All the other hats.

What does it take to keep a bustling office of engineers running smoothly and successfully? With four generations of professionals working alongside each other, and nearly everyone of them either a structural designer or structural engineer, how does it work? Our team’s successes cannot be fully explained without a nod to our powerhouse of an office manager who keeps us all connected, organized, and yes, even happy. Everything that doesn’t require actual engineering, is made brighter and better when Jenn is involved. She wears all the hats. And, she wears them well. Key to her success is a background in business administration and event planning, where she developed a keen ability to adapt communication styles to serve a wide array of stakeholders. In this article, she shares her communication approach which is rooted in inclusivity and personalization.?

Building Bones is a Miller Consulting Engineers series of articles highlighting the fascinating work being done by a small, Oregon-grown structural engineering firm located in Portland, Oregon. We hope you enjoy meeting our team.

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MEET JENN

HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU BEEN IN THE AEC INDUSTRY?

Five years. And, all five with Miller.

EDUCATION

My degree is in business administration with a minor in event planning from Southern Oregon University.

WHY DO YOU CHOOSE TO WORK AT MILLER?

There are several things that are key for me:

• I find the mixed-age group of our employees to be a benefit to our culture and the work we do together. We have four generations working alongside each other, and that keeps things grounded while at the same time, fresh and growing.?
• I love that Miller places value on families, self-care, and balance. It’s not just an HR statement. It’s something the partners continue to evaluate and prioritize.

Since we’re a small firm, my responsibilities cover a wide variety of tasks, which keep me challenged and engaged. I hate being bored.

WHAT'S MOST REWARDING ABOUT WORKING WITH YOUR TEAM?

I have a bit of an OCD personality, and engineers bring similar qualities of detail to their work. There’s unity in that, and a mutual appreciation. In contrast to me, a lot of engineers are quiet and shy, at least in the workplace. I find it a fun challenge to create ways to bring them out of their comfort zone, stretching their party muscles. It’s rewarding when I can? lighten the serious work we’re doing from time to time.?

APPROACHES YOU'VE FOUND HELPFUL IN WORKING WITH ENGINEERS?

My focus is to support our team. My approach is effective communication. It’s crucial and often challenging.?

• I stay curious about the strategies people use to bridge gaps in understanding, especially with technical professionals. And with a multi-generational workforce.
• ?In order to facilitate a quality end product, I have become a fearless question asker. I’m eager to learn whatever is necessary to facilitate success for each engineer within the confines of often unique project conditions. The only thing I can’t do is the engineering itself.

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION STYLES

Communication styles are individual and are informed by multiple factors like learning styles, generational experiences, cultures, backgrounds, etc. My approach is to meet people where they are, respecting their perspectives to serve them best. Key strategies include:

• Inclusive Mindset: Value each person’s input without assumptions; show genuine interest in their insights.
• Adaptable Methods: Tailor communication based on preference—some prefer face-to-face, others digital.
• Customer Service Focus: Customize interactions to reduce frustration and foster a positive process.
• Common Goals: Keep project objectives clear to align efforts and minimize distractions.
• Flexibility and Patience: Adjust to varying communication needs and response times.
• Transparency and Consistency: Address changes and expectations openly to build trust and prevent misunderstandings.

These principles help create a supportive, effective environment where clear communication drives our productivity and success.

WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY LOOK LIKE FOR YOU?

I thrive because no two days are alike. I support 6 principals and 24 staff members. A lot of times, I don’t know how my day will go until I sit down in my chair. It could be heavily project focused, or an accounting day. It could be planning culture activities like staff socials or Mario Kart and ping pong competitions. I just never know. Around the priorities of the day, I just fill in all the tasks needed to keep the office running smoothly.

What are some of the key responsibilities you handle that support the engineering team? Any hat that doesn’t require an engineer’s head to wear it, I wear. Monthly billing support. Project report editing. Data entry. Supporting business development. Submitting building permit applications for projects. Plotter and printer management. Supplies. Helping onboard new employees. Managing the office environment from air conditioning & heating to facilitating cleanliness, etc. And, a myriad of other things to make it easy for our team to focus on engineering and support our clients.

WHAT SHOULD FOLKS UNDERSTAND ABOUT ENGINEERS?

It's interesting to hear what misconceptions people? have and what’s misunderstood about working with engineers– Like ”All engineers breathe math, wear pocket protectors, and play chess if they ever have downtime.” I didn’t come in with a stereotype. I just came in wanting to work with a smart, multigenerational group of people. It goes back to relishing variety. Our engineers are all in different phases of their lives and have different skills, talents, dreams, nightmares, etc. I love the variety of being able to enjoy and learn more about who they are and where they are in their careers, in their lives. It's exciting to have Eric W. (a principal) now becoming a grandpa and another? of our Erics,? Eric D., (an associate engineer) becoming a new dad. It makes it fun and keeps it real. Engineers are just people. Albeit, people with mad math skills.

HOW DO WE DEVELOP STRONG FUTURE ENGINEERS?

You work closely with the firm’s leadership. With that in mind, what characteristics or attributes should we focus on to ensure we are developing strong engineers who will take on these roles in the future?

We need to continue to ensure that mentorship remains a focus and primary goal. We need to be proactive about not becoming siloed with everyone focused on themselves and their own projects and clients. Prioritizing mentorship will help develop our less experienced engineers and designers, and we will all grow together. Also, we need to stay focused on our family culture, maintaining our support for positive life/work balances.

HOBBIES & INTERESTS

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

I need to stay active. I enjoy being outside, especially since I work inside every day. We have a cabin at Swift Reservoir in Washington state and we spend most of our summer holidays there. I love wake surfing and snow skiing. Football season is my favorite. My husband and I are season ticket holders for Timbers and Beavers football. Also, our son is a computer science major at Boise State University, so you’ll often find us on the long weekends visiting him in Idaho.?

PERSONAL TAGLINE

Every Monday you can hear Jenn exit our weekly staff meetings with a heartfelt tagline that encapsulates her spirit of service, “I’m up front. Let me know how I can help.”?

Typically working behind the scenes on projects, structural engineers are the innovators and problem solvers that move the artist's vision into real, workable plans that contractors can use to actually build the structures. Stay tuned for more interviews behind the screens, with the folks whose passion it is to make our structures possible and safe. You can learn more about our team at miller-se.com.

Jane Mayfaire, Business Development | Miller Consulting Engineers | 11/2024 BB13

Series Index

Article 1 | "A Glimpse of the Magic Behind the Screens" 11-2023 | Kevin McCormick, PE, SE, Managing Principal

Article 2 | "Structural Sleuths" 12-2023 | Lane Jobe, PE, SE, Principal

Article 3 | "It's About the People" 01-2024 | Sherri Mansur, Controller

Article 4 | "Tree Forts & Geodesic Shapes 02-2024 | CJ Marquardt, PE

Article 5 | "A Heart for Math & Mentorship" 03-2024 | Michelle Juarez, PE

Article 6 | "Engineering for Joy & Inclusivity" 04-2024 | Ben Steer, PE

Article 7 | "The Haiku Project" 05-2024 | Jordan Toews, PE

Article 8 | "Peru to Portland" 06-2024 | Jennylin Lopez, Structural Designer

Article 9 | "Numbers Tell a Story" 07-2024 | Kylean , PE

Article 10 | "Life + Work = Balance" 08-2024 | Evan Altorfer, PE

Article 11 | "Value People. Foster Relationships." 09-2024 | Andrew Leichty, PE, SE, Principal

Article 12 | "Cultivating Leaders" 10-2024 | Eric Watson, PE, SE, Principal

Article 13 | "All the Other Hats" 11-2024 | Jenn Adamy, Office Manager