“At Opus, we take good care of our clients and partners by always striving to go beyond their expectations," said Project Manager
Kelsie Lanz. “By being fair, transparent and generous, we form trusting relationships with them that last."
This is Kelsie's philosophy whether she's developing project scopes, cost estimates and schedules, or managing the many processes involved. Her goal is always to carry out her work flawlessly.
While attending Marquette University, Kelsie completed an internship with Ryan Companies and a co-op with Baxter and Woodman's Transportation Engineering Department. These work experiences led to her decision to pursue a career in construction management instead of her major field of study, civil engineering.
“The project management career path allowed me to be much more involved with the actual construction of buildings, and also to work side-by-side with more people," Kelsie said.
“I grew up seeing how construction projects and improvements can make a positive impact, and I saw first-hand how rewarding it can be," she recalled.
That rewarding feeling never went away and ultimately, it led Kelsie to Opus.
“The people at Opus make it a special place," Kelsie said. “Working here is drastically different from past jobs where I kept to myself because that's what everyone else did. We genuinely enjoy each other's company, whether its collaborating on a project or having lunch together on Fridays."
One of the things Kelsie enjoys most about her job is interacting with clients and partners. “It's so fun seeing how excited they get watching their project come to life," she said. “For them, there is a lot at stake. It's a major investment and many people are involved. We work closely with them and help them make important decisions, and that builds lasting relationships."
One of her first projects at Opus was managing a tenant improvement project for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) in Bolingbrook, Ill. Kelsie was young and fairly new to project management, but she confidently earned the client's respect, putting them at ease with her proactive communications, responsiveness and attention to detail.
Early in the project, FCA requested nearly triple the electrical service typically needed for the facility's intended use. Opus worked with an electrical design consultant and evaluated electrical records from other FCA facilities to help FCA determine what was appropriate for the project. The analysis and ensuing changes ultimately saved FCA 2.5% of the total project cost.
“It was such a successful project and partnership with FCA," Kelsie recalled. “In the end, they told us they wanted that project to be their 'standard' and asked if we would travel to Georgia to do another project with them."
“Kelsie is so friendly and approachable that she easily connects with our clients and establishes productive relationships," said George Parrino, Project Executive. “It helps that she is very proactive and manages expectations well on her projects and is always looking for ways to make the process easier for clients, whether it be by helping define their project requirements or pitching in on a groundbreaking event."
For her work with FCA, Kelsie's leader on the project, Craig Kenmotsu, presented her with an Above and Beyond Award.
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Kelsie earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Marquette University.
Outside of work, Kelsie and her fiancé enjoy trying new restaurants and participating in team sports, including beach volleyball, curling and broomball. They're currently consumed planning both their wedding and renovations for their first home, which they recently bought.
Kelsie stays active working out, walking around the lakes and running. She's completed a couple half marathons and plans to run her first marathon this year. She is also an avid reader (and is always looking for recommendations) and loves to travel.
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Our associates are talented, dedicated and knowledgeable. They streamline complex projects and always deliver value to clients. Read more profiles of our team.
This is Kelsie's philosophy whether she's developing project scopes, cost estimates and schedules, or managing the many processes involved. Her goal is always to carry out her work flawlessly.
From Engineer to Project Manager
Kelsie joined Opus fresh out of college in 2017 as an Associate Project Manager in our Chicago office. In the spring of 2022, the Minnesota native wanted to return home, so she transferred to our Minneapolis office where she works today.While attending Marquette University, Kelsie completed an internship with Ryan Companies and a co-op with Baxter and Woodman's Transportation Engineering Department. These work experiences led to her decision to pursue a career in construction management instead of her major field of study, civil engineering.
“The project management career path allowed me to be much more involved with the actual construction of buildings, and also to work side-by-side with more people," Kelsie said.
Early Exploration of Engineering and Construction
Kelsie's interest in both engineering and construction stem from her youth. In high school, math and science were her favorite subjects. She took an engineering class where she enjoyed building and programming LEGO robots and learned to use CAD and 3D printers. Outside of school, she was surrounded by real estate and construction influences: one of her grandfathers was an architect, the other a stucco taper. Her mom is a realtor and her parents flipped several homes throughout Kelsie's childhood.“I grew up seeing how construction projects and improvements can make a positive impact, and I saw first-hand how rewarding it can be," she recalled.
That rewarding feeling never went away and ultimately, it led Kelsie to Opus.
“The people at Opus make it a special place," Kelsie said. “Working here is drastically different from past jobs where I kept to myself because that's what everyone else did. We genuinely enjoy each other's company, whether its collaborating on a project or having lunch together on Fridays."
One of the things Kelsie enjoys most about her job is interacting with clients and partners. “It's so fun seeing how excited they get watching their project come to life," she said. “For them, there is a lot at stake. It's a major investment and many people are involved. We work closely with them and help them make important decisions, and that builds lasting relationships."
Building Trust on High-Stakes Projects
Every Opus project has high stakes, which can be intimidating for a young project manager. But Kelsie confidently demonstrated her capabilities from the start.One of her first projects at Opus was managing a tenant improvement project for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) in Bolingbrook, Ill. Kelsie was young and fairly new to project management, but she confidently earned the client's respect, putting them at ease with her proactive communications, responsiveness and attention to detail.
Early in the project, FCA requested nearly triple the electrical service typically needed for the facility's intended use. Opus worked with an electrical design consultant and evaluated electrical records from other FCA facilities to help FCA determine what was appropriate for the project. The analysis and ensuing changes ultimately saved FCA 2.5% of the total project cost.
“It was such a successful project and partnership with FCA," Kelsie recalled. “In the end, they told us they wanted that project to be their 'standard' and asked if we would travel to Georgia to do another project with them."
“Kelsie is so friendly and approachable that she easily connects with our clients and establishes productive relationships," said George Parrino, Project Executive. “It helps that she is very proactive and manages expectations well on her projects and is always looking for ways to make the process easier for clients, whether it be by helping define their project requirements or pitching in on a groundbreaking event."
For her work with FCA, Kelsie's leader on the project, Craig Kenmotsu, presented her with an Above and Beyond Award.
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Kelsie earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Marquette University.
Outside of work, Kelsie and her fiancé enjoy trying new restaurants and participating in team sports, including beach volleyball, curling and broomball. They're currently consumed planning both their wedding and renovations for their first home, which they recently bought.
Kelsie stays active working out, walking around the lakes and running. She's completed a couple half marathons and plans to run her first marathon this year. She is also an avid reader (and is always looking for recommendations) and loves to travel.
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Our associates are talented, dedicated and knowledgeable. They streamline complex projects and always deliver value to clients. Read more profiles of our team.