Congratulations to Cole Finan, who was recently promoted to Layout Manager in our Construction Staking department. Cole joined FOCUS Engineering & Surveying in 2016. He had been looking for a career change and his friend recommended surveying. After conducting a little research on what surveyors do, his interest was sparked. Four years later he continues to enjoy interpreting plans and utilizing the latest technology to lay out a job site accurately and reliably so that a structure can be built.

Prior to his promotion, Cole was our Senior Crew Chief. The position was challenging and rewarding for him as he built relationships and learned a variety of technical skills. As Layout Manager he is now responsible for coordinating the horizontal and vertical locations of subdivisions and commercial sites he receives from our engineers to our field crews. The CAD-intensive role requires rigorous communication and attention to detail. “Being able to communicate specifics is key to my current role at FOCUS,” Cole explains. “There are many subtleties that may not seem like a big deal on paper but on the ground, they could be the difference between being on time and on budget and adding delays or unnecessary costs.”

While a shift from a job site to the office is a big change for Cole, he believes spending a few years in the field has really helped him to see things from a different point of view. “I’ve been lucky enough to gain the perspective of how excavation crews think and that enables me to more effectively field their requests.” He’s also learned there’s a lot more coordination on the front end of a project than at the end. This perspective has proven helpful as Cole manages between 100 to 150 projects at any given time.

Cole’s coworkers appreciate his efforts to make their roles less stressful. “I do everything I can to alert engineers and surveyors of changes in plans and try to uphold the reliable reputation of our firm,” he describes. Cole looks forward to the opportunities to learn and grow in his new role. We’re confident his progress will be consistent and steady, just like Cole.