Chris Baxter, vice president of Faithful+Gould's New York office, is the newly named director of program and project management services on a nationwide basis for this international leader in construction consulting. A member of the WS Atkins Group, Faithful+Gould has become a premier contributor to the built environment over the last sixty years. Dedicated to development and innovation within the public and private sectors, Faithful+Gould provides "constructive expertise" in the form of project and cost management services. Chris is an expert within the industry, and invaluable to Faithful+Gould's continual growth at the local, national and international levels. With sixteen years of experience, Chris has held key roles on numerous landmark projects and multi-project programs in New York. From early planning through to construction and commissioning, he has applied his program management service skills across a range of sectors. From healthcare and education to residential and commercial, Chris is well versed with the myriad services under the project and program management umbrella. From cost management to value engineering, scheduling to risk management, he is vested in all facets of the industry. His understanding of the industry also makes him a natural leader in using program management to help clients define and execute technical strategic aims while also continuing to progress and develop their business. His intrinsic understanding of construction has also seen him quickly elevated to become a driving force for Faithful+Gould in streamlining its project and program management services across its whole U.S. operation. To that end, Chris is spearheading new initiatives to enhance the overall direction of the service for Faithful+Gould, and ultimately the industry. By combining its project management services between the local and regional levels, Faithful+Gould will create a network that supports development and implementation at the national and international level. "We have established a nationwide project management group, consisting of the top talent throughout our business," said Chris. "The team represents each of our four regions, and 23 offices, and will manage our service deliverables from a 'frontline' perspective. This is a key component to understanding staff requirements and clients' expectations." Chris has been passionate about project management since he started in the industry. "What is really interesting about the project management business is that you're engaged in every aspect of the project and in a position to truly manage and ensure a collaborative process between architect, contractor and owner, to have a positive effect on the outcome." Faithful+Gould has a team of dedicated project and cost consultants in New York. "Our New York office currently operates a very balanced approach in providing project management, cost estimating and project controls. We strive for balance among the prominent sectors in New York and are focused on Hospitality, Commercial, Education, Government and Aviation," explains Chris. "And our regional presence is a great asset for capitalizing on the opportunities that materialize for the program management service as clients' parameters are extended globally." For the past several years, Chris has been working closely with multi-national firms providing project management services across a global portfolio. "Regardless of scale or geographical footprint of a project or program, the alignment between an owner's expectations, budget and design, is the key to a successful outcome, and the project manager's role is to ensure this balance is maintained, and for owners and designers to make informed decisions." "Specific to PM, the way we develop the level of expertise and knowledge expected by our clients is by direct experience. This requires field experience, mentoring, oversight and a recognition and appreciation for technical talent. A well defined training process that invests and engages staff is a priority of the project management services group." In this capacity, Chris is responsible for establishing and coordinating service expertise including resources, technology, tools and standards, while also making a continual effort to promote and create opportunities for the New York office, and the northeast region of the United States. Building upon his enthusiasm for construction and New York, Chris has become a strong leader with continued focus on his clients, "As a consultancy and as a service provider, we must ensure that our principal focus is in providing the best possible services to top clients. The addition of a service delivery structure, as another thread into our organization, aligns with this interest. Its core focus is to provide expertise, and through expertise to continue to develop and support our clients' interests." Chris resides in Montclair, New Jersey, with his wife, Linda, and three year old son, Nathaniel and is based in the New York office of Faithful+Gould.