Written by: Ben VanderWert, PHR, SHRM-CP

​​This year has brought a lot of changes in the way we operate as a community.  School days are spent at home for some, most work is virtual, and gatherings with your family and friends are distant.  It’s been hard.  What we need to keep doing is remind ourselves that we are not alone.  We are in this together and together we are learning to be flexible and adjust to what comes next. 

As MCL’s Talent Acquisition Manager, meeting and interacting with people is a huge part of my job and most of our talent is discovered by meeting college students at their campus career fairs.  Much like schools going to virtual learning, career fairs have changed to virtual as well. 

​This year, MCL Construction participated in nine virtual career fairs.  I have done virtual fairs in the past and they can be challenging. It takes out the in-person interaction and, really, the opportunity to read body language.  However, I would never pass up the opportunity to meet with students passionate about his or her next career move.  So, I took a little bit of my own advice that I mentioned earlier and tried to be flexible and adjust to what comes next.

​MCL Construction opened its new headquarters in June 2020.  More than an office space, the building incorporated state-of-the-art technology in nearly every meeting room.  The office is equipped with smart labs with interactive screens, video conferencing in collaborative meeting spaces, and conference rooms with wide-lens cameras to virtually bring an entire group to any meeting.  Having these resources made adjusting easier and allowed us to connect during a time where we feel disconnected from others. 

During each virtual fair, students would sign up for time slots before the fair.  Each student was slotted for about 10 minutes of conversation in MCL’s virtual booth.  At a traditional career fair, 10 minutes is typically enough time when there are a lot of employers and students jammed into some sort of hall or gymnasium.  Since these conversations were just one on one, they felt like a more formal interview than a quick conversation. I found that 10 minutes was not even close to being long enough with most students interested in a career with MCL Construction.  But again, we had to adjust.  We were able to set up a lot of students with second video conversations and have hired several of them for our summer internship program.  We also set up group presentations virtually using our training room’s wide camera. 

Going back to that crowded gym with a bunch of employers and students, it can be hard to gauge who is genuinely interested in your company or who just stopped by casually.  In a virtual setting, students sought you out ahead of time and prepared to spend time one on one with members of our team.  It was clear that students who signed up for our booth were seriously interested in their future in construction management. 

​There has certainly been a theme with everything going on. In order to be successful in what you are trying to accomplish these days, you need to be agile and adjust where you can.  Also, remind yourself you can control what you can and adjust to what you can’t.  Thank you to everyone who made that adjustment with us and attended our virtual career fairs.  We look forward to seeing some of you over the summer.

About MCL Construction
​For many businesses, navigating the entire construction process and knowing who to trust can be overwhelming.  At MCL Construction, our people simplify the process by listening, planning, executing, and continuing the relationship to build their vision

MCL Construction, a construction manager and general contractor in Omaha, Nebraska, has been selected as a 2017 Greater Omaha Business Excellence Award winner.  There were over 100 nominations submitted to the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce and 24 have been chosen as Excellence Award Winners.

"I want to thank the Greater Omaha Chamber for this recognition," said MCL Construction President Bob Carlisle.  "An award like this is shared not just with our employees but the owners we build for, the trade partners we build with, and the talented design teams on the projects we complete."

The official awards presentation ceremony will be May 9, 2017, at the Embassy Suites Conference Center in La Vista.  Some of the most recognizable businesses in the Omaha metro will be recognized for innovation, leadership, and philanthropy.  Companies will also be honored for milestone anniversaries. 

"All our employees take an innovative approach to building in the 21st century," added MCL Construction Senior Vice President Tony Fucinaro.  "It's vital that we build for the future to assure projects are constructed in the most efficient way possible."

MCL Construction is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2017.

Creighton University officially breaks ground on a new 200,000-square-foot School of Dentistry to be located at 21st and Cuming Streets. The $84.5-million project is scheduled to be completed in July 2018. The new building will increase from 12,000 annually to 15,000 the number of patients served who come from all walks of life in the Omaha area, many of whom would otherwise not have access to regular dental care. The new  Creighton School of Dentistry is being constructed by Omaha-based MCL Construction and is designed by RDG Planning and Design.

​According to Mark Latta, DMD, MS, dean of Creighton’s nationally recognized School of Dentistry, the new facility will accommodate a modest enrollment gain, offer more clinic space, and feature enhanced labs, classrooms, research space and offices. Most importantly, says Dr. Latta, it will expand Creighton’s outreach to underserved patients. 
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“For more than a century, the Creighton University School of Dentistry has served a vital role in the community by supporting the oral health care needs of the region’s citizens,” says Dr. Latta. “Our mission compels us to expand the dental school and continue to graduate the best-prepared, practice-ready general dentists who will continue to serve thousands of children and adults in need.”

In 2015, Creighton’s School of Dentistry served more than 12,000 patients, including children. The dental school is also the state’s largest provider of dental services to low-income populations. With that number increasing to 15,000 patients served annually, students and staff are projected to provide $91.4 million in discounted and unreimbursed dental services over the first ten years of the new facility being open—up from their current offerings valued at $6.7 million a year. Also, serving patients through community partners, the dental school’s discounted and unreimbursed services will grow to $21.6 million—an increase from today’s $1.3 million in services through the community partners. 

“Service to patients across the spectrum coupled with a vision for innovation have long been at the heart of the curriculum in the Creighton School of Dentistry,” said Creighton University President the Rev. Daniel Hendrickson, SJ. “In this new facility, faculty and students together will be able to expand those parallel missions, finding the best ways to compassionately care for all patients and making the latest treatments available.”

The new facility will also house some of the latest technological enhancements in dentistry, allowing for high-level specialties to expand the range of care it provides to the community. The new Creighton University School of Dentistry will include:

• Expanded pediatric services, providing a larger dental home to children who would not otherwise receive regular dental care
• An Interdisciplinary Health Practitioner Office, uniting the School of Dentistry, School of Medicine, School of Pharmacy and Health Professions and College of Nursing, offering a wider range of services to patients
• The Wilwerding-DiLorenzo Digital Technology Center, computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD-CAM) center that will guide students through use of the latest dental technologies

The new facility is expected to deliver greater economic impact through 191 new jobs, amounting to $76 million in additional wages and salaries, and nearly $8 million in additional state and local taxes. With the new facility’s offerings, it is estimated that the Creighton School of Dentistry will create a $200 million economic impact over a 10-year period. 

“We are dedicated to educating the nation’s premier dentists and providing comprehensive, compassionate oral healthcare to all of our patients,” says Dr. Latta. “A larger, updated and technologically advanced facility will allow us to meet the growing demands of our dental program, our patient base, and the national population. As we look toward our vibrant future, we will continue our commitment to an outstanding clinical education experience rooted in Jesuit principals that underscore our care of those in need.”

The Creighton University School of Dentistry opened in 1905 and moved to the Creighton campus in 1921 when it outgrew its space in the Edward Creighton Institute. The Boyne School of Dental Science, the school of Dentistry’s current location, opened in 1973. 

*From Creighton University with copy added from MCL  Construction

​Technology is changing construction at a rapid pace. To thrive in a 21st-century building environment, construction companies today must embrace technology to reduce costs and improve efficiency and quality on a project.
 
MCL Construction in Omaha, Nebraska, is at the forefront of innovation providing full-service, in-house Building Information Modeling (BIM) services and 3D high definition scanning services.  Knowledge of these systems is not a privilege for a handful of computer techs. At MCL Construction, teams are trained through the company's cutting-edge PILOT program. PILOT is short for Promoting Innovation, Leadership Operations, and Technology.

​"We want to make sure our team of talented Project Managers and Project Superintendents have the tools they need to succeed," says MCL Construction Senior Vice President Tony Fucinaro. "Our PILOT program is important because it keeps us informed, and provides hands-on training to adapt to the changes in technology; we are shortening the learning curve."
 
Technology today is more than putting a three-dimensional model of the project on a flat screen in a meeting or a presentation. The data provided in these models and shared with project team members allows for real-time communication which leads to faster problem-solving and increased efficiency throughout the project.
 
"The 'I' in BIM is so important," says MCL Construction Director of BIM Operations Tim Tiensvold. "The information we obtain and what do with this data plays a significant role in preconstruction, construction, and close-out. We believe this information should be understood by all the members of a project team, not just a select few."
 
Technology is moving from the job site trailer to the field which is why our PILOT Program is so important. The information provided is utilized through software programs like Autodesk BIM 360 Glue and Field, as well as Bluebeam. This information can be accessed through mobile devices like smartphones and iPads and our on-site innovation stations.
 
"Technology is an investment in the future; the PILOT Program is an investment in our people. I know when we combine technology with the talent, we produce great results for our building partners," says Fucinaro.
 
For more information, download our white paper on the applications and advantages of 3D high definition scanning. You will see how the possibilities are endless.