A New Role in RS&H Executed Through Compassion and Leadership
Jay Shepard, LEED AP, originally from Chicago, Illinois, will hit his one-year mark at RS&H in October. He leads as the marketing manager for RS&H’s Corporate Practice. Jay accepted the role, the first position of its kind in the Practice, as a new hire and quickly impacted the company forever through his relationship-building and leadership skills.
“It seemed like a great opportunity to take the next step in my career and flesh out this position,” said Jay. “Ultimately, it was the people that I met during the interview process that sold me.”
New to Houston, Texas, Jay transferred from the Midwest just under a month ago. Since the Corporate Practice is growing in the Texas market, his decision to move is beneficial to himself and RS&H.
Jay has given his best in the role and to his team – who say that creating great relationships is something he does naturally.
His ability to lead has gained notice from his peers, including his supervisor, Senior Vice President and Corporate Practice Director Andrew Wheeler, who praised him for his patience and temperament.
“He’s very positive, thorough, and brings good ideas to our discussions,” said Andy. “His efforts helped drive proper approaches on how to advance pursuits with our clients.”
Unique Leadership
Jay’s impactful experience so far has developed several healthy relationships, especially within his team. Marketing specialist Victoria Richardson has worked with Jay, her supervisor, for six months.
“He is very approachable, diplomatic, and considerate of other’s ideas and suggestions,” said Victoria. “He works seamlessly with the different personalities within the Practice. He’s a great leader and gets along well with everyone.”
Jay is someone whom you can continuously learn from. That’s how marketing coordinator Elizabeth Ossi would describe her supervisor and mentor.
“He always includes me in the plans,” she said. “He pulls me into market research and slowly hands me more things while guiding me through ways to do better.”
Jay’s passion and personality allow him to lead his team both efficiently and assuredly.
“The people here are brilliant, very diverse and personable,” said Jay when asked what he enjoys most about his time at RS&H. “But we all have the same goal, which is to grow and strengthen this firm. Everyone has their unique role in it, but we work well together.”
For the Love of Architecture
Ever since he was young, Jay has always held a passion for the architecture and engineering field. A creative writing major in college, he’s spent most of his profession in this industry. Having 10 years of experience in his field, he’s gathered a lot of knowledge that he loves to share with those around him.
“I love this industry,” he said. “I love being able to walk down the street and see buildings designed by people I know.”
Jay also enjoys writing copy, communicating, and interacting with clients. While most of his job is strategic, Jay thrives on communicating RS&H’s value proposition to clients and winning work.
“Before, we were focused more on selling RS&H and not speaking to solving the client’s goals,” Elizabeth said. “Now that Jay is here, we are appealing more to the client in proposals.”
Elizabeth added that how he words things has affected both her and Victoria’s writing styles. The way he softens his words has taught them a lot.
Jay’s compassion and love for architecture have allowed for a smooth transition into RS&H vision.
“He has a warm personality and fits in well with the culture,” said Victoria. “I wish we would have hired him years ago!”
Want to work with Jay and the rest of our talented marketing team? Learn how we can bring our hands-on approach to your next project or check out our career opportunities.