FACILITY PROFESSIONAL SPOTHLIGHT
Andrea Hill
How did you get into FM/Accidental FM?
While working for Deloitte as an office manager, I was asked to take on additional responsibilities related to facilities management. Soon after that, the decision was made to reduce our square footage in the US Bancorp tower from two floors, down to one floor and as the new “Facilities Manager”, I had to hit the ground running. Eventually I was promoted to Operation and Facilities Manager for Portland, Salt Lake City and Boise. It was a great experience to have the opportunity to manage three offices in three different states. Although somewhat by accident, I was thankful for the opportunity that presented itself to me and eventually steered my career path.
One off weird experience in the industry
When I was at Deloitte and we were in the process of reducing space we had a lot of artwork to sort through and find homes for. These pieces were all purchased in the 80’s and one piece in particular ended up having a very high value. I engaged an art dealer and managed to sell it to the Four Seasons Hotel in Seattle. It is now displayed in the lobby of that hotel behind the front desk. We were able to use the funds to engage a local Portland artist and commission several new pieces of art for our new office.
A highlight of your Facility or Operation
The sustainable construction of our corporate office in Hillsboro has been a major highlight. When we were in the design phase, we made the decision to go the mass timber construction route which tied very closely to our corporate sustainability goals. Producing modern load-bearing materials like concrete or steel emits high levels of carbon into the atmosphere. Because wood is a lower carbon material than concrete or steel, building with mass timber reduces a structure’s overall carbon footprint. Not to mention it looks great! Mass timber also offers efficiencies when it comes to construction timelines and costs, so for us it just made sense. I’m looking forward to hosting an IFMA event at our corporate office in the near future with a tour.
