A Q&A with Friede & Associates’ New Vice President of Business Development, Carole Schaefer

What attracted you to the position at Friede & Associates?

There are a couple of things that initially appealed to me about Friede & Associates. I appreciate that they embrace their motto “we do weird well.” They are not afraid to take on complex projects and to create unique solutions to problems. Their organizational culture is strong, and I like how nimble they are in their approach to things. Scott and Roger are as excited as I am about the opportunities available in the Madison market and the type of projects I see on the horizon. And then, of course, I wanted to join a team with a highly-experienced group of professionals, and that’s what I got.

How do your skills dovetail with the skills of your new teammates, and what advantage does that have for your clients?

It’s interesting. Scott and I have very similar backgrounds in the municipal, economic development and political processes. Matt Krogman’s background is in banking and finance, and Ryan McKichan brings a whole different set of skills that enable him to help clients envision their projects through 3D renderings before plans are even fully developed. In the past 23 years I have worked in the Madison market, I have seen that, for some clients, they may only ever build one project. The process can be unique and foreign to them. I can’t think of another team that has this kind of depth and variety of skills. We can help clients navigate the process, or find a piece of land, or get creative with financing, or even see what their project could look like well in advance. I feel like our skillsets can help a variety of clients move from idea to fruition.

Friede & Associates has just opened another office in Madison. How does this better position you to do work in that market?

I think it is beneficial to have a physical and tangible location in Madison. It helps us become more vested in the community. In terms of expanding our client base in the southern part of the state, I am excited we have a presence in the heart of downtown Madison. I have always felt comfortable here. It’s easy to interact with clients socially (pre-Covid) and easier to broaden our reach to this part of the state. I also enjoy working with Matt out of the Madison office. He understands that the process can be disjointed for an Owner from the get-go. Do they start by picking a designer, or do they call their banker first? Without a competent contractor to walk them through the process, communication among the various entities can become a barrier, instead of a streamlined process. He is also really knowledgeable about creative ways to finance a project and this can make the difference between a project moving forward or stopping in its tracks.

What areas of growth do you see in the Madison market in the next 18 months?

I think, like everyone, we are looking at uncertainty and don’t fully know what to expect for 2021. Currently, within the market sectors we serve, manufacturing seems to be doing well and multi-family housing continues to grow. Our region has a skilled workforce, so that bodes well for those types of projects. The news regarding an upcoming vaccine is encouraging and will help the retail, restaurant, resort and hospitality sectors. We will have to wait and see how it plays out.

What has been the biggest surprise you have encountered since you joined the team?

2020 has come with a lot of surprises, and most haven’t been particularly pleasant. So I am actually glad there haven’t been many surprises here! Coming on board during a pandemic was certainly a bit of a learning curve. Trying to incorporate yourself into an organization when you have to keep socially distant is difficult. What’s normal to everyone else has been an adjustment for me. Other than that, it’s been an easy transition.

You have worked in construction and development for more than 15 years. What differentiates Friede & Associates from other general contractors, and how does this benefit Owners?

I think, as I already mentioned, the process Friede uses to work with clients from the very start of their idea is different from other companies. As they say around here, “anyone can build a building.” What sets Friede apart is how they shepherd clients through the process from the idea on the back of the napkin to the budget to design to negotiation of rezoning and public incentives to construction and beyond. There is a reason Friede & Associates is one of the most awarded contractors in Wisconsin. The depth of knowledge on the Friede Team helps us figure things out for our clients and helps us move projects forward more efficiently because we can anticipate potential hurdles and solve for them in advance.

What do you love most about the work you do at Friede & Associates?

I love that clients treat us more like a partner, rather than a commodity. I find this really fulfilling and it excites me to be part of a team that is literally creating the Southern Wisconsin landscape.