Name: Pamela Galeota
Position: Project Manager
Company: Barr & Barr
How many years have you been in your current field? 28
Which project, deal or transaction was the “game changer” in the advancement of your career during the last 10 years? One of the game changers for me personally was being the project manager for the construction of the U. S. Land Port of Entry in Calais, Maine. Not only was this project awarded the General Services Administration Project Management and GSA Design Excellence Award, this $64 million, 100,000 s/f LEED Gold, state of the art facility was constructed to efficiently and effectively process commercial and passenger traffic given the stringent security standards imposed since September 11, 2001. Working with the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Food and Drug Administration, this highly secure 26-acre site comprises a main administration building, a firearms certification range, office and kennels.
What are you doing differently in 2019 that has had a positive impact on your career? I can honestly say that I have not thought of any specific career “resolutions” for 2019. But what I can say is that I have learned over my career is that you really, really need to like what you do. You need to be happy in the environment you are in, with the people you surround yourself with and the challenges that make it all worthwhile! And to get there professionally and personally requires trust, loyalty and respect. I think I have achieved a good balance at this point in time to be able to prioritize these things that fit my lifestyle.
What was your first job and what did you learn from it? My first job out of college was assistant director of operations at the Prudential Center in Boston. I learned about the importance of trust and integrity in the corporate world in order to become well respected in what then was a male-dominated industry. I learned how vital it is to be really, really good at what I do. I learned about identifying my strengths and weaknesses and how to leverage my strengths and overcome my weaknesses. I learned about the value of accountability and team work.
Who are three women – living or dead – that you would like to have drinks with and why?
Joanna Gaines – Lead Designer and Owner, Magnolia Homes. Her story to success and ability to run numerous successful businesses while focusing on her family is truly inspirational.
Neri Oxman – Architect, Designer and Professor at MIT Media Lab. Our firm built the Mediated Matter research lab space for Ms. Oxman at MIT. Her ability to join her designs with science is invigorating.
Martha Stewart – Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. Her ability to gain meteoric success through numerous business ventures.
What were your biggest fears when you started out in your profession? My biggest fears were probably “is this the right job for me? Did I make the right decision? Am I really qualified for this job?” But I quickly realized that this was my first job, and that I should be embracing the experience and talent around me to learn and develop. And that in areas that I wasn’t as “qualified” I needed to know where to go to get the answers. And that this “fear” was part of my growth and it was important that I put myself in a place that was conducive to my learning and afforded me the ability to grow. I also quickly realized that no-one has all the answers.