Member profile: Alexia Nalewaik MSc, MRICS, CCE, Principal, QS Requin Corp.

07/01/2009 22:05

Alexia Nalewaik MSc, MRICS, CCE Principal, QS Requin Corp. Alexia Nalewaik is a senior manager for construction audit & advisory with Moss Adams LLP and brings 17 years experience in management consultancy and construction to the job. Q. Why did you opt to pursue a career in this industry? Although my first degree is in physics, my lifelong passion is architecture. When I applied to graduate schools, my preferred universities had a waiting list for their architecture programs. The head of our physics department gave me a good shove in the direction of civil engineering. I soon graduated with an MSc in structural engineering, which set me on a career path in construction. Q. Do you have specific areas of expertise or specialist interest? My background is very diverse and encompasses the life-cycle of the building project from concept and funding through closeout and claims, because at the start of my career I took advantage of many interesting opportunities in management consulting. Even now, I attract unique engagements, which keeps me on my toes. My specialist interest is in cost management of building projects, largely because cost control is the primary concern for my clients. Even if a CFO doesn’t understand construction, he certainly understands money. Q. What has been a career or project highlight? A position as owner’s representative was a turning point in my career. The project started out as a 100,000 square foot expansion of a food and beverage manufacturing facility. At first, I was the only team member on site full-time, but over the course of three years I supervised and trained staff from multiple offices both on and off site in the construction of 18 concurrent building projects totaling more than $80 million. We conducted monthly probabilistic cost risk analysis, cost forecasting & reporting, schedule monitoring, bid package review, subcontractor selection, contract audit, requisition & purchase order issue, invoice review/approval/payment, estimate validation, change review & approval, and project closeout/asset allocation. In total, by the end of the project, the team identified more than $1 million in quantifiable savings and implemented a number of changes in project controls to avert additional excessive expenditures. Although I didn’t realize it at the time, the engagement was a crash course in construction audit and personnel management that set the stage for the next step of my career. Q. How has being a member of RICS helped your professional career? The MRICS designation is instantly recognizable on my business card and opens doors worldwide. Even if I haven’t had a chance to make an immediate impression on someone, I have learned to wait a second or two until it sinks in…shortly, their eyebrows go up and they start asking good questions. The camaraderie is palpable at professional society board meetings, technical conferences, and client engagements. Q. Have you attended any networking or industry events in which RICS Americas has participated? I have attended a number of industry events and networking events with RICS Americas. I am always impressed by the caliber of professionals I meet and I have made a number of industry connections at the events. Over the years, I have also attended joint meetings between RICS and other professional societies, and it has been a pleasure to see recognition of RICS grow within the Americas. “Viral” best describes certain aspects of the expansion.