different design or strategy perspective to the project that I may not have thought of. I think wow that person just blew my mind, what else can I learn from them? I hope I can do the same for others.
I love performing quality control by reviewing drawings and walking jobsites. I get into the nitty gritty detail that most people find tedious, but the time spent up front is worth it because discovering potential problems before they become issues is just an efficient way to work. It’s incredibly rewarding when projects are complete and clients are satisfied.
I welcome challenges because they only help improve my skills. I would say the most challenging part of my job is filling out my expense report! On a serious note, it’s challenging when clients make changes because there are potential cost and schedule impacts. I’ve learned to manage expectations with clients so there are no surprises. Sometimes that’s not fun.
I encourage my nieces to hone in on a skill set that they really like and became experts in that craft, in my case it is tenant improvements. Also, practice public speaking and get comfortable with it.”
