Although Magdalena Murphey has been with MODLOGIQ for less than 2 months, she brings more than 15 years of construction industry experience to her role as Program Manager. Originally from Poland and fluent in English, Polish, and Russian, she has lived and worked in the US since 2000.
“When I first started in the construction industry, there weren’t very many women in on-site construction meetings,” says Mag when asked about Women in Construction Week. “I would usually be the only one in the room. It is great to see the change.”
One of the most important things that attracted Magdalena to MODLOGIQ was the culture and leadership. “I’m not surprised we got certified as a Great Place to Work just recently. I’m still settling in, but I am so impressed with everyone. Jim Gabriel [General Manager at MODLOGIQ] empowers people and gives them the ability and freedom to get things done as they see it fit. There’s a trust in the abilities of the people working here. It’s great not to be micromanaged. I’ve been working with department heads on budgets and getting to know everybody. I’ve been impressed that there is so much experience and expertise. Everyone has been very professional and very nice. I believe in building relationships and it’s great to see the people at MODLOGIQ believe in it, too.”
The greater sustainability inherent in off-site modular construction is appealing to Mag. “I heard this a while ago and it stuck with me: ’There is no such thing as ”away.” When we throw anything away, it must go somewhere.’ I love the fact that management here acknowledges and consistently works on reducing the company’s foot print. I am excited to be a part of this process since this is one of the projects that was assigned to me. Leadership would like the sustainability at MODLOGIQ to go beyond just the normal processes, extending to every facet of the business. Not only is it eco-friendlier and more sustainable, it’s also more efficient. That’s going to make it easier for all of us to work together at MODLOGIQ, and easier for our partners to work with us, too.”
Mag continues: “I believe Jane Goodall is right: 'You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference and you have to decide what kind of a difference you want to make.' It is my motto in life. The sustainability of off-site modular construction—especially here at MODLOGIQ—is very important to me.”
Sustainability is not the only difference Mag sees: “My background is on-site construction and I am deeply impressed by the complexity and quality of off-site modular construction. When I interviewed, I didn’t think that it would be much different, other than the location of where the construction would be taking place. But after working with the design team and production people, I’ve seen just how much more involved our projects are. The quality is so much higher—not surprising since the modules are built to withstand transportation. Everything has to fit together precisely and the communication process has to be impeccable when we 'Build Together,' whether it’s a wholly modular building or a hybrid model that combines both site-built and modular structures.”
In addition to quality and precision, the speed of modular construction also impresses Mag. “Schedule is always one of the driving forces in construction,” she says. "By utilizing modular construction, we can work simultaneously on the building itself while site prep—earthwork, dewatering and foundations—are underway.” She also finds striking the speed with which modular building are installed. “It is almost magic—it appears on site as an almost-finished building. It was not there yesterday but it is almost completed today."
When asked what about her what might surprise her fellow workers, Mag hesitates at first. “I don’t feel like I’m surprising,” she says. “I’m pretty much an open book.” As she thinks more about the question, she continues: “They are still getting to know me, so they probably would be surprised to know that I used to love fixing my own car. I even changed an alternator once. My dad was an engineer and he believed that there is always a way, you just have to find it. He worked on pretty much everything--from cars to furniture to construction to remodels. I am who I am because of him. He taught me everything I know.”