Cathy Kraus Leads Teams To Deliver Award-Winning Projects
November, 2020
Every construction project starts with a concept, moves into a plan, and eventually comes to life. To best orchestrate the shifts from idea to construction to operable building requires a highly collaborative team that truly wants to serve the project, each other, and the client. Successful teams rely on leaders who create a safe environment where members can safely share their ideas, questions, and challenges and work together to deliver award-winning projects.
For the past four years, Otak and DAY CPM have relied on Cathy Kraus, project manager and owner’s representative, to build and lead projects and teams that ensure client wishes are met, or often exceeded, and projects come together flawlessly. “Cathy is one of the most remarkable listeners I know. She takes in everything said and unsaid with a sincere interest and intentionality that leaves others feeling truly heard, which is invaluable in building client and team relationships,” said Sarah Oaks, operations manager at DAY CPM.
While she is a licensed architect and started her career in that realm, Cathy later turned to project management and found her niche. “I love architecture because it allows for the creation of spaces and utilizes an intriguing mixture of art and science. And I found I have a greater opportunity to positively impact projects when I work closely with the owner. I love supporting the design team’s vision and being an advocate for both the project and for the owner,” Cathy explained.
Her skills have been utilized over the past few years on a series of expansion projects for the Vancouver Clinic, completing Ridgefield and Camas, and beginning work on Salmon Creek. Cathy and her project team brought in the Camas clinic, under budget, and more than five weeks ahead of schedule.
A highlight of her experiences with the clinic projects was witnessing the LEAN Integrated Design Events with Vancouver Clinic, ZGF Architects, and Andersen Construction. A facilitator brought together all the clinical staff and project principals to identify the daily workflows and the means to make movement, and therefore each job, more efficient. Participants were given a ball of yarn to “record” their steps across their routine services for an ambulatory surgical center. The yarn was measured to see how far everyone walked and where workflows could be made more efficient and time and steps could be shaved off. Armed with this information, the design team adjusted department layouts and constructed mockups that everyone could experience and suggest further changes to improve patient care and bring more cost efficiencies to the clinic.
The Vancouver Clinic’s commitment to this early planning process and a talented design-build team has resulted in recognition for both of Vancouver Clinic’s newest Ridgefield and Camas clinics, which have both received Vancouver Business Journal’s “Top Project” awards (2019 and 2020, respectively). Additionally, the Ridgefield clinic is a DJC “Top Project” award finalist for 2019.
Cathy is quick to say that successes are truly team efforts and the real winner is the client and the communities these new clinics will serve. She also believes that by effectively serving the client, the team, and the overall project, she automatically serves Otak, helping the firm to grow and prosper. Otak is fortunate that she relishes her role in each part.