Employee Spotlight: Christina Dandy

2024 marks C3M’s 10th anniversary! To celebrate this milestone, we are highlighting some of the talented individuals who make up our team. Meet Christina Dandy, a senior project manager currently working on the Purple Line Overhead Catenary System project.

1. Tell us about your background. 

I have a Master's in Project Management and a Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification. I have been an electrical project manager for seven years on various projects in the Mid-Atlantic, including the USDA Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, the National Institute of Health, the National Security Agency, NASA, Walter Reed, the Architect of the Capitol, Boeing, and Water Treatment Facilities.

2. Describe your role at C3M and your core responsibilities.

I am currently a senior project manager at the Purple Line Overhead Catenary System Project, a 16-mile light rail line that will extend from New Carrollton in Prince George’s County, Maryland, to Bethesda in Montgomery County, Maryland. My role includes communicating with owners and subcontractors, ensuring timely payments, managing change orders, and managing the project's overall financials.

3. What do you like most about your current role?

Beyond the day to day tasks of managing a project, I enjoy working with other leaders and the entire C3M team to identify areas for improvement and create solutions. C3M does a great job of utilizing the team feedback to further improve and better the company.

4. What brought you to C3M, and what do you like most about the company? 

One of the most valuable things about C3M are the opportunities for growth. C3M respects and cares for each of its team members, values giving learning opportunities, and emphasizes the incorporation of the latest construction methods.

5. What has been your favorite project you have worked on and why? 

While working on the MTA Riverside Heavy Maintenance Facility, I enjoyed the actual scope of the project and the incredible team I had the opportunity to work with.

6. What do you find most gratifying about working in the construction industry? 

Working in the construction industry can be challenging, which causes you to be adaptable and continually develop your skills and knowledge to stay ahead

7. What are you most proud of accomplishing, either personally or professionally? 

I am proud to continue to help more women join the construction industry and to contribute to the daily improvements that make C3M and Clark an enjoyable workplace that supports a healthy work-life balance.

Employee Spotlight: Jean-Jacques Mvom Ondoua

2024 marks C3M’s 10th anniversary! To celebrate this milestone, we are highlighting some of the talented individuals who make up our team. Meet Jean-Jacques Mvom Ondoua, a project manager currently working on the WMATA Fiber Optic Cable Metro Box Enclosure Installation project.

1. Tell us about your background.
   I am a first-generation immigrant from Cameroon. I earned my first college degree in environmental science at the University of Dschang, Cameroon, and a second degree in civil engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park. I worked for two years as a pipeline construction inspector before joining Clark Construction and C3M in 2020.

2. Describe your role at C3M and your core responsibilities.
   As a project manager for C3M, I oversee trades, contribute to the project development and bid processes, and manage and lead small teams of engineers.

3. What do you like most about your current role?
   In my current role, I enjoy leading a team and mentoring summer associates. Each day, I am refining my leadership skills and learning through my opportunity to oversee the overall growth of many talented young team members who are essential for the success of our company.

4. What brought you to C3M, and what do you like most about the company?
   After joining the Clark team in 2020, Chuck Tomasco encouraged me to utilize my construction utility background to contribute to the C3M team. Chuck highlighted the value of each C3M project and the growth opportunities the company offers for young leaders. Mass transit projects are specialized and unique, and C3M remains one of the leading companies in this and many specific industries.
   
   At C3M, I quickly realized how much the leaders genuinely care for their team members. They care not only about their team members’ personal well-being but also about their career growth. I am a 9-year ongoing army reservist service member, and C3M has supported my military commitments from the day I started.

5. What has been your favorite project you have worked on and why?
   The LA Division 20 TPSS and EBPS project in Los Angeles, California. As a project engineer, the job offered the perfect space for me to learn about the Clark project management processes while also providing an opportunity to learn about the complexity of construction on the West Coast. It was my first time on the West Coast, and I was thrilled to visit a new city and immerse myself in a new culture.

6. What do you find most gratifying about working in the construction industry?
   The construction industry produces complex situations that require complex solutions, from project design to build-out phases. To me, the most gratifying aspect of working in the construction industry is finding solutions to these complex problems alongside my teams.

7. Why are you a builder?
   In my opinion, fortitude and resilience are two of the required traits needed to be a successful builder. I believe these two traits are key to who I am and are part of why I have enjoyed being a builder these past few years.

8. What are you most proud of accomplishing, either personally or professionally?
   I am most proud of becoming a Commissioned Officer in the Army Corps of Engineers with the United States Army Reserve. Military education introduced me to leadership and was a 6-year journey that taught me many lessons to cherish and values to uphold for the rest of my life.
   
   

C3M Successfully Completes Outage Work on the Portland Trimet Red Line Project

Congratulations to the Portland TriMet Red Line team on successfully completing their summer outage work!

During a 121-day summer outage, C3M’s scope included:

• Installing 47 overhead catenary system (OCS) poles and brackets;

• Prefabricating and installing 93 OCS arms;

• Pulling 30,000 feet of either 350 or 500-kilo circular mils OCS wire and auxiliary power feeders;

• Installing disconnect switches, surge arresters, balance weights, section insulators, and other support structures;

• Pulling 2,000 feet of underground cable from the traction power substation to energize the system.

the team performing a Pantograph clearance testing

the team installing one of forty-seven overhead catenary systems (OCS)

The Portland TriMet Red Line OCS final product

Testing went smoothly, and trains are now running to and from the Portland International Airport. Crews have started moving to the Gateway section of the project in preparation for the upcoming January outage.

C3M Closes Out on WMATA RGO Traction Power Upgrades

Congratulations to the WMATA Red, Green, and Orange (RGO) Traction Power Upgrades project team for successfully closing out the project!

The scope of work involved electrical rehabilitation to upgrade major power and supervisory equipment at five tiebreaker stations, 10 traction power substations, and one service and inspection shop.

The RGO project worked with 18 subcontractors and many Clark Group partners to deliver WMATA a fully functioning system at each of the 16 substations.

To execute the work, C3M demonstrated its expertise with the traction power system, equipment, and site conditions, going above and beyond by actively assisting with troubleshooting, system re-design, advising, and coordination.

 Over the course of the project, C3M was able to mitigate over 110 calendar days of delay due to effective execution by C3M’s talented self-perform craft personnel and efficient planning with all stakeholders. The project performed over 150,000 certified payroll manhours and was awarded Clark’s Safety Platinum Award Q3 of 2022. 

C3M Power Systems and Aldridge Electric Transform Metro Services

C3M Power Systems and joint venture partner Aldridge Electric (C3M-Aldridge) are updating radio, cellular, and IT infrastructure across the entire Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) metro system. As part of the WMATA Fiber Optic Infrastructure and Metro Box Enclosure Installation project, C3M-Aldridge is installing more than two million feet of fiber optic cabling and microducts along the tracks and in above-ground stations, and installing network equipment at more than 500 ancillary locations.

fiber microducts are loaded to the platform for the overnight team.

Full shutdowns of two segments of track were implemented to minimize disturbances to Metro system service and enhance the project schedule. While full shutdowns are typically uncommon, they can provide unforeseen benefits. The project team is able to access the tracks 24/7, instead of working overnight or executing work on a piecemeal basis. This approach enabled the C3M and Aldridge Electric teams to complete the work in a timely and efficient manner. 

The first shutdown affected northeast stations on the Orange Line between June 1 and September 5, 2022. The project team logged 24,741 man hours and installed 200,000 feet of cable. 

over two million feet of fiber optic cabling and microducts ARE being installed along the tracks and in above-ground stations.

The second shutdown affected stations south of Reagan National Airport on the Yellow and Blue Lines between September 10 and November 2, 2022. The team logged 14,969 man hours and installed 98,710 feet of cable and 40,523 feet of microduct.

These improvements to Metro services will further enhance the customer experience, while keeping the region's infrastructure up to date. The project is slated for completion in summer of 2026.

C3M 2023 Week of Service

Last week marked the fifth annual Week of Service, a company-wide volunteer event held in conjunction with Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

C3M teams across the country dedicated their time and talent to organizations that provide our communities with the resources and opportunities to grow. 

Thank you to everyone who participated and made this week a success!

C3M and Clark teams sorted hockey equipment to donate to underfunded sports programs with Leveling the Playing Field, an organization dedicated to ensuring that every child has a chance to play sports.

Team members from the MTA Purple Line overhead catenary system project prepared and served food at Oak Chapel United Ministries Food Hub.

Project Executive Steve Sherman joined members of the Clark team to serve lunch at St. Anthony’s Dining Room.

Chuck Tomasco, division president of C3M, volunteered with Clark and Shirley at Habitat for Humanity ReStore.

Conor Milligan and members of the Clark team volunteered at an adoption event with Lucky Dog Animal Rescue.

C3M business managers and project administrators packaged meals at Bread for the city.

Engineer Alex Novikov wrote letters to kids with the Ronald McDonald house.

C3M Celebrates the Reopening of National Mall Information Kiosks

C3M Power Systems and Clark Construction partnered with Home Depot and Helmets to Hardhats to provide pro bono interior and exterior improvements to the National Mall’s information kiosks. Over 150 volunteers from the four organizations helped create a safer, more efficient, and welcoming space for volunteers with new amenities, appliances, and storage. 

In mid-November, C3M and Clark celebrated with their project partners and Channel 7 News at the kiosks’ grand reopening.

New Traction Power Facilities West Bay Team Transports Machinery Across San Francisco Skyline

Last month, C3M and joint venture partners Clark Civil and Cupertino Electric (C3M Clark Cupertino) transported large boxes of equipment across the San Francisco skyline as part of the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) New Traction Power Facilities West Bay project. A 106-foot-tall crane delivered boxes of heavy machinery and equipment needed to power a new substation beneath BART's Civic Center station through a 15-by-15-foot hole in the ground. The boxes, some of which weighed up to 37,000 pounds, contained transformers, air conditioning units, and rectifiers. The process took about 12 hours to complete, but the maintenance and engineering teams prepared for more than a year leading up to the event.

During each delivery, the team coordinated by radio with the crane operator. Four people waited in the hole to gently guide the delivery, sometimes with only a foot of space between the box and the wall, onto rolling wheels in order to transport the equipment to its final place. The space inside the hole was too long and narrow to move equipment around after it was delivered, so each item had to be deposited in a specific order and facing the right direction.

“Many agencies and contractors came together to make this happen,” said Gordon Wong, BART's principal electrical engineer. “It would not have been possible without the support and coordination of C3M Power Systems, Clark Civil, Cupertino Electric, Bigge Crane, and numerous other subcontractors, including San Francisco's Public Utilities Commission, Department of Public Works, and Municipal Transit Agency, as well as local businesses.”

The New Traction Power Facilities West Bay project is part of BART’s larger Transbay Corridor Core Capacity Program, which will greatly expand capacity throughout the existing transit system in order to accommodate increasing ridership. In addition to the new Civic Center substation, C3M Clark Cupertino is installing another traction power substation at the Montgomery Street station. The scope of work also includes structural, architectural, utility, and mechanical modifications, including demolishing portions of the concourse levels at both stations.

The project is slated for completion in fall of 2023. 

C3M is Powering the North Potomac Yard Pump Station Project

The North Potomac Yard Pump Station project in Alexandria, Virginia, has brought together C3M Power Systems, Clark Foundations, and Clark Water to construct a 7,800-square-foot sanitary wastewater pump station. The facility will support Virginia Tech’s new Innovation Station campus, conveying the flow to the Alexandria Renew Enterprises wastewater treatment plant. 

The jobsite and teams aren’t big, but they’ve persisted against outsized challenges. The hole the crew has worked in is deep – 45 feet total and 18 feet below the water table. It’s surrounded by slopes and sits less than a mile from the Potomac River. The site’s location, in combination with soil and weather conditions, was responsible for water continually seeping into the areas where teams had been working. 

The biggest challenge for C3M so far has been maintaining temporary power for the dewatering pumps, jobsite trailers, and equipment for the duration of the project. In the winter, Clark Water brought in C3M to add wiring for the additional sumps and pumps they determined were necessary to control where water in the excavation pit was going. A large roll-up generator and 1,250 gallon fuel tank provide 24/7 power to prevent pump failure. 

As part of the vertical construction efforts, C3M’s scope of work includes installing modern LED lighting both inside and out of the facility as well as a service-rated breaker and motor control center to power all building equipment and systems. The C3M team coordinated with other trades via 3D modeling to install all feeders and branch circuit pathways to equipment, lighting, instrumentation, and controls. 

Once final construction is complete, the C3M team will install a new 562 kVA 277/480V generator with an automatic transfer switch that can provide backup power in the event of a power disruption. They will also work directly with manufacturers and other trades to complete testing and commissioning of all building systems.

C3M is scheduled to reach substantial completion in the summer of 2023. Clark Foundations reached substantial completion last summer, and Clark Water is scheduled to finish below-grade construction by the end of summer 2022.

C3M Teams Celebrate Construction Safety Week 2022

Earlier this month, C3M project teams celebrated Construction Safety Week. During jobsite stand downs, teams discussed jobsite protocol and safety best practices.

The WMATA Fiber Optic Infrastructure and Metro Box Enclosure Installation project team held a safety orientation at the C3M warehouse in Capitol Heights, Maryland. The group discussed safety topics for almost an hour and a half.

Company leadership visited the team at the WMATA Metro TPS Upgrades on the Red, Green and Orange Lines project to discuss on site safety with field personnel.

Quarterly Foreman's Meeting

Last week, C3M held its quarterly Foreman’s Meeting. Field leadership across the organization discussed topics such as safety, recent project awards, current pursuits, and best practices. The team also learned about the innovative use of prefabrication, new products, and virtual design and construction on one of our mass transit maintenance facility projects. Connecting our field leaders and sharing best practices is what makes us a stronger company!

First Annual Foreman Refresher Course→

Last month, C3M field leaders participated in the first annual foreman refresher course at the Capitol Heights warehouse. The four-hour class will be held each year to reinforce best practices, processes, and procedures. Construction Executive Donny Schwier led the course with support from other C3M and Clark Construction representatives. Thank you to everyone who participated in this event.

C3M Presents to Washington Area Railway Engineering Society

Last week, several C3M team members presented on rail and mass transit state of good repair work at the February meeting of the Washington Area Railway Engineering Society (WARES).

C3M Senior Vice President Chuck Tomasco provided an overview of current state of good repair work and funding for it in the Baltimore-Washington region. Project Managers Arber Doci and Matt Sweeney detailed two of C3M’s relevant rail projects: the MTA Light Rail CBD 3 Interlockings and 10 Curves Rehabilitation project in Baltimore and the WMATA Traction Power System Upgrades on the Red, Green, and Orange Lines project in Washington, DC.

WARES brings together professionals interested in railway design, construction, operation, and maintenance. C3M is a long-time supporter of its mission to provide networking opportunities for members and annual scholarships to students majoring in railway engineering at local universities. Both Chuck Tomasco and Arber Doci are former members of WARES, serving as president and communications chair respectively.

C3M Celebrates Fourth Annual Week of Service

Last week we participated in our fourth annual Week of Service, a companywide volunteer event held in conjunction with Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Throughout the week, C3M employees participated in a variety of service activities to improve our local communities. Thanks to everyone who made this event a success.

Senior Vice President and General Manager Mark Ketchel Retiring from C3M

After more than 40 years in the electrical construction industry, Senior Vice President and General Manager Mark Ketchel is retiring from C3M. Throughout his career, Mark has managed and delivered more than $500 million in complex rail and mass transit, aviation, water, and government projects to public agencies.

Mark began his career in 1973 as an apprentice electrician and quickly raised through the ranks as journeyman and then foreman. In 1984, he transitioned into a project management role at Truland Group before rising to executive vice president of Truland Transportation, a division devoted to infrastructure projects. During his time with Truland, Mark worked on some of the Washington, DC area’s most iconic projects, including FedEx Field, multiple projects for the Smithsonian Institution, and a substantial portion of the Washington Metrorail System. Under his leadership, Truland expanded from a local electrical contractor to a national industry leader with the construction of The Tide, Hampton Roads Transit’s light rail system.

Mark was part of the founding leadership team for C3M Power Systems, which launched as a subsidiary of Clark Construction in 2014. During his time with C3M, Mark provided executive management and guidance to teams across the organization as they won and delivered some of the most sophisticated infrastructure projects in the country. Under his leadership, C3M completed several critical projects that helped establish C3M as an industry leader, including the Cincinnati Streetcar, Oklahoma City Streetcar, Sound Transit Operations and Maintenance Facility: East, the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial, and numerous projects for Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). Chuck Hinton and Chuck Tomasco, both senior vice presidents and general managers of C3M, will continue to build the company’s success and prepare for the future in Mark’s absence.

As a founding member of C3M, Mark helped establish our core values of honesty, integrity, and teamwork. In his honor, we are pleased to announce the annual Mark V. Ketchel Award, which will be given to the C3M team member who best demonstrates these values. It will be awarded for the first time in December 2021.

Congratulations, Mark! We wish you a happy and relaxing retirement.

C3M Named Top 100 Electrical Contractor by Engineering News-Record

C3M is proud to announce that it has been named one of the top 100 electrical contractors in Engineering News-Record’s (ENR) annual Top 600 Specialty Contractors report. This year’s report, “Top 600 Specialty Contractors: Firms Feel Pandemic’s Pinch,” detailed how C3M and other specialty contractors have remained competitive despite a tumultuous construction market.

Chuck Tomasco, a senior vice president and general manager at C3M, shared with ENR how partnering has streamlined conversations and fostered trust between project teams and clients.

“Partnering should be implemented on every construction project. It’s a great way to align the team on the project’s goals, commit to quickly address issues that arise including agreeing on an escalation process among the project’s leaders, and most importantly build trust.”

C3M Projects Earn ENR Northwest Regional Awards

We are pleased to announce that Engineering News-Record (ENR) Northwest recently awarded two Awards of Merit to C3M projects in the region. The winning projects are:

Sound Transit – Operations and Maintenance Facility East

Award of Merit: Airport/Transit
Owner: Sound Transit
Client: Hensel Phelps Construction

Sound Transit’s Operations and Maintenance Facility: East in Bellevue, Washington, supports expansion of the region's light rail system from 20 to nearly 50 miles and from 62 to 214 light rail vehicles (LVRs).

C3M’s work included a yard and shop TPSS, an overhead contact system (OCS), train control system, LRV monitoring system, and integration with Sound Transit’s SCADA system. This first-of-its-kind application of a vehicle monitoring system to a light rail yard utilized a network of cameras to track the location of all LRVs throughout the facility and integrate seamlessly with Sound Transit’s maintenance system. C3M was responsible for final design of the train control and LRV monitoring systems.

Seattle Center Monorail Electrical Room Upgrades

Award of Merit: Specialty Construction
Owner and Client: City of Seattle

C3M upgraded equipment in the Seattle Center Monorail’s electrical rooms and electrical systems at Seattle Center and Westlake Center monorail stations.

C3M’s work included replacing medium and low voltage electrical equipment (rectifier, transformer, switchgear, battery chargers, uninterruptible power supplies, and annunciator panels), installing and wiring equipment, and testing and commissioning the new systems. Additionally, new HVAC equipment, intrusion alarm systems, fire alarm systems, SCADA systems, and emergency lighting were added in the electrical rooms at both stations.

NRC 2020 Safety Awards Announced - C3M Takes Gold

The National Railroad Construction & Maintenance Association's annual Safety Awards recognize contractor member companies with exemplary safety performance during the year. C3M Power Systems was recognized as one of the Gold Award winners for 2020.

"These outstanding contractors are commended for their extensive efforts to promote and improve safety throughout the railway contracting industry, especially while confronting the challenging and historic COVID-19 pandemic. These companies represent the very best of the NRC and entire railway construction and maintenance industry."

Yet another achievement we owe to the hard work and dedication of our employees!!

Check out the complete NRC Safety Awards list here.

C3M Power Systems Celebrates Zero OSHA Recordable Incidents in 2020

Safety has always been a core value here at C3M Power Systems. While 2020 brought with it an abundance of swift challenges and unknowns; safety remained a constant and became more important now than ever before. We are proud to share that we closed out 2020 with a safety record of no lost time and zero recordable incidents.

Joe Schlerf, Division Safety Manager, remarked, “Our 2020 Safety record is a feat that not many can repeat. It's very hard for a company of our size (190 team members in the field) to go for a little over a year with no lost time or recordable incidents. I contribute this to all the men and women that are in the field making Safety their top priority. It is especially hard to do when you are in the middle of a deadly pandemic.”

With a continued commitment to the safety and well-being of our field and project teams, we strive to maintain this record into the new year. As Chuck Hinton Jr., Senior Vice President has said, “If it’s not safe, we don’t do it!”

Celebrating our 6th Annual Field Employee Scholarship Banquet

Last Thursday, C3M hosted its 6th Annual Field Employee Scholarship Banquet - and its first virtual banquet!

This year, we proudly awarded 2 scholarships and 5 academic stipends to children of field employees. These scholars have shown hard work, effort, and determination. We are excited to see what they accomplish with their individual successes as well as the future impact they have on our community. Congratulations to our 2020 Scholarship recipients!