In honor of Women in Construction Week, here’s a look at the career of Jeanne Bartels, senior project manager at Chicago’s McHugh Construction. Currently, Bartels is overseeing preconstruction work for a 26-story, 270-room hotel McHugh will soon begin building for DAC Developments at 424 S. Wabash Ave. in Chicago.
Bartels is also assisting the project manager of 1000M, a 73-story luxury rental tower McHugh is building at 1000 S. Michigan Ave., across from Chicago’s Grant Park, for co-developers Time Equities, Inc. (TEI), JK Equities (JKE) and Oak Capitals. She’s also working on closing out Howard Brown Health Halsted, a five-story healthcare and medical office at 3501 N. Halsted St.
Last year, Bartels wrapped her role as the senior project manager overseeing the construction of Platform 4611, a nine-story, 200-unit mixed-use apartment building McHugh completed last year for The John Buck Company and Free Market Ventures at the northeast corner of Broadway and Wilson avenues in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood.
Between all her duties at McHugh, we caught up with Bartels to learn about her experience in construction.
What led you to pursue a career in construction?
Jeanne Bartels: I went into construction with the specific goal of learning about buildings and high-rise construction. Living in downtown Chicago surrounded by impressive high-rises, I wanted to understand what it takes for something like that to be built. When I made a career switch from working at an engineering firm, I was able to land a position with McHugh – the premier building contractor in Chicago – where I have been able to achieve my goal of learning every aspect of building a high-rise.
Besides the technical nuts and bolts of it, I found insight into how many different entities and people are involved, and it feels like the contractor is at the center of it all. This results in a great variety of day-to-day activities and understanding that teamwork and cooperation is everything.
What challenges have you faced in building a career in a male-dominated industry like construction?
Bartels: The challenges I have faced are unrelated to working in a male-dominated industry. I have worked with men and women that show me respect as a leader on the jobsite and office. I feel supported by my direct leadership at McHugh and my peers in the construction industry. My female counterparts in the industry have shared stories, dating back many years, of challenges, biases and abuse that I have been lucky enough not to have ever experienced. I give credit to the strong women that stood up in a minimally represented industry for years when it was extremely difficult, so that I could establish myself in an industry and career that I truly enjoy.
Have you noticed an increase in the number of women entering the construction industry? If so, why do you think that is?
Bartels: It appears to be stable to me. McHugh is a company that has many female role models for me to look up to and has many of the best project managers in the industry, who just so happen to be women.
What do you find most fulfilling about working in the construction industry?
Bartels: The most fulfilling part of this work is seeing a very complicated project come to life after months, but more likely years of effort going into it. With so many different aspects of the project, phases of construction and interactions with other teams (engineers, architects, developers, sub-contractors, etc.) on a job from start to finish, a building takes on a life cycle that lasts several years and keeps things engaging until you are able to turn over a finished product.
What advice do you have for other women interested in pursuing a career in construction?
Bartels: Prepare yourself for a rewarding challenge! This is not an easy job. I have found the challenges overwhelming on some days, but I have grown from them, and I have holistically found myself using that growth and development in all aspects of my life. Learn to let things go when it’s appropriate, focus on the end goal, and find your work-life balance.
