I am now in my sixth year as a project manager with HSML, joining in July 2013 to lead a Nuclear project. That project was a massive challenge for HSML. Still, it did result in several successful machine installs at the Nuclear site to assist a 10-year retrofit of 3,500MW reactor power output – about a fifth of the province’s consumption. Its complexity, customer layers and challenges, and the daunting technical documentation, including the few dozen change orders, was a crucible in which we formed grit and experience and further developed a flexible and resourceful company that can rise to any challenge.
My background of 20 years as an engineer and manager with GE, Clorox, and Bombardier exposed me to a broad range of design, quality and manufacturing roles in larger firms. So what attracted me to an HSML? The diversity of technically challenging projects, exposure to category-leading customers, and direct involvement in design/production in a smaller organization.
There is an old anecdote in business: Quality, Cost, Delivery – pick two. The project manager shall balance and deliver all three. My daily responsibility is typically on the largest projects, to ensure all three elements by coordination of Engineering, Procurement, and Production deliverables. While most don’t like change, I enjoy project scope changes because I thrive on complexity, and it’s usually a way to augment our financial goals – I am most proud of the added revenue brought to HSML this way. I do rely on sales support – re Nicola – to assist with contract management, i.e. the details of terms and conditions, customer schedule management, contractual deliverables and change orders. It’s all part of the ‘how’ those three elements can be made to balance. It should be said that many smaller to mid-sized projects are run without PMs at HSML. This is a testament to Operations’ ability and adherence to established processes, and we often have more than 20 projects at a time, from small to large.
Besides the actual cool work we do, what keeps me energized at work is that within this culture, I can be entirely myself with everyone and share a joke or laugh to lessen stress. I’ve learned to appreciate every person’s skills and effort inside this company – each of us truly has a daily impact on important outcomes. HSML has a soul and a culture that is all about rising to the challenges. We can ride that soul train to success for years to come.
Gord
