Under the Hard Hat with Abe Vogel

January 22, 2021

Under the Hard Hat with Abe Vogel

At Clark, we are proud to be made up of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and talents who thrive and succeed together. Our “Under The Hard Hat” series is designed to showcase the diverse perspectives of those who make up the Clark team.

We recently sat down with Abe Vogel, a vice president who joined Clark nearly 15 years ago, to learn about his background, his tenure with the company, and his new assignment supporting the U.S. Air Force’s national security work in Utah.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up and went to school in Pennsylvania, but I spent the summers living with my dad in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Utah actually reminds me of Santa Fe! I really enjoy the Southwest area and it has been nice to be closer to my siblings, who live in New Mexico, Colorado, and Arizona.

Can you tell me a little bit about your professional background?

I joined Clark right after graduating from Penn State with my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in architectural engineering. I was attracted to the diversity of experiences I knew were possible in construction. I’ve worked on office, entertainment, education, museum, and residential projects, and now I’m exploring a new area altogether.

I was also a team leader in preconstruction, which was a particularly influential part of my career. After the exposure to the front end of the business – operations, pursuits, estimates, bids, and budgets - I could see my career evolving into managing people and business strategy. Since my educational background was very technical in nature, I decided to pursue my master’s in business administration at night while also working. Balancing the two was no easy feat, but ultimately earning that degree is a professional and personal highlight.

You’re leading Clark Construction’s partnership with Northrop Grumman to support the GBSD program. What are your responsibilities in this role?

Clark is advising our client, Northrop Grumman, on the design-build and preconstruction phases as they work to modernize the U.S. Air Force’s strategic deterrence capabilities.

I was the project executive on the National Museum of the U.S. Army project for five years and that long preconstruction engagement is similar to the approach for this project with Northrop Grumman. As a company, Clark’s expertise in managing design-build projects and building large-scale infrastructure also makes this project a good fit.

What are you gaining from this experience?

Serving in a consultant capacity is a very new opportunity for me. I’m used to understanding risk from the point of a general contractor, but since we aren’t the GC on the project, the risk profile is a little different. Mitigating owner risk and understanding their concerns is the priority, and I plan to take this understanding from a new perspective to our current relationships and future jobs.

It’s also a great reminder of how you can creatively problem solve and preempt construction issues when you get involved early on. This owner-centric advisor capacity could be an interesting role for Clark to play on future large-scale construction projects.

You previously collaborated with the U.S. Armed Services on the National Museum of the U.S. Army. How do working on these types of projects make you feel?

I’m proud of any completed project, but there is such an immense feeling of respect and humility that comes with the projects for our service men and women. I have a grandfather and uncle in the armed services and there were veterans working on the museum project with us, and it was deeply inspiring.

While on the project, I got involved with the Wounded Warriors Project. What started as a small golf tournament among the team and our trades partners became an annual charity event to support the organization. Even though I’m out here in Utah, I’m still hoping to keep it going this year.

What about your background influences how you approach obstacles?

I’ve been incredibly lucky to have dedicated mentors who have looked out for me throughout my career, and their support has taught me to not be afraid to ask for help. Whenever I have felt in over my head, my network of mentors, supervisors, peers, and the relationships I have developed within the subcontractor and design communities have continuously helped me approach things from new angles.

I try to pay that forward by being heavily involved with recruiting and mentoring folks who have worked on projects with me in the past. I know the difference that strong personal relationships can make in shaping a young professional and I take a lot of pride in seeing their accomplishments and growth.

What advice do you have for those who are offered an opportunity outside their comfort zone?

Nearly all of the opportunities that I’ve had in my career have held some aspect that has made me nervous or apprehensive! My advice to the next generation of builders is to get comfortable with being uncomfortable and to take every opportunity you can to try new things and have new experiences. It will pay dividends! 

What do you enjoy doing outside of the office?

Golfing, cooking, and swimming are some of my favorite activities to relax. Living in the Salt Lake City area, everyone is encouraging us to try out snow sports, but I’m not sure if that’s for me. I think I’ll stick to letting my two kids tackle that one.