The people who plan, manage, and build our projects are all experts in their field, and an integral part of our company’s success. Chris Potter is a project executive with extensive experience planning and building healthcare, higher education, mixed-use, and multifamily projects. Here’s eight questions to get to know more about him.
1. What’s your current day-to-day look like?
Typically, I wake up at 5:00 AM and work out before heading to the office. I take a few minutes to identify and prioritize my most important tasks/objectives for the day. Depending on the day of the week, there are usually scheduled meetings at various times of the day I’m involved with. We have more meetings via Teams or other web conference platforms than we ever had before, but I feel this has provided more productive time during the day since I’m not travelling to meetings. I spend time talking with the members of the teams I’m on to identify any opportunities that need to be addressed and then determine the best approach to reach a resolution. Once I get home, I usually help with dinner and spend as much time as I can with my kids before getting them ready for bed. I typically read for an hour or so before going to sleep around 9:30 PM.
2. What’s the one lesson you’ve learned in this industry that’s stuck with you?
No two projects are the same and you will encounter new opportunities and learn something new on each one.
3. Describe the last challenge/problem you solved on the job.
The University of Memphis Student Recreation Facility project has a partially suspended running track as part of the scope. The team was challenged with finding a way to load the steel framed track with concrete while accounting for deflection in the steel structure and maintaining proper slopes on the track. The team reviewed several scenarios and presented those options to the design team and together, we were able to come up with a solution that would allow us to meet our objectives.
4. How did you get started in the industry?
Several of my family members have careers in construction so I’ve been around the industry most of my life. I started going to residential project sites with my dad and grandfather when I was 10 and construction was always interesting to me. I learned about the construction program at ETSU as I neared graduation from high school and felt it was the right path for me.
5. What’s your best memory from your time with Hoar Construction?
Being on the Leadership Council is the best experience I’ve had during my 14 years with Hoar. We had a great group and it is was always a great time when we were together.
6. What’s the best part of your job?
The people I get to work with and being able to see your work long after it is complete.
7. What’s your hidden talent?
Singing
8. What’s your proudest accomplishment?
Seeing individuals that I’ve had the opportunity to mentor move up in the company and run their own successful projects.
