Jennifer Koch: A Leader Shaping Her Industry

Jennifer Koch remembers what it was like to be the only woman in the room in her early days in a fast-paced building facility management role wearing many hats. Fortunately, this job was at McKinstry where she experienced an industry, specialty and company that she “just fell in love with,” working with people she respected and who treated her well.

“I’ve learned that lots of people haven’t had the opportunities or worked with great people who accepted you and provided opportunities like I’ve had at McKinstry,” said Jennifer. “That’s really inspired me to lean in and understand and see where I can make a difference.”

On top of her responsibilities as Service Director of Operations for McKinstry’s Service team, Jennifer contributes significant time toward attracting new talent and mentoring individuals along their career paths. She’s especially proud of the talented women she’s recruited to Service and McKinstry’s culture that encourages diverse people and perspectives.

“I think it’s really important to understand how everyone’s experience is different and see where you can support,” she said.

In this spirit, Jennifer has participated as a volunteer, mentor and coach for McKinstry’s Heavy Metal Summer Experience introducing high school students to the trades, and she provides input for the McKinstry ScaleUp diverse business accelerator program. She also participated in the development of Project W field kits that support the health of women workers in the field.

A Leader Shaping Her Industry

Jennifer extends her talents, leadership and enthusiasm for Service through multiple professional organizations, helping to shape the industry she loves. She is a recent inductee to the prestigious board of the Mechanical Contractors Association of Western Washington (MCAWW), an organization for which she recently taught a multi-session class on Service. In February, the MCAWW honored Jennifer as their MCA Service Professional of the Year.

“Jennifer’s leadership in Service has been so far-reaching in our industry,” said Robin Cowper, CAE, executive director of MCAWW when presenting the award to Jennifer. As part of her remarks, Robin recited a long list of Jennifer’s industry contributions that also include chairing the new Service Committee for Local 26 and serving for 20 years as a member of the Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee for local 32.

A Drive for Innovation

As a McKinstry leader, Jennifer is known for her strong work ethic, quest for continuous improvement, and humility. During her tenure, McKinstry’s Service line of business has grown significantly and become a nationally and internationally recognized leader for quality work and innovation.

Always on the lookout for tools and processes that can help us work smarter and better, Jennifer has recently championed the uptake of an AI- and augmented reality-driven technology solution that makes the job easier for technicians in the field. She is leading route optimization strategies that improve efficiency while helping to decarbonize operations.

Looking to the future, Jennifer is committed to expanding McKinstry’s Service business and transforming the image of working in the facility operations industry.

“The work we do is essential and more challenging than many people realize, said Jennifer. “I want to highlight the incredible career opportunities available in our industry, both in the field and the office.”

Explore Other Insights

Share: