Bridging Facilities and Construction: Trust, Collaboration, and Challenges in Managing Infrastructure at a Large Institutions

Facility Voices

In this episode of Facility Voices, Melanie Ford, Senior Director of Construction at the University of Georgia, shares her experiences overseeing the facilities and construction projects of a large institution. She discusses her role in managing a diverse range of facilities—from historic buildings and agricultural stations to athletic complexes and cutting-edge science labs—while also highlighting significant projects like UGA's new medical school and recent campus upgrades. Melanie also explains her approach to fostering collaboration among departments, building trusted relationships with contractors, and uniting facilities and construction teams for effective project management across UGA’s range of spaces. In addition, she describes the development of UGA’s design standards, which have helped to streamline project workflows and reduce costs, ensuring consistency across a blend of historical and modern structures. Melanie’s insights offer valuable lessons for facilities professionals navigating large-scale, varied campus environments. Tune in to hear her unique strategies and gain practical tips for advancing campus facilities management.
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Melanie J. Ford is the Senior Director of Construction for the Office of University Architects at the University of Georgia (UGA), where she oversees capital construction projects and major renovations on campus. She received a Bachelor of Science in Building Science from Auburn University and worked as a general contractor for twenty years before joining UGA in 2007. While working full-time, she earned a Master’s in Historic Preservation from UGA in 2016 and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Landscape Architecture, expecting to graduate at the end of Fall Semester 2024. Melanie also serves as President of the Georgia chapter of COAA and President of the Athens Area Women in Construction.

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The views and opinions expressed by third-party guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of ARC Facilities and ARC Document Solutions. We provide a platform for diverse perspectives and discussions and ARC Facilities/ARC Document Solutions assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content provided by our third-party guests.