Name: Maria Loitz
Position: Associate Principal and Director of Marketing
Company: BVH Integrated Services, P.C.
How many years have you been in your current field? 24
What was your first job and what did you learn from it? I delivered the New Haven Register in middle school with a route of more than 100 customers. I learned that consistently being on time and having a smile on my face led to bigger tips. I would also have to go house-to-house collecting each week, which seems inconceivable today. However, I learned how to communicate with my customers and not be bashful about collecting past due fees.
What were your biggest fears when you started out in your profession? Golfing! However, I quickly learned that I needed lessons, and now it’s my favorite hobby that I enjoy for business and on my own time. It’s an unforgiving sport, and I still need lessons now and then. Golf keeps me humble.
Which project, deal or transaction was the “game changer” in the advancement of your career during the last 10 years? The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine project was one of the most fascinating pursuits of my career. I dedicated 100% of my time over a two-month period preparing our submission as the MEP prime, and reaching out to architects for the civil and structural components. After a brutal 10-hour drive in the snow to Bar Harbor, Maine, we were confident that a real connection was made during the interview. In the end, we were awarded the MEP prime contract, and we were also on the winning architectural team for the civil and structural engineering. Its success in fueling the bioscience industry in Connecticut makes it all the more sweet.
What are you doing differently in 2019 that has had a positive impact on your career? Strategic planning is always a priority, and this year my goal is to dedicate more of my time to this endeavor, with a focus on the Boston market and our growing Boston office, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. Decluttering my schedule is the key to providing a better work-life balance, achieving the clearly defined goals set forth as well as finding cherished time to spend on my health and well-being and with my family.
Who are three women – living or dead – that you would like to have drinks with and why? I admire Nikki Haley, the former US Ambassador to the United Nations, for her vocal criticism of human rights abuses across the globe; Margaret Thatcher, for her courage and resolute leadership, and her role in ending the Cold War; and Princess Diana, a devoted mother and advocate, for working tirelessly on behalf of many charities and using her platform to raise awareness of a number of important humanitarian issues around the world.