Project Manager: Terra Kitzul-Arens
It’s World FM (Facility Manager) week and to celebrate we are giving a few DCM Inc. clients the spotlight! Grab a coffee and learn more about Project Manager Terra Kitzul-Arens from Chatham-Kent Health Alliance behind the scenes. She may have you reminiscing about your childhood.
Tell us a bit about yourself?
A native of Chatham-Kent, I returned to the area in 2003 after completing my Bachelor’s degree in Architecture at Carleton University and a few months stay in Vancouver. When I returned home, I started work immediately on the same street I grew up, and the same street both of my parents worked. I interned at Jorden & Cook Architect Ltd. and received my license with the Ontario Association of Architects in 2008. Two years later I married my husband, Ryan Arens. Also, a native of Chatham, Ryan and I had attended both public and high school together and reconnected when we both returned to the area after university. When we married, I also became a stepmother to Ryan’s beautiful daughter, Mackenzie, now 18. I remained at Jorden & Cook until 2011 when I accepted a job at the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance. I was only with the Alliance a few months when I started an early maternity leave when our twin girls, Blake and Lila, surprised us 8 weeks early. Healthy and strong and just needing to grow, the girls stayed in the NICU at LHSC for only 3 weeks before coming back to CKHA for another 10 days. The girls are now wonderfully active 7-year-olds in Grade 1 at that same school where Ryan and I first met. We enjoy traveling, movies, gymnastics, reading, swimming, Rotary, golf and spending time playing games and doing puzzles.
Pitas, Tacos, Sushi or Pizza? What do you like and how do you like it?
It’s a real toss up between sushi and tacos, but I think I have to go with sushi. One of our favorite things to do on a beautiful Friday night is to drive to Windsor to our favorite sushi restaurant. Even as little girls, the two of them would squeal with excitement when we were headed for ‘soosheee.’
If you could have dinner with someone famous, or a loved one from your past who would it be and why?
I’d really love to sit down and visit with my dad’s father, William Kitzul. I was lucky to have relationships with my other grandparents into my 20’s and 30’s, but my grandpa Kitzul passed away when I was only 5. I do have lovely snippets of fish kisses, an 80’s Grand Marquis and cherry blossom treats but I’d love to fill in the gaps.
Tell me how you organize, plan, and prioritize your work.
Some days it feels like I put out the most significant fires first. Thankfully not literally! But in general, that can be the nature of this type of work. I always try to be a step or two ahead of all of our trades so that they have no downtime. When they have what they need to do their jobs, I can prepare for the next one or catch up on my independent work.
When people come to you for help, what do they usually want help with?
There are relatively standard requests. Corporate initiatives like ‘build this, renovate that’ – and then others that may start with ‘not sure what to do about this, so I’m reaching out to you?’ Which can include any and everything from ‘I need to fit this piece of huge equipment into this tiny closet’ to ‘we’ve had a fecal-incontinence event – we need to replace all of the furniture in this room’ to ‘every person down the hall is in a new role, can we get new signage?’
We finish the interview, and you step outside the office and find a lottery ticket that ends up winning $10 million. What would you do?
I think that until you actually have $10 million in your hand, you can only guess what you’d really do. I am relatively sure I’d plan a nice trip with my family – Ryan and the girls, my parents, Ryan’s parents, our sisters and their families – and sit around a gorgeous pool and think about life’s possibilities. I really do love my job, but maybe there are adventures I’ve never considered that would be possible. Perhaps I’d buy the Crock-a-Doodle down the street, or maybe I’d start a Youth Foundation in our community. I have a strong suspicion Ryan would be opening a Brewery – that would be something fun to design.
Thank you, Terra, for sharing your story and for letting us feature you in our client spotlight! If you’d like to be featured contact your account manager today! #We❤ToSupportFacilityManagers
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