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Get to Know: Jason Varney

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 05:00:00 +0000

Loureiro’s Jason Varney is no stranger to the road. From Connecticut to Miami to Colorado, Jason is usually on the move, supporting Loureiro’s clients wherever his expertise is needed.

In consulting, adaptability is the name of the game, and that kind of adaptability – from Miami to Colorado, from designing and installing wastewater treatment systems to deciphering treatability studies to machine guarding services – sums up Jason pretty well.

An E1-Certified Master Electrician, Jason has become Loureiro’s go-to “Swiss Army Knife” — the person who can be counted on to help wherever there’s a challenge.

Jason joined Loureiro a little more than a decade ago after working as a subcontractor for Loureiro with his own electrical contracting company. “I was working on machine controls, municipal wastewater power and control systems and a lot of what I was doing crossed over with the kind of work Loureiro does,” he says. That overlap caught the attention of Brian Cutler, who saw not only the right technical skillset, but also someone who’d thrive in a collaborative, problem-solving environment.

Initially brought on to support industrial wastewater treatment projects, Jason quickly became embedded in the full lifecycle of Loureiro’s systems — from front-end design and fabrication through installation and long-term operations and maintenance.

“Mechanical and electrical work are central to remediation and treatment systems,” he explains. “I came in to help on the electrical side but found myself working on everything — mechanical, structural, construction oversight. It all connects.”

Today, his work spans groundwater pollution control systems, air pollution control units, machine guarding installations, and more. One week he might be troubleshooting a complex remediation system; the next, he’s helping build out Loureiro’s growing Industrial Services division. “If there’s an emerging market and we can be part of it, I want to help build that,” he says.

Jason’s career path reflects a steady hunger for learning. After getting his start in tech school and earning his Master Electrician’s license, Jason dove into fabrication, welding, and controls systems. That appetite for knowledge hasn’t slowed; he’s taken courses in PLC programming and 3D printing, and is quick to credit his Loureiro colleagues for helping him pick up foundational chemistry skills to better support environmental work. “So much of what we do is about manipulating chemistry to treat and trap pollutants,” he says. “Having people around me who were willing to teach made a huge difference.”

One of the most important lessons Jason has learned over the years is to slow down before jumping to a solution.

“Early on I thought I had to have all the answers. But I’ve realized the most critical part of any job is formulating the problem correctly,” he says. “You have to listen — to the client, to the conditions, to the other stakeholders. If you misidentify the problem, even the best solution won’t matter.”

He even led a Loureiro training course on this mindset — outlining a six-step method for defining a problem, inspired by the scientific method and the ladder of inference. “If you climb too fast, you miss things, and you can’t effectively come up with a solution unless all your arguments make sense. You have to be willing to go back down and find where your logic doesn’t hold up.”

Outside of work, Jason channels that same passion for learning and precision into his home workshop. He’s currently restoring a classic car and has welcomed fellow Loureiro team members into the shop when they’ve needed a part fabricated or a custom solution built. In every setting — job site, classroom, shop — Jason shows up with curiosity, focus, and the drive to make things better.

Get to Know: Tim Griffing

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Senior Civil Project Engineer Tim Griffing combines design expertise with hands-on construction knowledge to bridge the gap between plans and the field. Known for his curiosity and commitment to learning, Tim not only ensures projects are buildable and precise but also mentors future engineers, collaborates closely with contractors, and applies practical problem-solving across Loureiro’s complex civil projects.

When Senior Civil Project Engineer Tim Griffing finds a bit of spare time to watch TV during the week, he’s often pulling up YouTube videos of concrete guys, paving crews, or pipefitters.

“I make an effort to learn whatever I can,” Tim says. “That was one of my personal goals this year—to learn more about construction. I’ll even occasionally visit a site after hours or on a Saturday if I happen to see something of interest while driving by. Contractors are usually happy to answer my questions and let me learn from them. It helps me, and it helps Loureiro.”

Tim joined Loureiro in May of 2021, bringing with him both a strong design background and a natural curiosity about how things actually get built. As an engineer, he spends much of his time developing plans, preparing permit drawings, and navigating approvals at zoning boards and public hearings. But he’s equally at home in the field, where his knowledge of construction and willingness to collaborate with contractors make him a key problem-solver.

“My main role is design,” Tim explains. “But one of my strengths comes through bridging the gap between paper and the field—making sure what’s drawn can actually be built.”

That strength has been put to the test on a number of projects. In East Hartford, for example, Loureiro was brought in to fix a failing retaining wall at a transit district bus yard. The original wall, designed and built by another firm, was falling apart. “We had to start from scratch — new wall, new parking lot, new utilities, new drainage,” Tim recalls. “We were digging 30 feet deep, taking everything out, and rebuilding the way it should have been from the start.”

On another project in Windsor Locks, Loureiro permitted and designed a new warehouse building. But when construction hit snags, Tim rolled up his sleeves. For the past several months, he’s been working with the contractor and utility company on design and coordination while keeping the site development and the installation of 1,400 feet of sewer main and 1,700 feet of water main on track. “We’d prepared permit drawings a couple years back, but now the contractor needed detail — sidewalks, handicap ramps, curbing, etc. I designed every elevation, down to the 1/8th of an inch in a way that met all applicable design standards while still integrating with other features that had already been installed. It’s rewarding to take the framework and expand on it until it’s buildable, and to see the finished product in the field.”

That blend of design precision and construction know-how makes Tim a trusted resource. “Sometimes a project has been active for years, and often I’m one of the guys who comes in and sees it through at the end,” he says. Recently, when contractors on a project in New Hampshire ran into some questions and challenges in the field, Loureiro sent Tim to spend time on-site and develop a path forward.

“I think it’s a common problem that a lot of engineers don’t get the opportunity to get out in the field often enough to fully understand how things are built. As a result, they may unknowingly design things on paper that cause challenges for the contractor, which in turn causes negative preconceived opinions of engineers when they walk onto the site. I have a personal interest in making an effort to close that gap however possible, and take pride in my ability to be reasonable, knowledgeable, and effective on a job site.”

That mindset goes back to Tim’s early career. After earning his degree in Civil Engineering from the University of New Haven in 2014, he spent time in land surveying, staking curbing and elevations for contractors. “I was physically setting the marks they’d use to build. That was my first exposure, and it stuck with me. How something gets built became a natural interest,” he says.

Even outside of work, Tim looks for hands-on learning. When a neighbor asked him to design a walkway with leftover bluestones, he treated it like a real project — from design to layout to finished product. Along the way, he learned valuable lessons about prep work, translating drawings into curves on the ground, and the sheer labor involved in digging a 6-inch base by hand. “The best way to learn is by doing,” Tim says.

Since 2017, Tim has also given back to the next generation of engineers as a mentor with the Bridgeport/Stratford chapter of ACE, a program that connects high school students with industry professionals through real-world projects and site visits. In 2019, he was honored with the ACE Distinguished Mentor Award.

When he’s not on a job site or volunteering, Tim can usually be found outdoors — landscaping, biking, fishing, hiking, camping, skiing, or squeezing in a round of golf.

Reflecting on his career so far, Tim sees continued learning as the common thread. “There can be a disconnect in this industry — contractors versus engineers,” he says. “I can’t change the whole industry, but I can make sure that when I go to a job, I show contractors I’m interested in what they do and know what I’m talking about. That way, we quickly can establish mutual respect and work together as a team to get the job done.”

Get to Know: Alex Sopelak

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 04:00:00 +0000

When Alexandra Sopelak needs a mental reset, she takes an “Excel break.”

There’s something calming about the rows, columns, and numbers — the structure, the logic, the sense of control. “It’s where I go to decompress,” she says with a laugh.

That love of patterns, data, and problem-solving shows up everywhere in Alex’s work as a Senior Technical Associate at Loureiro.

Alex supports manufacturing and commercial clients — including longstanding partners like Pratt & Whitney — as they navigate the complexities of reducing energy waste and lowering carbon emissions. Sometimes that means organizing information. Sometimes it means organizing people. Always, it’s about helping others see their path forward more clearly.

One of her core responsibilities is helping clients access utility incentives that can offset the cost of energy efficiency projects. For a client like Pratt & Whitney, that means managing paperwork, coordinating timelines, and ensuring that funds are going toward meaningful energy efficiency improvements.

That kind of work can take months or even years to come to fruition. At Pratt & Whitney’s East Hartford campus, Alex recently helped push forward a long-delayed project to overhaul their cooling plant — a system that not only keeps people comfortable, but also supports critical manufacturing processes.

“When one system tries to serve both comfort and production, it can cause problems,” Alex explains.

The dual purpose had previously created conflicts and downtime, but the Loureiro team helped align utility incentives with the client’s needs and got the right stakeholders back to the table. The project is now nearing completion and is expected to save 1.7 million kilowatt hours annually — the equivalent of $178,000 in energy costs — with $470,000 in utility incentives helping to fund the $600,000 investment.

Those kinds of numbers are impressive on their own, but Alex sees the bigger picture. “This project almost fell through the cracks,” she says. “But with our relationship with the utility and our relationship with the client, we were able to get it back on track and deliver real impact.”

That collaborative mindset is central to how Alex works. Another upcoming project — focused on sealing up older concrete buildings at a Pratt & Whitney facility — involves everything from fixing broken window panes to testing for lead and asbestos. It’s a team effort across Loureiro’s divisions, and Alex plays a key role in coordinating those moving parts, helping the client understand not just what to do, but how best to do it.

“It’s about looking at a problem from multiple angles,” she says. “Bringing in our environmental folks, our construction team—whatever it takes to give the client the clearest path forward.”

The field of energy efficiency is shifting. Where clients once focused on lowering their utility bills, many are now aiming to reduce their overall carbon footprint. That change has expanded the scope of Alex’s work — and deepened its impact. The conversation is no longer just about saving money, but about long-term sustainability.

“Clients aren’t just asking how to use less energy — they’re asking what kind of energy they’re using,” she says. “It changes how we think about solutions.”

When she’s not focused on spreadsheets or site assessments, Alex finds balance in an entirely different arena — the field hockey pitch. She’s a member of the USA Field Hockey Masters Program and has represented the U.S. in international tournaments, playing against teams from Argentina, Germany, South Africa, and Australia. Tryouts for the next World Cup cycle kick off in August, and Alex is already back on the field preparing.

Get to Know: Ian Kapura

Thu, 13 Mar 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Ian Kapura has been working with his hands for as long as he can remember.

“My dad was a carpenter,” he says. “When I was 12 years old, I was working with him on job sites. I knew, early on, I’d be working with my hands.”

Ian went to a trade high school, working in carpentry before finding his way into concrete work. He liked the fresh air, the physicality of it. “When you’re good at something, you stick with it,” Ian says. “I kept moving up the ladder — crew leader, foreman; now I’m a superintendent.”

In June, Ian will mark three years with Loureiro, where he was hired by Andy Corsetti as a Concrete Superintendent. He came from a smaller concrete company focused on commercial foundations, and the opportunity to work at Loureiro intrigued him. “It’s not your typical construction company,” Ian says.

When we spoke with Ian, he was in his truck at the site of the Centredale Project in Rhode Island, where the team was getting ready to open up the bridge again. The Centredale site is a Superfund project that spans two Rhode Island communities, including nine acres of residential buildings and homes, parking lots, and a 25-foot wide access roadway. Loureiro’s Environmental division played a key role in securing the work, highlighting the company’s unique ability to integrate engineering, environmental, and construction expertise under one roof.

“If you think about it like a toolbox, there’s a lot of different tools in it,” Ian says of working at Loureiro. “Most places outsource things like engineering and environmental work. Here, we do it all in-house. The work is varied, and often we’re getting jobs based on the work of our other divisions. It makes for an atmosphere where you get to work on lots of different projects.”

As Concrete Superintendent, Ian is responsible for setting up manpower, ensuring projects are well-staffed, and overseeing quality control. When needed, he doesn’t hesitate to throw on his tool belt and get to work alongside his team. “When we’re shorthanded, I’m right in there with the guys,” he says.

His dedication was on full display during one of Loureiro’s most challenging projects at Folly Brook in Manchester, Connecticut —a project he reflects upon to this day. A critical culvert running under I-384 needed rehabilitation, but with minimal traffic disruption. Ian and his team had to figure out how to pour a new 8-inch concrete invert in a 10-foot-diameter pipe—310 feet long—while working around a suspended 30-inch temporary bypass pipe carrying water. After a post-work meeting, the team came up with the idea to use a slip form system. It kicked off a 17-hour concrete pour.

“When I say that working at Loureiro is unique, I think about this project,” says Ian. “I love technical concrete work—encountering a problem and finding a solution. We still talk about the project to this day, the 17-hour day we put in and the camaraderie that came with it. It’s something that sticks with me.”

Beyond the job site, Ian finds inspiration in personal growth. “I’m just always striving to be the best version of myself—a better dad, a better husband.” His two children, 8 and 10 years old, share his love for anything on two wheels, and have started riding dirt bikes together.

When asked about the best advice he’s ever received, he doesn’t hesitate: “My dad taught me what was expected of an eight-hour physical workday. That lesson carried me the furthest in my career—knowing what it takes to put in a full day’s work and be efficient.”

It’s a mindset that has defined his career, from those early days working alongside his father to leading teams on some of Loureiro’s toughest and most rewarding projects.

Get to Know: Joe Martino

Thu, 28 Mar 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Tell us a little bit about your journey to Loureiro? What is your current role? How long have you worked for Loureiro?

I went to Loyola University Maryland where I received both my Bachelor’s Degree and MBA with a specialization in Finance. I was initially interested in finance and working as a financial analyst, but as I started applying to various jobs and talking with different companies post undergrad, I realized it was worth looking at other fields. At that point, I decided to enroll in an accelerated MBA program at Loyola. As I approached my final semester, I came back to Connecticut, where most of my friends and family are, and I had an interview with Loureiro.

I immediately noticed that the company had a great culture, and I could see myself working here. I started in July, 2021 as a Staff Accountant while finishing my MBA that same summer. Over the next two and a half years, I worked my way up to Director of Accounting, and now, Controller.

What is the most interesting / rewarding aspect of your job?

The most interesting part of working at Loureiro is that we’re an engineering and construction firm - not strictly an accounting or financial firm. Even while working in the accounting department, you get to see more than just the accounting and finance world; you also get to see some of the operational world and beyond which leads to many diverse experiences. One of the great things about working for Loureiro is that I’ve received a wealth of experience in accounting and finance, while also learning a lot about construction, engineering, and the way a business operates. I think a lot of what I love is the culture. At Loureiro, each day brings something new, and you get to work with people from all over the company.

What makes Loureiro unique?

From an operational perspective, what distinguishes us is our unique combination of disciplines all under one roof. So much of what we’re capable of at Loureiro and so much of the work we do ties together, and we have the ability to leverage that in the marketplace.

One thing that I believe makes Loureiro unique, from a culture perspective, is the fact that we’re an ESOP. You can see how that affects the drive to work together as a team. The mindset is not “well that’s your job, not mine.” There’s a lot of collaboration that happens on a day-to-day basis. You can always walk into Brian Cutler’s office, Dave Fiereck’s office, Steve Diaz’s office — they want to help, and are always willing to have a conversation and share their knowledge. In general, there’s a lot of interaction across the company, and it creates a team-like atmosphere.

What do you like to do outside of work?

I play a lot of pickleball and soccer, and I’m a big fan of Chicago sports, particularly the Blackhawks. It might seem strange considering I grew up in New England, but it all goes back to an NHL video game my brother had and opting to play with Marián Hossa (a player for the Blackhawks). At the time, I knew nothing of sports beyond my parents being Boston and New York sports fans. After my experience with that game, and deciding to root for the team of the player I liked using, I gravitated to watching the Blackhawks, and then became a fan of all Chicago teams across the board. While sports are a big part of my life, I also enjoy spending quality time hanging out with my family, friends, and girlfriend.

What inspires you the most – personally, professionally, or both?

What inspires me the most on a professional level is being able to affect change. The potential to make a lasting positive impact on the company, whether financially, culturally, or otherwise, is something that keeps me extremely motivated every day. I see this as both a responsibility and an opportunity to contribute to a better future for Loureiro. On a personal level, what inspires me is seeing how people close to me, such as my parents, my siblings, and relatives, have used their unique abilities to become successes in their fields. They encourage me to always strive to do my best at whatever task I undertake.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?

I think the best advice I have received is to always be willing to learn and adapt. Whether that’s in relation to the work you do or your personal life, it’s important to have that flexibility. This advice was not only instrumental when I was deciding if I should explore career options past finance, but has also helped me every time I am faced with a new challenge at Loureiro.

Who is someone you really admire?

I’ve always really admired my father, and I attribute my work ethic to him. My dad is a self-made business owner. Growing up, I used to work at the warehouse of his company, and I got to see firsthand how he would overcome challenges. He taught me to have pride in myself, and to own what I do – that if I put my name to something, I’ve given it my all and am proud of it. I saw how hard he worked while I was growing up, and that’s something that sticks with me to this day.

Get to Know: Dennis Keane

Fri, 15 Dec 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Tell us a little bit about your background

I got my masters at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. After that, my college advisor got me a contract working for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) doing database and electrofishing for PCBs associated with the Hudson River General Electric Superfund site - the largest in the country at about 186 miles long stretching from Fort Edward, NY, down to the tip of Manhattan. I moved to New Hampshire with my wife and worked remotely for a few years before being introduced to XDD Environmental. I started out as an entry level Geologist and worked my way up through Senior Project Manager to Vice President.

Most of our work at XDD was in-situ remediation projects and evaluations and all that comes with it, including groundwater fate and transport and statistical evaluations.

What is your current role at Loureiro? How long have you worked for Loureiro?

I’ve been with Loureiro for almost two years now following the acquisition of XDD. As Director, I’m responsible for the financial interests of the Environmental Engineering division in the New Hampshire office. I help folks manage their projects and work closely with our Connecticut, North Carolina, and Missouri offices.

What is the most interesting / rewarding part of your job?

It’s a few things. First, I enjoy working with people. If I like the people I’m working with, I know that I’m doing pretty well. When things get difficult, it always helps to be surrounded by people you have a relationship with - people you can trust.

I enjoy problem solving - finding an issue and working through it with a larger team to figure out the best solution for the client.

We picked up a number of accounts when we joined LEA, but we also brought a lot of projects with us from XDD. We have sites in Florida and out in the Midwest, so it’s pretty rewarding and interesting to have a chance to work throughout the country.

What makes Loureiro unique?

One issue I’ve had in my 20 years of doing in-situ remediation is that it tends to narrow your focus. My skill set has been shaped by the work I’ve done previously. Say a client comes to us with an ecological risk problem. At XDD I would have had to hire out or send a potential client to another consultant. With Loureiro, we don’t have to do that. It’s extremely helpful to have a much larger suite of expertise at our disposal.

I’ve been working on a superfund landfill in Dover, New Hampshire for over 20 years. We offer a lot of ground water modeling and remedial services to the client, but now when they have some civil/site engineering needs, I have the resources that allow us to help them with that aspect of the work as well.

What do you like to do outside of work?

We enjoy outdoor activities. My wife and I do a lot of cycling. We’ve hiked all of the New England 4,000 footers. We love to ski and snowshoe. I also do a little bit of home brewing.

We also love to travel. We’ve been to Iceland and Belize, and have Machu Picchu on our wish list. My wife is originally from the Philippines, so that’s a place we’ll travel to in the future. This winter, we’ll head to Acadia National Park in Maine to do some cross country skiing.

What inspires you the most – personally, professionally, or both?

Working with really good people is what it comes down to. Working with good people makes it easier on the whole team. That also extends to family. Just being surrounded by good people makes everything better.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

Everyone has to do something for the first time. A lot of times, there’s a bit of indecision or concern about having to do something for which you have no background for. I always like to say that something I may do quickly now wasn't that easy for me 20 years ago. Something new might seem daunting and/or scary or even confusing, but everyone has gone through that at some point, and I think it’s helpful to remember that.

Do you have a piece of advice for a person just getting into the field?

I would suggest trying out a lot of different things while you’re in school. I think a diverse education is important. When I was in school I took a lot of computer science classes, math and chemistry - this all helped out a lot.

While you’re in your career and working, don’t be afraid to ask questions. Be aggressive about what you want and you’ll get what you’re looking for out of your career.

Who is someone you really admire?

My wife. She emigrated from the Philippines when she was a teenager. To move to an entirely new country like that, especially as a teenager, must have been daunting.

Get to Know Tristan Wallace

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 04:00:00 +0000

What is your current role? How long have you worked for Loureiro?

I’m currently a Senior Project Manager within Building and Land Engineering. I’ve been with Loureiro for six years in September. I started off as a Project Engineer coming from a smaller firm in the south of Boston. I was looking for a change, a bigger opportunity, and a more broad range of projects to work on. I came to Loureiro and from Project Engineer made my way to Senior Project Manager.

In my role now, my primary project portfolio involves site design, site infrastructure, and permitting. On any given day I’m dealing with clients, overseeing technical portions of the projects, quality reviews and other general project management duties.

What is the most interesting / rewarding part of your job?

One of the things that always interested me about what we do is solving bigger and harder problems as my career has progressed. I’ve been able to take on more complex projects and more complex issues that clients have, and I’ve been given the ability to be creative in finding solutions to solving these problems. I’ve been able to put my own spin on things first. Kurt Prochorena and George Andrews encourage me to do that, and Brian Cutler is another big advocate of that approach – doing your best to solve a problem before you bring the question to someone else.

I think the most rewarding aspect of the work I do is being able to take on these challenges, these bigger or more complex problems, and having the ability to develop unique solutions.

What makes Loureiro unique?

A lot of firms can do one thing well. Loureiro can do lots of things well. The fact that we’re multi-faceted and that we like to engage each facet of our business as a whole allows me to assess a client issue on a larger scale – how it can affect them in multiple ways that maybe they can’t even see. It allows us to develop more comprehensive solutions. It sets us apart – we’re so multi-faceted, and we engage that diversity of expertise so that it allows us to be adaptable and nimble in our ability to problem solve.

What do you like to do outside of work?

I like going to the movies and spending time with my family. I have a small core of people and I make sure I’m spending time with them. It’s important for me to spend time with the people I love the most.

What inspires you the most – personally, professionally, or both?

One of the things that attracted me to a career in civil engineering is how vital it is to our everyday lives. From infrastructure to livability to social components – it’s such a core piece to the basics of human society and affects everybody in a holistic way. It’s what drove me to the field, and what continues to drive me to this day. What we do is core to the world we live in.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

Something my mother told me once really sticks with me, and it’s related to working hard and those late nights when maybe you’re questioning yourself and your abilities. She told me one day, “Tristan, no matter what you do you have to show up as yourself in whatever it is.” She was saying to be true to who you are, and who you are needs to present itself in the work you do. Everything falls together after that. As long as you’re being you, answers will show themselves.

Who is someone you really admire?

My grandmother. She’s been such a consistent example of determination. She’s 85 now, going strong, and still takes care of people professionally in a nursing role. Her dedication to her work and her family, helping to raise her grandkids and great-grandkids, amazes me. I look up to her and see her as an example of having a big impact on the people around you and how important that is.

Get to Know Kevin Bitjeman

Tue, 27 Jun 2023 04:00:00 +0000

What is your current role? How long have you worked for Loureiro?

I’ve been at Loureiro since January 2009 as a Project Manager and am now Senior Project Manager in the Environmental Assessment division. I work on a range of tasks, including site investigations and remediations for soil and groundwater, as well as planning decommission activities for industrial plant closures.

Ever since my career started in 1989, I’ve been in Environmental Consulting for everything from petroleum release and clean up to the industrial site investigations and clean up that I am primarily focused on now. I took a brief hiatus from the consulting side along the way to work in the banking industry as an environmental risk analyst to get another perspective. With most of our work driven heavily by real estate transaction, this experience gave me the opportunity to understand how to structure deals on contaminated real estate in a way that offers buyers confidence, not hesitation. Without the ability to understand the transactional risk and provide solutions to problems, we’d be missing a core element to the services we can provide.

What is the most interesting / rewarding aspect of your job?

Getting a project to the finish line successfully! Completing a work product isn’t something that happens frequently; it’s typically the culmination of years of work on a single assignment. So for me, seeing the project through to that final documentation piece is a great feeling. It can also be the hardest part! And every journey has its ups and downs, but it’s also extremely motivating working to meet the important goals along the way.

After 34 years of environmental consulting, I have been involved in the management of almost every type of work you can imagine — but I joke that I am a master of none. Consultants aren’t usually the ones in the spotlight, but when there is a reward, it’s never a solo act. Here at Loureiro, I am so lucky to be part of a technically diverse and very skilled team. It’s my job to focus on them and make sure they have everything they need to do their work well — and it’s been the source of a lot of success for us. They truly make the daily grind very enjoyable for me.

What do you like to do outside of work?

I live at the base of a mountain near a large State Park, so I love to grab my backpack, pop in my headphones and hike for a few miles out and back. I also just enjoy being outside, so I like to do yard work and go target shooting. Both are great escapes for me.

I also enjoy some kitchen therapy with my daughter. We make great chili and a variety of Italian dishes and just do it to enjoy it. I may not know a lot about cooking, but hey, if no one else likes what I make, then there’s more for me!

What inspires you the most - professionally, personally, or both?

While most people hate deadlines, I thrive on having that sense of urgency. I like to have a plan in my head and know all my tasks before I sit down for the day. That plan provides me with direction, but also that feeling of accomplishment when I’m hitting my deliverables and staying focused so I know that everything is done the right way. It all makes the end result of whatever I am doing more successful and rewarding.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

Put all your “to- do-items” on one sheet of paper, no matter how congested it gets. I’m not really a fan of electronic gadgets when it comes to staying on top of things, and I follow the simple concept of doing one thing at a time. As a project manager, you always have to be looking five steps ahead, but if you aren’t focused on the task at hand and put a good base in, you can’t move on to the rest.

Who is someone you really admire?

My college Public Speaking and Writing professor. At the time, the course forced me to do things that I absolutely had no confidence or interest in, but I learned invaluable concepts that I use almost every day in my career. Whether it’s writing a report, letter, or work plan or conveying concepts verbally, the process is really the same. And the words “tell me up front; tell me what you’re going to tell me, and then tell me again” still ring in my ears to this day. It never hurts to repeat key aspects of a plan and ensure everyone is 100% clear on the details — because that attention to getting every element right is what truly sets us apart from other teams.