After leading Gilbane’s internal design-build initiative for the last two years, Macks and her team have implemented streamlined procedures for design-build project delivery and begun development of a specialized design-build training curriculum for employees. Since establishing this initiative in 2020, Gilbane has grown its volume of design-build work by 23 percent.
In her new role, Macks will build on this momentum. She will continue to develop and implement design-build processes based on best practices, as well as support successful project delivery. Macks will also focus on building Gilbane’s prefabrication and modular capabilities on all projects regardless of delivery model.
“Gilbane has seen tremendous growth in our design-build portfolio over the last five years,” said Daniel Reynolds, Executive Vice President, Gilbane Building Company. “Gilbane has over $2.9 billion worth of design-build projects currently in design or construction. Jennifer’s experience will help our teams successfully execute this work and exceed our clients’ expectations.”
Macks has extensive experience in the construction industry, having delivered nearly $2 billion worth of projects over her 28-year career. She has spent her career in various roles from operations to business development, leveraging Lean principles to deliver added value for clients. In addition, she has spent 20 of those years performing design-build work in the education, health care, and federal sectors.
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Macks is currently supporting a variety of pursuits and projects across the company, including the renovation of the William H. Gray III 30th Street Station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She has been a speaker at the 2020 Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) Conference on “Design Building a Dream Team”, as well as the 2021 DBIA Conference on “Leveraging Public-Private Partnerships for Accelerated K-12 Delivery.”
“I have been working on design-build projects for over 20 years and through this experience have learned the importance of building strong teams, with the right tools, to promote collaboration and design excellence,” Macks said. “My goal is to drive training and process improvement in these areas to deliver the best client experience from design through construction. I am excited to take on this new challenge and build more partnerships with our design partners and trades to promote a one-team environment that drives value for our clients.”
Macks will be based in Austin, Texas, managing operations for the Austin office, with frequent travel to Gilbane’s offices across the country. She earned a master’s degree in business administration from Wayne State University as well as a Bachelor of Science in Engineering in civil engineering from the University of Michigan. She is a Professional Engineer, DBIA Designated Professional, and LEED Accredited Professional.
Gilbane provides a full slate of construction and facilities-related services — from pre-construction planning and integrated consulting capabilities to comprehensive construction management, general contracting, design-build, and facility management services — for clients across various markets. Founded in 1870 and still a privately held, family-owned company, Gilbane has more than 45 office locations worldwide.
