Highlighting two of VVA's top project managers: Lauren Antonelli and Cathy Dixon

VVA is known as a project management firm with a diverse team of professionals. This makes for a highly skilled, well-rounded organization. Two of VVA's top project managers, Lauren Antonelli and Cathy Dixon are no exception to this rule. With combined experience of over 50 years in the real estate industry, their qualifications couldn't be more diverse. Lauren Antonelli primarily focused on project and account management in construction prior to joining VVA. She started her career at Olympia & York as a project manager and also worked for Structuretone before accepting a position as an account executive for Lehr Construction. There she worked with many prestigious clients for nearly a decade. One of her most notable projects while at Lehr was the renovation of the French Institute of New York with the architect Michael Graves. Her last position before joining VVA was with the construction company RCDolner, as a senior project manager. There she managed many complex projects including infrastructure upgrades and out-of-the-ground new building developments for a major cable television company and the $13 million renovation and fit out of Teacher's College Library at Columbia University. Cathy Dixon, alternatively, a professional engineer with a masters in Structural Engineering, had spent most of her career as a project or facilities manager for NBC, JP Morgan and A&E firm, KG & D Architects & Engineers, before joining VVA in October of 2007. While at JP Morgan, Dixon was responsible for the strategic and space planning of JPM's eight million s/f real estate portfolio and also led a project team, which managed over $100 million in fit out and base building projects. While at NBC, she managed an internal project team, which renovated the Today Show offices and David Letterman's dressing rooms. Prior to joining VVA, Dixon's most recent role was that of construction administration manager for schools and senior housing complex projects in Westchester County. Although Antonelli and Dixon originated from different professional backgrounds, both women have encountered similar challenges on the job and were able to find innovative solutions. Last year, Antonelli completed a project for the law firm, Labaton Sucharow. "We had a tight schedule, a very detailed project including a lot of millwork, stone, glass, video conferencing and board rooms, and on top of this, there were telephone service issues," said Antonelli. "We were able to overcome the service issues and complete the project on time, and the space turned out beautifully. It helped that we had a great working relationship with the client and project team." Similarly, Dixon has been working on a project for a major financial services firm in Midtown. The project involves consolidation into a smaller, denser space configuration in an older building without moving anyone out of their current space. Therefore, all work will be completed on an overtime and weekend basis. The occupants' belongings will literally be boxed up on a Friday evening, furniture will be replaced, technology will be disconnected and reconnected and the occupants will return Monday morning to a working environment. Infrastructure upgrades will be completed during weekday evenings to support the increased density. "The project in midtown has presented many challenges," said Dixon. "It required a design solution which is interesting, functional, flexible, and works in an older building. It requires an incredibly creative scheduling and logistic plan that minimizes disruption while managing costs. The coordination of the many project participants and factors required in this very non- traditional project is challenging but extremely rewarding." Antonelli said, "I enjoy being able to use everything I've learned in construction and apply it to the role of project manager." Dixon said, "I consider myself lucky to have had the opportunity to work in a couple of different roles in the design & construction industry and to continue to work on an interesting portfolio of projects at VVA."