Sixth Sense

Within minutes of stepping onto a construction jobsite, Jon Jacobsmeyer can sniff out potential obstacles.

He has an innate ability to identify the issues that might derail a project—whether it’s workflow bottlenecks, scheduling snafus or communication breakdowns. 

Jacobsmeyer regularly taps into this skill to build and guide teams in addressing the specific problems that stand in the way of achieving ideal project outcomes. 

Each time he embarks on a new project expedition, Jacobsmeyer begins by reviewing documents and spending some time observing jobsite activities. “I prefer to walk the project first before engaging fully with the team,” he says. “That helps me to identify the issues that may delay or disrupt the flow or execution of the project.”

Jacobsmeyer’s ultimate goal is to share valuable insights that his McCarthy partners can apply to current and future projects. “It’s all about addressing the issues and finding solutions instead of just fighting fires,” he explains. 

Since joining McCarthy more than two decades ago, Jacobsmeyer has worked on a wide range of projects across St. Louis—from the MetroLink regional transit system to the Pinnacle Casino complex downtown. Outside the region, his experience has included the VA New Orleans Replacement Medical Center, a new tower for Emory University Hospital in Atlanta and the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) in Manhattan, Kansas.

These experiences have strengthened his ability to recognize the key contributors to project success.

Prior to signing on with McCarthy in November 2002, Jacobsmeyer’s hands-on experience included constructing a new airport terminal and reconfiguring an existing concourse at Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City. “The job kicked off on September 10, 2001, and the next day was 9/11, which pretty much changed everything we thought we were going to do,” he recalls.

Heightened security protocols and revised airport, airline and vendor operations added extra layers of complexity as the construction team focused on providing a safe, convenient experience both for travelers and those in the air transport business. “Nobody wants to be inconvenienced by construction…whether it's on the roadways or just walking through the airport,” he says. 

Because airports serve such an important role for a city and region, Jacobsmeyer says they are uniquely challenging to construct and renovate. “An airport is the gateway to a city,” he says. “What someone sees and experiences when they step off a plane is their first impression and can determine how they perceive an entire community. We need to get it right.”

These days, Jacobsmeyer continues to specialize in large, complicated jobs such as the Jeffrey T. Fort Neuroscience Research Building that recently opened at Washington University School of Medicine and the Next NGA West campus under construction in north St. Louis.

In many ways, he views his role as that of a coach. “Coaching is about knowing what your players can do, developing their skills, putting them in the right spots and giving them an opportunity to succeed,” he says. “While providing the solution would be the easiest path, I try to keep asking questions and nudging folks in the right direction, to use a process in determining the best solutions.”

Getting a Jump Start

Born and raised in St. Louis, Jacobsmeyer got a jump start on building a construction career by shadowing his dad, who came up the ranks at another large general contractor. 

“My dad told me that I've got a builder’s sense,” he recalls. “My initial response was, ’Doesn't everybody?’ ‘No,” he said. ‘Some people get it, and some people don't.’”

Construction runs in the Jacobsmeyer family. His younger brother, Jay, works for a large general contractor in Seattle, and youngest brother, Jim, owns a concrete construction company in St. Louis. 

“Anytime I thought about doing something different, it just didn't feel right,” Jacobsmeyer says, noting that he initially planned to pursue a career in architecture before ultimately earning a civil engineering degree from Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) in Rolla. 

Not surprisingly, Jacobsmeyer still feels most at home on a jobsite. “I'd much rather put on blue jeans and boots every day than to sit down in an office,” he says. “I love hanging out with the foremen, watching trades execute their work, looking at the details and making sure we are prepared for what needs to occur over the next 6-12 months.”

He’s an outspoken champion of McCarthy’s unique approach to serving clients.

Components of a Successful Construction Projects 

Drawing on four decades of hands-on construction experience, Jacobsmeyer outlines key factors that contribute to a successful project:

Plan, Plan, Plan

Each project should begin with thoughtful plans that are flexible, continually refined and updated throughout each phase of the project. 

These include:

• The Project Schedule is the most important document that will be created for a project.
• The Project Front Ends supplement the drawings and specifications, detailing how the project work scopes will be broken down and contracted, assigning responsibility and defining interfacing between scopes.
• The Project Logistics Plan provides pertinent information about how items such as phasing, material flow, laydown, hoisting, traffic and parking will be accomplished during the life of the project.
• The BIM Execution Plan is necessary to provide additional detail to the drawings and specifications in order to coordinate installation and interface details. It’s most beneficial to “build it on paper” before executing it in the field. This is increasingly important as the shift to offsite fabrication and sub-assemblies become more prevalent to reduce time, cost, safety and quality.

Communicate, Communicate, Communicate 

Every team member, including owners, designers and trade partners, needs to understand the "why" behind the "what." Test for understanding and engage others to create ownership and accountability among the team. Listen to other perspectives and adjust direction to avoid issues and take advantage of better directions and ideas.