Kelly Messacar
What current project(s) are you working on?
I am currently working on transitioning PMA to a new platform for our internal marketing and business development efforts. This involves clean-up, process development and workflows, and training documents. I’m also completing our bi-monthly internal newsletter, The Baseline, and supporting the Chicago office with requests for proposals and statements of qualification packages for Cargill and the Chicago Public Schools.
Do you get to do something at work every day that you love? If so, what is it?
I really like the people I work with at PMA, and that is one of the reasons I have loved working at PMA for the last 20 years. I’ve also benefited from PMA’s organizational structure that allows me to work directly with many leaders and get involved with projects I am interested in.
What is your career highlight so far? (at PMA?)
I’ve had many career highlights at PMA and setting up our company-wide marketing database has been especially rewarding. Previously, each regional office maintained its own separate marketing documents and data. With our new system, we were able to create a resource to manage our marketing content that is easy to customize and accessible to all. We also have customized reports and alerts that have greatly improved our marketing processes.
What is something new or innovative happening in your industry that makes you excited about the future?
I recently attended an internal lunch-n-learn presentation on how we are using Power BI to help clients. The innovative tools that our engineers are using are so impressive. The ability to make decisions based on up-to-the-minute analytics is exciting and can bring confidence to the decision-making process. One of our core values is innovation, and it is clear that easy-to-understand tools like Power BI and NetPoint (PMA’s visual planning and scheduling tool) will be very important in the future.
What was a transformative project or challenge that you did at PMA?
One transformative project I have worked on was designated the Marketing 2.0 project. Our goal was to reinvigorate our marketing efforts by creating strategy plans, process development, template development, tools for operations staff, and departmental tools and resources. This successful effort involved internal interviews, working closely with leadership, and lots of research on best practices in the A/E/C industry.
Who/what inspires you to push yourself? (Personal heroes, family members, ideas)
My family inspires me. I love spending time with them, and I aspire to be a good role model for my three children.
What university or college did you graduate from?
BA, Communications, Spanish minor, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 2001.
What is your favorite local establishment/feature (restaurant, museum, stadium, etc.)?
I am a bit of foodie and really miss dining out. We have so many excellent choices near the office. A few favorites are Mercadito, Sienna Tavern, and Little Goat. I would also eat lunch at Roti at least once a week.
Provide a fun fact about yourself?
I love to play golf and have one hole in one (so far).