Surveying is a team effort, and behind every successful project is a network of professionals. For over two decades, Project Manager Assistant Sue Kotalik has been an integral part of Dawood’s operations. We sat down with Sue to reflect on her journey, contributions, and lasting impact.
Tell us about your day-to-day activities.
Everyday is different! Although my primary focus is surveying, I advance U.S. operations for all service groups. My responsibilities vary from contracts, proposals, pricing, and insurance certificates to notarization, client communication, and project tracking and management. A liaison between Dawood and our clients, I ensure documentation meets state and local requirements.
How has your role evolved over the years?
I started as a receptionist and shifted across many business lines, including accounting, human resources, civil, community planning, and land/site development. I’ve been fortunate to connect with incredible colleagues, especially with President and CEO Bony Dawood’s parents early in my tenure, leaving a lasting impact on me.
What’s one of your proudest achievements?
I’d say implementing Newforma—our digital project management and tracking system. I attended workshops, trained employees, and served as the primary resource. Dawood previously relied on paper-based documentation, which made the transition to a digital system a huge leap forward. Newforma is now an essential tool to connect teams across multiple departments, managing document control, specification indexes, modeling, live collaboration, proposals, and web-based markups. I’m proud to have helped modernize our project management process!
How do you balance your career and family?
Organization is key! I keep a detailed calendar of my personal and professional responsibilities. Our culture fosters a healthy work-life balance, and open communication with my supervisor helps to manage my workload. I also make it a priority to recharge after work, ensuring I’m ready for tomorrow’s challenges.