June 2024 Behind the Scenes: Unveiling Our Team’s Passions
June 1, 2024
Discover the heartbeat of our company with an exclusive glimpse into the diverse talents and personalities that drive our successes. Get to know the faces behind the innovation in our “Meet Our Team” feature.
Yanela Arroyo, Senior Project Manager
Meet Yanela Arroyo, an experienced Senior Project Manager and animal whisperer who is originally from Lima, Peru!
Q: Where are you from originally?
A: I am originally from Lima, Peru. I came to the United States through the Peruvian Air Force visa because my dad was a pilot. I needed emergency surgery for my kidneys and without it, I wouldn’t be here today.
Q: What hobbies do you enjoy in your free time?
A: I enjoy spending time with my family and friends.
Q:What is a fun fact about yourself?
A: I am an animal whisperer and I happily take care of my four animals, Keegan my German Shephard, and my trio of rescue cats Daizy, Princess, and Midnight.
Q: What is a personal or professional achievement that profoundly shaped your life or career path?
A: My greatest achievement so far is graduating on the dean’s list from NYIT while being a mom to a 5-month-old. It felt impossible at the time, but I knew I had to do it for myself, my son, and my future.
Q: How did you find your way into the hospitality/construction industry?
A: After college, I was offered a job with Hyatt Regency in Greenwich CT. I learned a lot thanks to the incredible team and my manager. It was a risk jumping into unknown territory, but my team felt like a family and it contributed to my success in that role and future positions.
Q: Could you recount one of the most meaningful moments you’ve experienced with your team members during your tenure at The Hardy Group?
A: One of my most memorable projects I have worked on with The Hardy Group was The Conrad New York Midtown. I learned to let go of the operations mindset and I embraced the project management side. It was a challenge at first, but I am grateful for all my teammates that provided guidance.
Q: Has there been a mentor in your life who significantly influenced your career journey?
A: I have had a few meaningful mentors throughout my career but the one that sticks out is Ted Lorenzi. He took me under his wing and taught me how to open hotels under the engineering umbrella. He is very detail oriented, fun, and inclusive. Despite having an electrical engineering degree, I was moldable, and he always made me feel comfortable enough to voice my opinion and grow.
Read more about Yanela, here.
Andy Bush, Senior Project Director
Meet Andy Bush, a dedicated Senior Project Director with a passion for Jimmy Buffett, having attended an impressive 50 of his concerts.
Q: Where are you from originally?
A: Born in Orlando, but grew up in Atlanta.
Q: What hobbies do you enjoy in your free time?
A: Travel, scuba dive, concerts, GT football, playing with my daughter.
Q: What is a fun fact about yourself?
A: I used to skydive when I lived in Florida. I’ve attended over 50 Jimmy Buffett concerts.
Q: How do your personal passions aligns with the work we do at The Hardy Group?
A: I strive to approach everything I do, both personally and professionally, with passion, honesty, and integrity. This aligns perfectly with The Hardy Group’s mantra: Be Nice, Be Honest, Be the Best in the Business.
Q: Could you recount one of the most meaningful moments you’ve experienced with your team members during your tenure at The Hardy Group?
A: Being trusted from my first day to jump into the Westin Atlanta project and quickly establishing great teamwork with Nick Opyd, and Shane Campbell was incredibly meaningful. It demonstrated the team’s confidence in my abilities and allowed us to collaborate effectively from the start, fostering a strong sense of camaraderie and mutual respect that contributed significantly to the project’s success.
Q: How did you find your way into the hospitality/construction industry?
A: My family is in the hospitality business so I grew up around it and working in hotels.
Q: What is a personal or professional achievement that profoundly shaped your life or career path?
A: I lead the construction effort on the Brand side for building a prototype hotel for a new brand, ensuring it meets all design and quality standards, which was a professional achievement I am proud of because it successfully set the benchmark for future developments and showcased my ability to manage complex projects from inception to completion.
Read more about Andy, here.
Parker Matson, Senior Project Manager
Meet Parker Matson, a Senior Project Manager and certified General Contractor that enjoys mountain biking, dirt biking, and hiking in his free time.
Q: Where are you from originally?
A: I am originally from Rockledge, Florida.
Q: What hobbies do you enjoy in your free time?
A: I enjoy outdoor activities such as mountain biking, dirt biking, and hiking.
Q:What is a fun fact about yourself?
A: I once completed a challenge called the 4 x 4 x 48, where you run 4 miles every 4 hours consecutively for 48 total hours. It was a personal challenge and I was proud to accomplish it!
Q: Has there been a mentor in your life who significantly influenced your career journey?
A: I have been fortunate to receive wisdom and knowledge from many people throughout my life, including many colleagues at The Hardy Group. I believe you can learn something meaningful from everyone you encounter.
Q: How did you find your way into the hospitality/construction industry?
A: After attending a career fair my senior year of college, I began my journey in the construction industry as a Project Engineer with a General Contracting company.
Q: How do your personal passions aligns with the work we do at The Hardy Group?
A: I find satisfaction in taking on tough challenges in my personal life, like endurance races and physical events, which can serve as metaphors for the obstacles we encounter in our industry.
Q: Could you recount one of the most meaningful moments you’ve experienced with your team members during your tenure at The Hardy Group?
A: One of the most meaningful moments with my team members at The Hardy Group would be one of the many long days working to complete The Ritz-Carlton, Naples. Our team had a remarkable camaraderie, consistently supporting and assisting one another. Despite the long hours, everyone showed up the next day with enthusiasm, ready to tackle the challenges together.
Q: What is a personal or professional achievement that profoundly shaped your life or career path?
A: An achievement that profoundly shaped my career path was receiving my Certified General Contractor’s license. This not only built confidence within myself, but also reflected my commitment and perseverance to others in the industry.
Read more about Parker, here.
Anthony Legamaro, Managing Director - New York
Meet Anthony Legamaro, the Managing Director of the New York City Office, driven by a passion for design, architecture, traveling, and running.
Q: Where are you from originally?
A: I am originally from Corpus Christi, TX.
Q: What hobbies do you enjoy in your free time?
A: I enjoy spending time with my husband, eating, running, live DJ sets, and traveling.
Q: Could you share a brief and interesting fact about yourself?
A: I am the oldest of 6 kids and all our names start with the letter A.
Q: How did you find your way into the hospitality/construction industry?
A: I started my career in college town multifamily turnover. When I was looking for a new challenge, I came across The Hardy Group and felt my skillset and values aligned well with the position and the company.
Q: Could you recount one of the most meaningful moments you’ve experienced with your team members during your tenure at The Hardy Group?
A: The 2023 annual company meeting is one of my favorite memories. It is rare to have all your colleagues in one place at one time. It was a great opportunity to bond with team members from all over the country.
Q: Has there been a mentor in your life who significantly influenced your career journey?
A: When I joined The Hardy Group, I worked under Brenda Rauch for many years. Working under her tutelage helped shape my career, she taught me how to truly be hands on with projects, guide the process, and be a leader. Brenda is exceptionally talented at what she does, and I am grateful to have learned so much from her.
Q: What is a personal or professional achievement that profoundly shaped your life or career path?
A: One of my top professional achievements was receiving the promotion to Managing Director of the New York City office. It is an honor to lead the office and accepting the role was a high point of my career.
Q: How do your personal passions aligns with the work we do at The Hardy Group?
A: In college, I majored in Architecture but quickly learned that I wasn’t creative enough to be an Architect. However, I have a passion for design, so I love having the opportunity to work with talented designers, consultants, and other creatives. It’s always exciting to see the first conceptual package on a project and watch it come to life.
Read more about Anthony, here.
More Highlights
Pacific Business News Architecture Report: Q&A with Ryan Marzzarella
July 2024 Behind the Scenes: Unveiling Our Hawaii Team's Passions
The Hardy Group Announces Nathan Hall as New Director of Operations
John Hardy Defining Hospitality Podcast with Dan Ryan
May 2024 Behind the Scenes: Unveiling Our Team's Passions
