Brock Chavez joined the Hensel Phelps Pacific Northwest region through the Hiring our Heroes Corporate Fellowship. Brock has been serving in the U.S. Army as an Engineer Officer since graduating from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 2011. This summer, Brock brought his team-focused mentality to Hensel Phelps’ estimating department, supporting multiple bids in a matter of weeks. He then took what he learned in estimating to get hands-on field experience on the Sound Transit Operations and Maintenance Facility East project. We thank Brock for his service to our country and are honored he could spend his summer with our team.
Hensel Phelps Q&A with Brock Chavez:
Name: Brock Chavez
School/Graduation Year: The U.S. Military Academy / 2011
Field of Study: Mechanical Engineering
Hometown: Medical Lake, WA
Region: Pacific Northwest
Project: Estimating for Bellevue, WA
Fun/Random Fact: Brock is a Collegiate National Champion in Judo
What are your goals for your internship with Hensel Phelps?
My goal this summer was to absorb as much commercial construction knowledge, processes and structure as possible. I am also using this great opportunity to further refine my communication skills within the office, avoiding common Army jargon as best as I can.
What are some of the top skills you’ve developed during your internship?
Teamwork is critical wherever you look, including here in the estimating department. On any bid day, the whole office comes together and supports the bid lead in accomplishing the job. Coming from an organization that constantly pushes to build a stronger team, it was great to see that same drive here at Hensel Phelps.
What does “Delivering EXCELLENCE in all we do.” mean to you?
“Delivering EXCELLENCE in all we do.” means that you do not take shortcuts in anything that you are doing, but instead take every challenge and task seriously. Whether it’s conducting a takeoff on plans or engaging industry partners, you are giving your best to ensure the company is providing excellent service to our partners and community.
How is Hensel Phelps unique from other companies?
At Hensel Phelps, everyone in the office gets along with each other and ultimately carries their own weight. This creates a supportive working environment and fosters a positive team atmosphere.
Of the five Hensel Phelps Core Values (Ownership, Integrity, Builder, Diversity and Community) – which means the most to you?
Integrity is the most meaningful core value for me. Integrity is the bedrock in which we build all social competencies effectively. Without a solid foundation of integrity, all the other core values will carry little to no weight because without integrity, there is no trust, and with no trust then your word is meaningless.
What was the best advice you’ve received during your internship?
Do not hesitate to ask questions. As someone with no commercial construction experience and no civil engineering education, I find myself not understanding many terms thrown around in the office. With a little help of Google and my awesome co-workers, I can quickly catch up and understand what we are talking about in meetings.
To learn more about the Hensel Phelps Intern Program and other career paths that Hensel Phelps has to offer, we invite you to visit https://www.henselphelps.com/careers/