On the Job With Tyler Cotner
Step into the shoes of Tyler Cotner, a project manager at CMSWillowbrook. Tyler walks us through jobsite challenges, explains the most rewarding aspects of his job and shows us how his team always looks out for owners’ best interests.
I’ve always been interested in construction. I took wood tech and engineering classes in high school, and in college I studied architecture, construction and business. Construction was always the plan.
My first job out of college was as a project engineer for CMSWillowbrook. I’ve been here nearly six years, and now I’m a project manager. Project engineers spend more time on material procurement, requests for information (RFIs) and submittals. They make sure the correct material gets on-site in a timely manner.
Project managers, on the other hand, handle the overall schedule and financing of the project. It’s my job to make sure everything is in place for the project team. I act as the eyes and ears for the owner and ensure the project is completed at the highest possible quality on schedule.
On a typical day, I arrive at the office, catch up on emails and address any outstanding issues. Each day is usually consumed with putting out fires, whether answering a subcontractor’s questions about billing or requesting information from an architect.
I’ll walk the jobsite several times throughout the day to get an idea of crew size and location and help the superintendent with anything he or she might need. Walking the jobsite really gives me an idea of the schedule, manpower and the pace at which we’re going. I’m also always looking out for quality. It helps to have as many people performing quality control as possible to ensure the owner loves the finished product.
I’m also constantly reviewing the overall project schedule and keeping my eyes open for the next possible issue or construction constraint which might prevent us from completing on time. COVID-19, for example, is creating a lot of unknowns. We’re not sure how the pandemic will affect manpower or scheduling in the coming weeks. We’re anticipating deliveries and material procurement issues on a few of our remaining items that haven’t shipped yet.
There’s just so many moving pieces. When you factor in the changes an owner might make while we’re under construction, it means we’re always fighting the schedule. Things change quickly, so you have to push the boundaries and figure out ways to gain time and save the owner money.
That’s the thing I don’t think a lot of people realize — how much project managers look out for owners’ best interests and try to save them money, whether that involves changing materials or eliminating unnecessary products. CMSWillowbrook does a really good job at this, and I think that’s a major reason Owners trust us.
This career is challenging, and it can often be stressful, but it’s also very rewarding. There’s always a solution to be found, and each day brings new opportunities. I’ve found it’s really important to ask questions — especially as a young professional. I’m always very quick to reach out to seasoned employees and subcontractors who do this on a daily basis, because there’s always something I don’t know.
Tyler Cotner is a project manager at CMSWillowbrook.
Check out this video of Deer Creek Public schools, 4th and 5th Grade Center, Edmond, OK that Tyler was a part of!
Tyler Cotner pictured here with some of the project team for the Deer Creek Public Schools, 4th and 5th Grade Center, Edmond, OK. (Pictured left to right, Grant Maxey, Tyler Cotner, Shawn Vick and Parker Smith.)