Member of the Month - Michele O'Connor

Michele O'Connor
Senior Principal
Langan
CREWbiz Profile
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How many years a CREW Member?
13

Fun Fact
I love to travel! I love to experience new cultures, try new food, meet new people, and explore new destinations. My goal is to visit all the countries that start with the letter "i". I've already visited Ireland, Italy and Israel. This summer I will visit Iceland. That just leaves visits to Indonesia, India, Iran and Iraq to achieve my goal and dream.

How has CREWNY provided value to you?
Being a member of CREWNY has taught be to be a stronger leader and collaborator. When I joined CREWNY, my goal was to grow my professional network and in turn bring in more work for Langan. Attending CREWNY events quickly resulted in expanding my network and creating lasting friendships. The true value of being a CREWNY member was realized through my participation on committees and the board. My committee and board participation allowed me to sharpen my skills as a leader and collaborator. I am a firm believer in CREWNY and encourage the next generation at Langan to join, engage and develop themselves.

What are some of your tips/tricks for generating business?
It is important to understand your business and the services you provide.

Early in your career look for every opportunity to learn the technical nuts-n-bolts of your chosen career. Accept the stretch assignments and challenge yourself to grow. With a firm technical foundation you can then successfully transition into the role of "selling" your skills to clients.

Be authentic. Everyone has different styles and strengths when it comes to generating business. You will need to experiment. Once your find your style and pair it with your solid technical foundation, the business will comes easy.

Who had the most influence on you growing up, and why?
I am inspired by the many projects that I have worked on. I have been fortunate in my career to have been given the opportunity to work on projects that create neighborhoods - such as Hudson Park, Gateway Center at Bronx Terminal Market and Willets Point. These projects have made positive impacts to each of the communities where they are located. They provide open space, recreation, new infrastructure, housing and jobs. They challenged me to learn new skills and grow as an engineer and as a manager. I am proud to travel through the city and point to places where I have played a part in the city's transformation.