Employee Q&A: Remy Remkiewicz

Meet Remy Remkiewicz, Site Manager at The Building People and an integral member of our Facilities O&M Team.

Learn more about Remy’s background and role below:

What is your professional background?

After spending 15 1/2 years in the US Navy, I jumped right into Project Management with a federal contractor at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard in Honolulu, HI. I have since worked in various forms of project and facility management with local city and county government as well as the private sector. While living in Hawai’i, I earned my MBA from the University of Hawai’i as well as a Certified Facility Manager certification from IFMA before returning to the mainland. Most recently before TBP, I was Facility Manager for Anheuser-Busch’s Los Angeles Brewery in the San Fernando Valley.

What is your role at The Building People?

Site Manager for NASA’s Neil Armstrong Flight Research Center onboard Edwards Air Force Base in California.

Can you tell us about the work you do at The Building People?

As Site Manager, I oversee a department of approximately 30 staff plus a large number of subcontractors in the daily maintenance, repairs, and upkeep for an 838-acre site, including over 1.3M sq. ft. of building space. We play a critical role in ensuring NASA engineers and test pilots have the resources available to continue critical testing for advancing the agency’s goals both here on Earth and in outer space.

What do you like most about working in your role?

First and foremost, the people I work with make it an absolute joy to show up to the office every morning. Beyond that, knowing that our mission here is what makes it possible for some of the greatest advances in air and space travel. It really gives a great sense of purpose and drive to get the job done and to do it well.

What is a fun fact about you people might not know?

I’ve had a long and storied screen career. I starred in a local mini golf commercial on Catalina Island when I was 13 years old. I’ve popped up in a couple of major motion pictures in the last 20+ years. I had a semi-recurring role on the show, Magnum, P.I. (the new version) while I lived in Hawaii. And I’ve had experience behind the camera as a location manager on several TV shows, commercials, and movies.

How do you define success?

As a Boy Scout, whenever we went camping, we were always told to leave the campsite “better than the way in which you found it.” Slightly different meaning but I truly feel that the same sentiment can be said for success in the workplace. If it’s better than the way I found it, then something is going right. Taking that ideal and applying it as a rolling concept, to be successful means to always be making things better than the way they are right now.

If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?

I’ve flown a plane, gotten SCUBA-certified, and gotten my motorcycle license. That was the extent of my life’s learning goals (non-professionally). At this point, I’m just enjoying life as it comes at me, one day at a time.

Do you have a favorite quote that resonates with you?

Two quotes, actually:

1. “Do what you can with what you have where you are.” – President Theodore ‘Teddy’ Roosevelt

2. “When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice.” – Cherokee Proverb

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

When I was brand new to the Navy, I had a Chief tell me, “No one cares more about your career than you do.” I’ve taken those words, first uttered to me 21+ years ago, and applied them two-fold. Firstly, at their face value; striving only for the very best, relying on little to no help in advancing myself both personally and professionally to get where I am today. Secondly, by proving those words so very untrue; taking every chance I’ve had along the way to help those around me to make sure no one is ever left behind.

What is the accomplishment you are proudest of to date?

100% has to be my children. With one in high school and the other about to start high school later this year, they are my anchor. Other than that, running 3 full marathons, about a dozen or so half marathons, and countless 5K’s, 10K’s, and mud runs.