When you drive into the Skyline at Westfall Station in Clermont you are greeted by massive palm trees at the entrance of a sprawling and unique property. It is an inviting project, with white buildings beaming in the Florida sun, only to be matched by the proud and united team who are building them.
We sat down with Patty Osso, an Assistant Superintendent of the project to talk about her career and Women in the Construction industry. We were joined by newcomer, Field Engineer Tracy Bouis, who shared her thoughts, and Matt Wellman, the Superintendent for the project who was proud to discuss working with his Team. As the focus of the conversation was on Women in Construction, Cody Peters, who is also an Assistant Superintendent was in the field taking care of business, allowing us time to talk.
Patty Osso has been in the construction industry for over ten years, with five of those years being with LandSouth. Her career started as an owner of a nursery who greeted customers with her warm smile who sold plants at the area Farmer’s Market. Tom Pfeiffer’s father owned a store across from her booth and they became friends. When Patty shared she wanted a change of career, Tom’s dad introduced Patty to Tom. After that introduction, she started her career in construction with Tom and hasn’t looked back. For those who don’t know, Tom is currently the Superintendent of the JTC project.
Patty has worked on several LandSouth projects over the years including the Preserve at ChampionsGate, Crossings, Helix, Grande Oaks, Integra Heights, and now Skyline at Westfall Station. When asked to pick her favorite project, she said they all are her favorites as each has their own beauty as well as issues, and each brings experience to build on.
A typical day in her role as an Assistant Superintendent consists of multitasking many duties including managing the Subcontractors, making sure the work is being done properly. Patty says it is important to build rapport with people, from the Subs to Inspectors, and everyone who has an impact on the project to ensure it’s success. Communication is key and her involvement has many touchpoints, from walking the site, to training, to documentation in Procore, to indoctrinating Tracy into the LandSouth Way.
Patty loves everything about LandSouth and appreciates the support from everyone ranging from Matt Wellman to the Corporate office. She said there is great opportunity for individual growth at the company, no matter the gender, just do the job well.
When Tracy joined our conversation, we discussed mentorship. Patty’s advice to Tracy has been to “know what you are talking about” meaning before answering a question, research first, respect the process and be the confident source. When a field person is new, especially a woman, the subcontractors can look at them differently and test their knowledge. Patty continued that explaining what you are saying, along with being descriptive and offering the most information will build that relationship. Tracy said she is very appreciative of Patty’s giving nature to be a teacher which helps her thrive as she starts her construction career.
Matt was proud to say it was hard to put into words how good Patty is at her job. He continued describing her work ethic as phenomenal and extremely detail oriented. They previously worked together on the Helix project, and it was an easy working relationship. He relies on her, and she thinks outside the box, giving insight to areas that he doesn’t think of. She thinks two weeks ahead and keeps them on track.
The conversation amongst the team is easy, with Patty and Matt discussing two LandSouth Core Values: Transparency and Adaptability. They said you must be transparent with the Owner/Developer, relaying difficult information, as well as the good news. This goes back to the rapport and trust Patty discussed earlier. Every project demands adaptability with a litany of daily issues that can happen. The success of any team can be defined by its ability to be adaptable to one another, and work together no matter what is happening.
When asked about being a woman in construction and how that differs from being a man in the industry, Patty said there are equal opportunities, and the group agreed singling out women vs men has almost become antiquated – that if you are good at your job, and a dedicated team member, you can be successful and have growth in your career, no matter the gender.
As we wrapped up our conversation, it is evident Patty’s glass half-full outlook, get it done attitude, and radiant personality is of great importance to the team’s success. She is loved by all and is excited to continue to grow in the industry she loves to work in.