2023 Women in Construction: Michelle Murphy, Vista Skywall Systems

In the past year, what project or accomplishment are you most proud of? My greatest recent accomplishment has been successfully managing Vista’s numerous Manhattan hotel projects. We’ve completed installation of curtain wall and other glass and metal work for the Margaritaville Hotel in Times Square, the Victoria Theater Hotel in Harlem, and several luxury boutique ones in the Flatiron district.

What was a pivotal point in your career? I was drawn into operations management early in my career in manufacturing, and I found I excelled at it. I enjoyed working with people to integrate various departments to function more seamlessly as a whole to eliminate errors and improve efficiencies. I have since carried those skills over to managing major projects for a leading New York regional facade installation firm, a highlight of my career. Working with so many experienced manufacturers, architects, facade consultants, and general contractors has tested all my organizational skills in building some of the notable properties that grace our New York City skyline.