Otak Hosts a New Bend Office Bash

Otak’s exercise in expansion continues to proud to announce another new office in Bend, OR has officially opened. We’re excited to have a home base in Bend so we can be better linked to the communities and projects we are dedicated to sponsoring in the area.

With deep roots in the great Pacific Northwest, Otak’s history is directly tied to the communities of the region. It’s where our first-ever office opened in Lake Oswego, Oregon over 40 years ago, with the great city of Portland now home to our corporate headquarters.

However, the best work in the built environment is done while engaging communities, and designing for the communities in which people live. That philosophy has guided Otak’s exercise in expansion, and we’re proud to announce our new office in Bend, Oregon at 532 SW 13th Street is officially open for business.

We commemorated the occasion by hosting a taco truck-fueled celebration, where members of the community were invited along with current Bend partners. Local industry leaders were also invited to meet our staff directly and create and develop local connections.”

Hear about the event directly from Millicent Williams, Regional Director for our Oregon/Southwest Washington Public Sector practice:

“It was so great to meet so many existing and potential clients as well as potential partners.  Everyone seemed pleased to welcome Otak to the neighborhood and I’m glad that we are expanding our footprint.”

– Millicent Williams, Bend Office Leader

We really enjoyed putting on the Bend Office Bash for everyone who attended, and we’re excited to get to work serving – and being part of – the community that lives there.

Otak team at Bend office grand opening

 

View outside of Otak's Bend office grand opening

 

Otak team at Bend office grand opening

 

Otak Opens its Doors in Denver

The location of Otak offices are important to not only the projects that take place in the area but also being members of the communities they aim to uplift. Denver is the latest addition to that list.

As part of the Colorado region, Otak has a deep connection with the city of Denver. That connection has now been made official.

We’re excited to announce our expanding presence on the front range with the opening of our brand-new office at the 1444 Wazee Street building in Downtown Denver.

Google Maps view of Otak office and Denver landmarks

In the heart of the mile high city, our team will now be surrounded by some of its most prominent structures as well as a vibrant urban environment where staff are already active participants. With proximity to public transport—including Union Station—and landmarks such as Larimer Square and Coors Field, the Otak office will be immersed in a community with mutual interests.

“We’re thrilled to make our new space in Downtown Denver a reality… that presence will contribute to great collaboration between staff and the community while representing the hub of our rapidly growing Colorado Architecture practice.”

– Chris Bisio, Colorado Region Manager

Establishing roots in Downtown Denver serves not only strategic purposes, but also expands our footprint in the region for growing involvement with the community.

From this location, we will continue to build on our core commitments of equity and sustainability with both the projects we take on in the area and as part of our broader business operations.

On the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains, Denver is uniquely positioned to provide a perfect addition for our continued work with preserving our natural landscapes. From projects with the National Park Service to studies involving our visitor use management and water and natural resources teams, the deep connection between Denver and the value of outdoor spaces will enhance our own emphasis in that area.

Between our office in Louisville and Denver, we look forward to supporting and partnering with the varied communities of the Colorado region for years to come.

Street view of Otak Denver Office
Exterior view of Otak’s Downtown Denver Office

Hispanic Heritage Month

This Hispanic Heritage Month, Otak continues our tradition of amplifying staff voices whose cultures intersect with the work they do every day. Today we invite you to meet Sandy Stewart, our office manager in Colorado, who taught us about what her Hispanic heritage means to her.

Working for the Family

Sandy is Guatemalan, and she says a huge part of her upbringing was tied to the family values instilled in her from a young age. With 8 siblings as well as 3 generations of her family in the house, she learned early on about concepts like sharing, respect for elders, and caring for people at all levels in the family structure.

She emphasizes that embedded in all this was the value of work: “We didn’t come from wealth back home, so we had to work extra hard for what we had. Everyone pitched in to make sure the family was happy, and I learned about what it means to truly have a hard work ethic.”

Faith and Food

Life for Sandy wasn’t just about supporting her family. The rich culture of Guatemala provided her access to a deeply held faith. A practicing Catholic to this day, she says her religious beliefs tie directly into the values she was taught as a part of her family, and still finds it playing an important role in her identity.

Her faith runs deep, but her love of authentic Guatemalan food runs deeper, “Food is incredibly important to Guatemalan culture. The act of getting together with family, cooking together, and sharing unique dishes with the people you love is therapeutic.” She pointed us to her favorite—Pepián, a meaty, spicy stew that fuses Spanish and Mayan cultures to create what many see as Guatemala’s national dish.

Rich History

Sandy notes here how much Mayan history plays a role in not just the food, but also in the regional differences in Guatemala. According to the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs, 43.75% of the country is indigenous. Far from being a monolith, each region has integrated Spanish and ancient Mayan cultures in different ways. From textiles to ruins to regional dishes, this heritage is on full display through different dialects and even languages among people who live there.

It’s also apparent when talking about the natural spaces that make Guatemala unique. Sandy says locals refer to the country as a “place of eternal spring” due to the unmarked seasons and lack of extreme weather patterns. One of her favorite places, Lago De Atitlán, is home to active volcanoes and lush scenery where you can see the area untouched by the outside influences of Spanish colonization.

Culture Informs Work

When asked about how her heritage plays a role in her current work, Sandy doubled down on the work ethic instilled in her growing up. “My culture has made me responsible. It’s something I refer back to often because I’ve always had to work for the things I want, and I think that’s very valuable.” This lack of entitlement has been a driving force for Sandy, who had to contend with cultural differences when she came to the U.S. 22 years ago. Gone were the affectionate and warm norms of her home, and she had to adjust to an American culture where, to her, people are more distant. Instead of getting discouraged, her desire to earn her way has made her a role model for those who overcome cultural adversity.

In an industry that is dominated by Caucasian men with little opportunity to use her Spanish-speaking skills, Sandy acknowledges this reality while simultaneously saying it doesn’t define her, “I feel lucky to have the job I have. I was given a shot early on when I moved here, and I’ve never felt prejudice or like I haven’t been treated with respect. Instead, I get the opportunity to be myself.”

Otak celebrates Sandy and all that she’s done to deserve an essential place as a member of our staff. We proudly laud our employee’s cultures and unique perspectives, and Sandy provides that every day.

Happy Hispanic Heritage Month from Otak.

Otak Hosts ACE Mentor Program’s Class of 2022

Otak is committed to nurturing the development of our industry’s next generation of talent, which is why we cherish our relationship with the ACE Mentor Program of Oregon.  

A Partnership Supporting the Future of the Industry

An after-school initiative that connects Portland-area high school students to careers in architecture, engineering, and construction, the ACE Mentor Program serves 150 students per year. It also gives Otak an opportunity to give back, which is why we leapt at the chance to host an event at our HQ in honor of this year’s graduates. 

“Stay hungry for knowledge and keep an open mind. Learning is a life-long effort that needs to be continually updated…”

– Josh Guerra, Otak Senior Project Architect and former ACE Mentor

Besides showing students and their families around the Otak office, we donated school supplies, tools, and some Otak gear to those about to embark on their vocational journeys in the building arts. Josh Guerra, Senior Project Architect at Otak and former mentor in the program, also took the time to impart some words of wisdom to this year’s graduating class: 

Man speaking at eventI advise you to stay hungry for knowledge and keep an open mind. Learning is a life-long effort that needs to be continually updated I encourage you to take elective classes outside of your major. Study philosophy, theology, literature, business, and psychology. Avoid classes that try to teach you what to think, and instead seek out classes that teach you how to think critically.” 

It’s this kind of learning and development that drives Otak’s operations, and it’s a desire for new, bright, diverse talent that keeps us faithful to our mission. We’d like to extend a formal thank you to the students and families that came to the event, and we wish them all the best in their future endeavors. 

Four OtakCPM Projects Win DJC Oregon Top Projects Awards

Otak is proud to announce that four OtakCPM projects have won DJC Oregon Top Projects Awards for 2022! The DJC Oregon is the premier publication covering news of the building and construction fields in Oregon and SW Washington. Project teams from all over the region submitted their projects for consideration and, out of 84 finalists, we took home four trophies for our Project Management/Owner’s Representative work. 

OtakCPM, our PMCM/Owner’s Rep services group, was fortunate to be part of projects whose design, construction and project management project teams produced some truly phenomenal projects for owners: The North Clackamas School District, the Nestucca Valley K-8 School Expansion, Lake Oswego City Hall and Police Station, and the Salem Public Library Renovation.  

The DJC awards cap off a wonderful month of recognition; Otak was also named by the Engineering News Record (ENR) as the Top Design Firm in the Northwest. 

Take a closer look at the details behind each of this year’s DJC awarded projects and the unique solutions the OtakCPM team implemented to bring the client’s vision to completion.

Project Winners

Lake Oswego City Hall and Police Station: First Place – Public Facilities

Lake Oswego City Hall and Police Station had our division tasked with owner’s representative services for the whole project’s lifecycle, overseeing the delivery of secured parking for police facilities and 9-1-1 operations, as well as the retrofitting of City Hall and designing to LEED Gold standards. Otak CPM worked with Mackenzie as the architect and used CM/GC delivery method—all of which resulted in a completely modernized, redefined part of city infrastructure. 

Project Team Owner: City of Lake Oswego, Architect: Mackenzie, Contractor: Howard S. Wright, Consultant: Interface

 

Salem Public Library: Third Place – Public Facilities

View of exterior at library main buildingPMCM was also commissioned as the owner’s representative on the Salem Public Library Renovation, Services the Otak CPM team provided include review of plans and specifications throughout the design process, bidding assistance, construction management, budget and schedule tracking, assistance with project close-out, and contract administration. This all went to ensure a successful delivery using the Progressive Design-Build method. 

Project Team Owner: City of Salem, Architect: Hacker Architects, Contractor: Howard S. Wright

 

Nestucca Valley School Expansion: First Place – Primary Education (<$50M)

As owner’s representatives for the Nestucca Valley K-8 School expansion, we oversaw a revitalization of a 1953-era elementary school to expand the curriculum from a K-5 school to a K-8 school, with a future capacity of 380 students. The new facility includes a double gymnasium, flexible layout new classrooms, a library/media space, a music space, a new kitchen, open layout commons/cafeteria, school administration offices & District administration offices. 

Project Team – Owner: Nestucca Valley School District, Architect: DLR Group, Contractor: O’Brien & Company

 

Adrienne Nelson High School: Third Place – Primary Education (>$50M)

For the North Clackamas School District, we were nominated for our project management work at Adrienne Nelson High School, in which we managed the $503 Million dollar Capital Construction bond. The funds allowed for basic, large-scale repairs in existing schools including heating, ventilation, roofing, plumbing, windows, lighting, energy efficiency, and ongoing improvements to school facilities like a revitalization of STEM classrooms. 

Otak Team and Partners 

While all these projects have stories, they wouldn’t be award-winning if not for our teaming partners and those who nominated us. So we’d like to extend a warm thank you to not only them, but also the DJC Oregon for this recognition. 

We also can’t forget about our tremendous OtakCPM team for continuing its tradition of excellence. 

Want to learn more about some of our projects? Our experience engine has everything you need to search for any Otak project on our website. Check it out to see even more award-winning work. 

Otak Acquires Tarr Whitman Group LLC

We are proud to announce today that we have strengthened our project control and construction support capabilities with the acquisition of Tarr Whitman Group LLC (TWG). TWG will operate as a business unit within Otak and remain focused on providing exceptional project control and related services to the full spectrum of Otak and TWG clients. CEO Jim Hamann had this to say about bringing TWG into the fold.

“We are seeing our clients’ delivering projects that are becoming larger and more complex. Project Controls brings a focus on cost and schedule that is essential in completing projects on schedule and within budgets. TWG’s specialized data-focused services allow clients to see beyond the basic costs and schedules to gain a real view of the decisions that need to be made now to achieve their goals for completion. As projects become more complex change management is key, and TWG’s services strengthen our client’s ability to manage the cost and schedule impacts of changes during project implementation. TWG’s services essentially pay for themselves through more efficient project delivery.”

A specialized project controls and construction support consulting firm, TWG has a long history of excellence in the A/E/C industry, with extensive program work at the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), Sound Transit, and the Port of Seattle, among others. In the current environment of increasing project spending and staffing shortages, TWG joining Otak will elevate both firms’ capabilities in assisting clients to deliver their projects within schedule and on budget. TWG’s experience in mega-projects will increase Otak’s capabilities to compete for larger program and project initiatives. Walter Tarr, TWG’s founder, said this about combining with Otak:

Our joining of Otak means that TWG now has the ability to provide integrated services and serve a large client and project base. It positions us well to help clients manage the increase in federal and local infrastructure spending.  With Otak’s support, our senior staff can focus their efforts on pursuing more clients, hiring quality staff, and providing a greater range of services. We are excited about the merger and think it will strengthen our relationships with our existing clients. We can now offer a wider range of integrated services that will strengthen our ability to quickly respond to our clients’ needs.”

Otak is proud to bring an accomplished organization like TWG onboard. Joining forces means a greater ability to serve both the public good and private sector interests.

DAY CPM evolves into Otak CPM, Comprehensive Project Management

In 2017, DAY CPM joined forces with Otak to bring its expertise to Otak’s clients and expand its brand of  owner’s representation and project management services. Thanks to the acquisition, Otak was immediately able to provide a more complete set of offerings to our clients.

Building a Legacy and Looking Forward

Having Mike Day, the founder and head of DAY CPM, join the leadership of Otak brought more than his role as a well-known leader in the field. The dynamic “DNA” of DAY CPM that grew under Mike continued with the talented teams he put together, demonstrated by the distinguished position DAY CPM garnered across Oregon before coming into the fold. For Otak, DAY CPM was a key part of providing all services to all clients, in every geography. Understanding this vision is crucial and now the time is right for DAY CPM to think bigger and expand its reach beyond Oregon.

Considering the aspirations, the leadership decided it was time to formally change their name and with the help of staff rebranded to answer this new call to adventure. Going forward, DAY CPM will now be known as Otak CPM, Comprehensive Project Management.

The Cause Behind the Change

The purpose of this rebrand is twofold. First, it allows the former DAY CPM brand to continue to help clients realize their vision and serve their mission by becoming closer to Otak to leverage local resources to expand that mission. Second, it will help build owner’s representative capability across Otak and offer the premium service to all clients. With the name change, the company will be able to extend that local reputation it worked so hard to achieve to a greater number of clients— allowing us to achieve our vision for project delivery anywhere.

Change by Listening to Staff

Woven deeply in our DAY legacy is listening intensely to find the best path forward; likewise, the rebranding process was both comprehensive and inclusive. Many DAY staff members participated, sharing their thoughts and insights through interviews and a series of listening sessions. After hearing their shared experiences, it became clear that “CPM” is not an abbreviation that is understood in the industry, yet it is central to the service we provide. The team determined that the new Otak CPM brand mark should define it–Comprehensive Project Management—to raise awareness about Otak CPM’s approach to delivering projects and especially owner’s representation.

A Fresh Outlook

The team’s input proved to be invaluable, especially when it came to defining the benefits we bring to clients— that special DAY CPM “DNA.”  Their thoughtful discussions have resulted in a new purpose statement for Otak CPM, which supports the Otak “Why,” and describes the practices’ vision and unique place within the organization:

“To transform the client experience as a trusted partner, sharing leadership, expertise, counsel, and creativity to realize our clients’ vision and serve their mission.”

With this freshly laid purpose, a set of brand values emerged that, tested in practice and steeped in years of experience, forms the foundation for how Otak CPM teams will approach their work and provide the level of service they’ve become known for. A renewed commitment to proven values that are formally recognized:

  • Integrity – honest, ethical, respectful
  • Authentic – genuine, reliable, original
  • Exceptional – proactive, accountable, courageous
  • Creative – solutions-oriented, innovative, nimble
  • Collaborative – partnership, cooperative, inclusive

Together, these attributes are the heart of the Otak CPM brand and organization. They are firmly aligned with the whole of Otak, and yet especially significant to the Otak CPM staff and leadership to ground all actions, business decisions and communications, now and in the years to come.

With the new CPM brand, the Otak will become stronger and more valuable as we continue to grow the company and differentiate ourselves from our competitors.

Otak Holiday Giving: Gratitude & Shared Blessings

Holidays at Otak offer a chance to reflect that our professional blessings stem from the communities we serve. We are grateful for the opportunity to do work that enhances the places we live, work, and play. We are also compelled to give back and to pay our blessings forward. This year, we carry on a tradition begun in 2020, in all our Otak offices—Oregon, Colorado, Washington—to help this holiday season through identified local charities. 

Otak’s Oregon and SW Washington offices jointly selected the Christmas Family Adoption Foundation (CFAF). CFAF began in 2002 when its founder bought, wrapped, and delivered Christmas gifts to one family in his Oregon City neighborhood. Others joined his effort to help more families, and, since 2010 when the 501c (3) nonprofit organization was established, the charity has delivered joy to more than 4,000 families in the Portland-Vancouver-Salem region. CFAF serves as a clearinghouse to connect families that have been nominated by social work entities, with individuals or groups wanting to spread Christmas cheer.

In addition to CFAF, our Vancouver office will also continue its support of the Walk and Knock Food Drive

Our Colorado office decided to once again work with the Boulder County Family-To-Family Holiday Program. Family-to-Family has been operating for more than 40 years and serves financially struggling families and individuals who are involved with child protection, foster care, adolescent, and disabled adult protection programs. Caseworkers and support specialists refer their most vulnerable families to this program. The program brightens the lives of families who will otherwise do without this holiday season. Last year they served about 500 families that included more than 1,550 individuals. 

The Boulder Community Housing Corporation is the nonprofit 501(c)3 organization that serves as the umbrella agency for the Family-to-Family Holiday Gift Program. This program provides gift cards to families of $50 per member.

The Otak Redmond & Everett, WA offices will be working with Hopelink again this year. Hopelink is a Redmond nonprofit organization that focuses on helping build healthy communities and eliminating poverty in King County, WA. The Redmond/Everett office will also be supporting the local United Way Campaign in Snohomish County, WA.

Tina Ely, a Portland project manager, and Judith Moses, a Portland project coordinator, have spearheaded the 2021 Holiday Giving Program at Otak, coordinating with Otak leadership and the teams within each office. “Last year a small group of us sponsored a three-person family through CFAF. This year we hope to bring holiday cheer to around 30 people in our communities thanks to the amazing support from Otak and its employees.”

We are proud to support these charitable groups and the good work they do. We invite you to consider making a donation to any one of these organizations, or another charity close to your heart or in your own community.

 

Otak Sponsors Forterra’s Green City Partnership 

Gift will aid effort to improve Green-Duwamish Watershed’s environmental equity 

 

Otak, Inc. is proud to announce its $8,000 sponsorship of Forterra’s Green City Partnership, a community-driven stewardship program that restores urban forests and parks in Washington state. 

Otak’s contribution will directly support Forterra’s restoration work within the Green-Duwamish Watershed, identified by the EPA as one of the most polluted watersheds in the nation. Otak has helped the region manage its pollutants and stormwater run-off for more than ten years, notably designing environmental restoration and stormwater treatment projects for the Port of Seattle’s 162-acre Northeast Redevelopment Area between the cities of Burien and SeaTac. 

“With this gift, we want to take the next step and show our personal commitment to making this region a healthier place to live,” shared Russ Gaston, Otak’s director of water and natural resources. “Supporting Forterra is one of the best ways to do that.” 

“We greatly appreciate Otak’s support,” said Kim Hickey, Forterra’s associate philanthropy director. “When companies like Otak show environmental leadership like this, we can strengthen our green spaces and improve the air and water quality in these historically under-resourced communities.” 

In addition to financial support, Otak will be involved in four private restoration events at locations in most need of volunteers within the cities of Burien, Des Moines, SeaTac, and Tukwila. The first event was held on October 30th at Tukwila Park. 

To learn more about Forterra’s Green City Partnership and events, including Green City Days, Forterra’s annual kickoff to planting season, visit https://forterra.org/green-city-days-2021

ABOUT FORTERRA 

Forterra is a Washington-based nonprofit that enhances, supports, and stewards the region’s most precious resources — its communities and its ecosystems. Forterra conserves and stewards land, develops innovative policies, and supports sustainable rural and urban development. In its 30-year history, Forterra has helped conserve more than 250,000 acres. Its work stretches from the farmlands and river canyons of Yakima to the estuaries and forests of Washington’s coastline, reaching more than 100 counties, cities, and towns. Visit www.forterra.org. 

ABOUT GREEN CITY PARTNERSHIPS 

Green City Partnerships began 17 years ago in 2004, when Forterra and the City of Seattle responded to a critical need to sustain and improve the health of forested parks and urban greenspaces in Seattle’s neighborhoods. Green City Partnerships Are collaborative efforts between Forterra, community volunteers, and cities across the Puget Sound to steward forested parklands and green spaces, improving ecological health, access to nature, and community well-being.  Forterra’s Green Cities program trains and supports Forest Stewards—lead volunteers who coordinate community restoration work in-park—bringing together the people, materials, technical knowledge, and other resources to make on-the-ground forest restoration a reality. 

Collectively, Green City Partnerships now span 14 cities plus Snohomish County and is working to restore more than 13,000 acres of forest parkland and serve 1.6 million people who live in these communities. Visit www.forterra.org/greencitypartnerships. 

 

For more information about Otak, Forterra, or the Green City Partnerships contact:

Adam Tycaster, Pursuit Manager, Otak 

425-250-5207 

adam.tycaster@otak.com 

Pronouns: he/him 

 

Kim Hickey, Associate Philanthropy Director, Institutional Engagement, Forterra 

206-905-6955 

khickey@forterra.org 

Pronouns: she/her 

 

 

 

Niels VanDijk: Bridging the Gap Between Otak’s International and Domestic Work

Being a trusted advisor means carefully listening to what clients and their beneficiaries truly want from a project and finding the right people to make it happen. Building those relationships can often result in identifying new design and function ideas that had not first been envisioned but enhance the desired outcomes. Otak has this type of advisor in Niels VanDijk, Vice President-in-Charge of Otak’s international business.

Niels brings three decades of experience leading projects in Asia and the United Arab Emirates and providing consulting support to the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA). With his track record, he is the ideal person to take charge of Otak’s international business, and he relishes the work he does.

Akhmeteli metro station in Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi, where Otak prepared a conceptual design for the vicinity of the metro station.

Niels is charged with pursuing business opportunities, maintaining client relations, and overseeing project implementation. “The function involves a lot of communication with clients, project staff, and stakeholders. It requires a high level of flexibility, patience, and the ability to come up with creative solutions,” he comments. 

As a keen traveler, Niels enjoys that his role has him spending time on-site in a variety of countries either for business development or project implementation. He says constantly meeting interesting people and being challenged to find culturally appropriate solutions for urban development make his job enjoyable and interesting. What he finds abroad, he shares readily with Otak’s teams stateside, allowing us and our clients to benefit from his experiences. “I find it extremely rewarding to engage others at Otak in our international work. There is so much knowledge and expertise that we can apply in transforming communities in other environments than our own,” he states.  

His skills were put into action on a recent assignment in Uzbekistan where he helped the government develop a national action plan for managing urbanization. In the same country, he is now leading a team of individual consultants to prepare a $100 million urban development loan for infrastructure investments across four cities. Niels also worked as project director on two urban development planning assignments for the Asian Development Bank (ADB), one in Nepal and the other in Palau. He ensured that the approach his team leaders and s

The mountain village of Mestia, where Otak supported the development of an Urban Action Plan focused on promoting tourism while preserving the cultural heritage of the unique Svan culture.

pecialists took aligned with the client and stakeholder expectations, overseeing quality control of all the deliverables. While he usually does this work on-site, the pandemic changed the typical approach, forcing the team to keep projects going, engage stakeholders, and conduct training and workshops remotely. Despite the obstacles of distance, they kept the projects moving ahead.

Niels fosters a collaborative environment when he leads projects ensuring clients benefit from the skills of everyone on the team. The added bonus is he brings a background founded in worldwide experiences, so no matter where he is working, he can easily build relationships that enable him to truly understand what his clients need and want and match the people who will make it all happen.