Mark Sadowski, DBIA, CCM, LEED AP BD+C, EIT, GGP,
ICRA I
SENIOR PROGRAM MANAGER, CONSTRUCTION SERVICES
LOCATION: NEW YORK CITY, N.Y.
Mark Sadowski, DBIA, CCM, LEED AP BD+C, EIT, GGP, ICRA I
SENIOR PROGRAM MANAGER, CONSTRUCTION SERVICES
LOCATION: NEW YORK CITY, N.Y.
“Everything about Gannett Fleming makes me want to stay and continue to grow my career here. The company does an excellent job educating and advancing its employees, ultimately giving employees an opportunity to succeed and contribute.”
From his childhood Lincoln Logs to helping his dad around the house with fixer-up projects, Mark Sadowski found his passion for construction early on. Now, as a certified construction management professional with a sharp eye for design and the owner perspective, he is a vital member of our Construction Services Corporate Business Group (CS CBG). He’s been a key player in the New York City construction space for nearly his entire career, working on projects that reduce carbon emissions and pursuing energy-efficient goals for his community. When he’s not on the clock, you can find Mark coaching his son’s sports teams, working out, and cooking up a storm in the kitchen with his wife.
We asked him a few questions to get to know him better.
How long have you worked in your field? Tell us about your experience in your industry.
I’ve worked in the architecture, engineering, and construction industry for almost 20 years. I started my career in Buffalo, N.Y.; I worked there for one year before moving to NYC in 2007. My first three years were in design, and I’ve spent the remaining 14 years in construction management and program management (PM/CM).
My work experience started primarily with private clients, performing architectural and engineering design for commercial and industrial facilities, followed by architectural design and zoning studies for high-end residential clients. When I transitioned into CM/PM, I began working as a resident engineer on horizontal infrastructure projects as a consultant for the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation (NYCDPR) and New York City Department of Design and Construction (NYCDDC).
In the vertical CM/PM space, I’ve worked as a consultant for numerous clients, including:
- New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services (NYCDCAS).
- New York City School Construction Authority (NYCSCA).
- New York City Health + Hospitals (NYCHH).
- New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA).
The majority of my last 10 years was with NYCHA, as either a construction manager or program manager. In these roles, I’ve worked on both design-build and design-bid-build projects. I transitioned into overseeing heating upgrade projects for NYCHA buildings that aim to meet the city’s Local Law 97 carbon emission limits while implementing energy-efficiency goals and employing new heating and hot water technologies. More recently, I was promoted to program management oversight, where I’m overseeing about 10 projects that are growing by the day.
What brought you to Gannett Fleming, how long have you worked here, and what is it about the firm that makes you want to stay?
Gannett Fleming was always on my list of firms to watch. I worked with my current manager at a prior firm for four years, and I have known him for a decade. When he made the switch to work at Gannett Fleming, I eventually decided to join so we could work together again. The immediate ability to build and grow my own team provided me with a sense of unparalleled trust in my relationship with my manager.
Everything about Gannett Fleming makes me want to stay and continue to grow my career here. The company does an excellent job educating and advancing its employees, giving them significant opportunities to succeed and contribute. Our construction team has a very impressive core that I know will contribute to the firm’s continued growth and success.
Tell us about your role and responsibilities at Gannett Fleming, as well as the business group you’re a part of. What solutions do you provide to your clients?
I am currently a program manager for NYCHA’s design-build Heating Upgrades Program and Community Facility Program. I also serve as the team lead for our NYCHA program management team, which is comprised of eight individuals that serve as an extension of NYCHA’s program oversight team. I am currently providing program oversight for NYCHA in what can be termed as an owner’s representative position.
How does Gannett Fleming support your professional development and career growth?
Gannett Fleming does a wonderful job ensuring I have opportunities for advancement, while also contributing to my educational growth. The firm requires annual training and educational programs that are administered through an internal learning portal, as well as encouraging external continuing education for construction management certification like the certified construction manager (CCM) credential from the Construction Management Association of America and the Design-Build Professional® (DBIA) credential.
More importantly, the company sponsored me to complete its internal project management program and an executive management program through a third-party educator. Further, I was selected to join our Construction Services Practice Leadership Team, a national group of leaders that help drive our policies, procedures, and strategies.
What impactful and innovative projects are you working on or have you worked on recently?
The most impactful projects (or program) I’ve worked on is certainly the NYCHA Heating Upgrades Initiative Program. As part of this design-build program, we are replacing existing boiler and domestic hot water systems with new, energy efficient, carbon-reducing technologies across multiple NYCHA buildings. The main program goals are energy-efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, resulting in the design and installation of differing technologies such as geothermal heat pump systems, air-source heat pump systems, electric resistance heating, variable refrigerant flow, and infrared heating systems.
How does your work contribute to Gannett Fleming’s vision of creating a better future together?
My oversight in the Heating Upgrades Initiative aligns with my personal desire to focus on work that encompasses sustainability, resiliency, and innovation. Gannett Fleming strives to make a positive difference for the communities we serve, while mitigating impacts on our planet.
What inspired you to join the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry?
A major influence is my late grandfather, Patrick George, who served in the Navy during World War II as a Seabee. Seabee is a heterograph of the letters “CB”, which stood for “Construction Battalion”. The Seabees provide responsive military construction support to the Navy, Marine Corps, and other divisions of the US Armed Forces, as well as construct base facilities and conduct defensive operations. My grandfather was a welder and also served in the emergency defense corps.
After the war, he helped construct the Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant in Niagara Falls, N.Y., which was the largest hydropower facility in the Western World when it began supplying power to the Northeast and Great Lakes region in 1961. My grandfather often spoke about the engineering marvels that were put into place to construct the Niagara Power Plant, and the overall scale and magnitude of the job itself. From a young age, I was inspired to design or build projects like this. A recent visit to The National WWII Museum in New Orleans made me realize that my grandfather’s stories shaped my career and my intense interest in the AEC field.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
The best piece of advice I’ve received is that half the time we aren’t managing design and construction, but we are managing differing personalities amongst project stakeholders. The best managers can adapt to differing personalities and opinions, while simultaneously guiding the team to the finish line.
Why is it important to have diversity around the table when working on projects, and what can AEC firms do internally to celebrate diversity and create a stronger sense of belonging across diverse groups?
I think diversity is important in all aspects of life because it helps you make decisions that positively impact the majority of all people, not just a particular group. When it comes to managing construction projects, diversity helps you approach things in a broader sense. Being in an interracial marriage helps me see things from different perspectives; we need to have the same approach in the workplace to create cohesion and enhance project delivery.
What are your favorite hobbies?
Ice hockey is my favorite sport and hobby; I’ve played since I was four years old. Now, I play in an adult league and coach my son’s travel ice hockey and baseball teams. I also enjoy golfing, biking, swimming, and playing the piano. Usually after a busy day of work, my go-to activities are hitting the gym, playing ice hockey in the driveway with my son, or cooking with my wife. My wife, son, and I do pretty much everything together, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Please tell us about your family and your favorite family tradition.
My wife, Ke Yan, and I have been married for over 11 years. We have a 10-year-old son, Asher, who is a ball of energy. My wife and I are foodies and vacation enthusiasts. My son plays travel ice hockey and baseball, and practices Taekwondo; he is currently a 1st degree black belt. I’d say our favorite family tradition is either Christmas Eve family dinner or Chinese New Year family dinner.
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