Brendan’s BIG birthday – celebrating 20 years with ARA!

On May 17th we hosted a night at Galway Bay, Irish restaurant and pub in Annapolis, to celebrate Brendan Nagle’s 20th anniversary working with ARA.

Friends, family, subcontractors and colleagues all attended to celebrate this impressive milestone, with Brendan being the first employee to reach the 20-year mark, as the longest serving ARA employee.

Brendan is a seasoned project manager who always finds a way to get the job done well. He embodies the spirit of ARA and he has played a large part in shaping our great culture.

He is held in high esteem by colleagues, subs and customers alike, so we wanted to ask him a few questions so we could briefly share his journey with you.

How did you get into the construction industry?
I was born and raised in the construction industry. My dad was very influential in that he worked in construction and was a jack of all trades and master of none, which helped me to get a full picture of the industry.

What was your first project with ARA?
A Staples remodel in Maspeth, NY. Store #106 in Queens. I worked with the company partner Paudie Mulvihill and PM Gerry Grady, who is now one of my closet friends.

What roles have you worked at ARA?
Superintendent, Assistant Project Manager, and Project Manager.

What do you like most about being a PM?
Well, there’s never a dull moment, and to be able to take a concept plan and make it a reality is fantastic. Completing a project and being able to see it finished gives a satisfying sense of achievement.

What has been your favorite project you have worked on?
My favorite project was a 600,000 SF facility for the world’s largest distributor. A feature of the project was utilization of a helicopter to hoist RTU’s up to the rooftop, which I enjoyed and which you can see on the homepage of our new website. 

What’s the best advice you would give someone starting out in the industry?
Be open to learning, no matter how long you’ve been in the industry. It’s ok if you make mistakes, don’t be too hard on yourself, just learn from them. Ask questions whenever you need to, and learn to prioritize.

Tell me something about you that most people don’t know.
I’m one of 10 in my family, so maybe that’s what helped me learn to work as part of a large team and build relationships with anyone and everyone.