Alex Cortellessa
Project Manager | Benchmark Construction
Brownstown, Pennsylvania
What was your first job in construction?
I worked for an interior glazing subcontractor in New York City over summer break in college. The logistical coordination required to get a single pane of glass into the 40th floor of a building was a project in and of itself. As a laborer, I took note of how our leadership asked questions to pull out the minute, yet important, details that needed to be planned out that I otherwise wouldn’t have considered.
What are you working on right now?
Most of my active projects are in the health-care market. Playing a part in delivering spaces that will allow for better patient care is something that I am grateful to be a part of. I grew up around health-care workers and have an elevated level of respect for the selflessness and complexity of their work.
“Oppenheimer,” “Barbie” or both?
I haven’t seen either of them, and have gotten plenty of grief for not having seen some popular movies. I find myself in YouTube rabbit holes far more often than watching movies.
What’s the secret to effective construction project management?
Being fair and hardworking are at the core. Having a genuine interest in continuing to learn about the industry and appreciating the trade skills that field teams bring to the table are also particularly important. Trusting—and verifying—that all members of the project team share the same objective through effective communication has worked well for me to date.
Do you have a dream project you’d like to work on?
Ice hockey has taught me teamwork, professionalism, sacrifice and so much more as an integral piece of my life. Building an NHL stadium has always been on my project bucket list.
What’s your favorite vacation spot?
Zion National Park in Utah gives the feeling that you’re living inside of an album of Windows screensavers. A close second is Telluride, Colorado. I enjoy being active, hiking and skiing, more than lounging around and relaxing on vacations.
How can we get more young people interested in construction as a career?
By showcasing the importance of trade knowledge and the impact the construction industry has on improving and maintaining the infrastructure that everyone relies on. Construction is one of the few careers where you can visually see the real-time progress made by the efforts put in. Getting to have a sense of pride in your work, and no two days being the same, makes construction an exciting and dynamic field where you can groom your problem-solving and critical-thinking skills. I think that the more our industry is marketed, the more interest it pulls organically.
