John Vargo Email & Phone Number

Columbus, Ohio Metropolitan Area

Project Manager, Columbus Department of Public Utilities Enhanced Meter Project- Managed planning for installation of 300,000+ water meters and 17,000+ electric meters to modernize Columbus’ utilities to an Advanced Metering System.- Created project specific Standard Operating Procedures for full range of work types, public outreach program and emergency response scenarios.- Established production ramp up schedule through proof-of-concept phase, leading to mass deployment phase, integrated with the city’s complex meter reading / billing cycle.- Forecast equipment ordering schedule to coordinate with production schedule, balancing extended lead times with limited warehouse space. - Primary contact point between installation contractor, AMI contractor, city utilities personnel, technical consultants, public outreach, professional and labor subcontractors.- Supported field operations team installing small (residential), intermediate and large (commercial) water meters and AMI transmitters across the Columbus DPU service area.

New Albany, Oh

Transmission Procurement - Supply Chain And Fleet OperationsContract support for Transmission and Distribution materials procurement organization, specifically poles, towers, wire and cable and associated hardware, tools and accessories; team lead for sourcing event developing and executing AEP’s enterprise-wide Equipment Rental Program. Power Up and Lead facilitator - Senn Delaney's program is part of AEP’s Culture Shaping Initiative designed to help us be even more effective at living our values and getting even better results. The workshop increases effectiveness at the individual level, improves team performance, and helps people work together across the organization.

Columbus, Ohio Area

Generation Procurement - Supply Chain and Fleet OperationsSupport Plants with ongoing O&M contracting needs.Support Projects with planning, scope of work development, proposal package design, request for proposal issuance via Ariba, disposition of bidder questions, receipt and full review protocols of proposals, recommendation for award approval, contract composition, approval, execution and ongoing contract administration through duration of project.Continuous improvement through Strategic Procurement training, toward goal of becoming Category Management organization. Team leadership role in Engineering Services Study Team exploring strategies, value drivers and workforce planning considerations regarding Outsourced Engineering Consultant utilization enterprise wide.Areas of particular emphasis: demolition of obsolete plant facilities, pond closures, dry fly ash landfill construction and modification, asbestos remediation assessments pertaining to plant closure dispositions.

As Project Engineer I specialized in project data organization (document control) and communications, from keeping all plans and specifications up to date among all parties, to Requests For Information, to group presentations. I was recognized for developing creative graphic reporting tools to keep all parties current on status of complex construction progress.I utilized online project management systems such as eRoom, SharePoint, Viewpoint, Drop Box and Primavera P6 schedules to maintain project data accessible to our Team, subcontractors and vendors, clients, and Architect / Engineers.I performed estimating and procurement functions from early preplanning through design changes, as well as assisting the estimating department with bids occassionally.I participated in development of Operations Plans and contributed to Value Engineering initiatives. I executed complex client mandated cost reporting, as well as internal cost tracking and forecasting.I also coordinated and MC'd special events such as Safety Appreciation Luncheons, a Charity Benefit Golf Tournament, and the annual Christmas dinner party...where I even got to be a game show host from time to time!

Ferguson is a non-union regional company that self performs most construction activities with in-house personnel.As Superintendent I coordinated activities of blended craft teams, from 2 to 30 men depending on size and phase of each project, to accomplish everything from underground utility relocations and earthwork to foundation placements to steel building erection and interior build outs.I was the primary contact with clients, vendors, subcontractors and building officials. In this role I excelled at keeping all parties on the same page and quickly resolving issues to ensure projects were completed on time so client operations could continue uninterupted.

Columbus, Ohio Area

As a Superintendent with Renier I was typically completing projects amid the customers' ongoing operations. In one case we renovated offices and added onto a semi truck maintenance facility with constant tractor/trailer traffic around and through the work area; in another we added onto a manufacturing facility that continued to produce structural lumber products up to 80' long while we built around them...in winter weather, no less!In these environments my safety consciousness and communication, organization and relationship skills were extraordinarily crucial, since I not only had to enforce construction safety and coordinate our own activities, but had to be mindful of the customers' industry safety standards and coordinate the construction schedule around their workflow.Subcontractor managers appreciated how well I kept them informed of requirements and progress, subcontractor craft appreciated my willingness to pitch in and help them when they needed support, and customer management and employees appreciated that I paid attention to their need to work with minimal interruptions.Ever since the project at the truck maintenance facility every safety orientation I do starts with "Don't get hit by a truck!"

Zanesville, Ohio

This position and project were my introduction to commercial construction, and to larger scale development. As I told a friend shortly after starting with Randolph, I learned more about dirt work in one week on a shopping center site than I did in 5 years of building houses.I discovered that my organization and communication skills developed managing dozens of subcontractor crews on dozens of homes being built simultaneously in multiple locations translated well to keeping everyone on the same page on this project. We built a 50+ acre shopping center in Zanesville, Ohio with the General Contractor (Randolph) located in the Chicago area, the owner/developer in Cleveland, the architects in Dallas or thereabouts, and subcontractors based everywhere from down the street to down in the Carolinas. Having come from managing permits and inspections on so many homes located in various zoning jurisdictions, to secure and manage the many local permits and safety inspections for the shopping center was no big deal; it seemed a luxury that I could keep all the plans and permits in one central location!Other duties I excelled at in this new environment included writing Requests For Information (great chance to learn about your subcontractors' areas of expertise), running project meetings and distributing minutes, dealing with vendors and securing, reviewing and processing submittals.

Columbus, Ohio Area

DiYanni is a local builder, run by four brothers (the DiYanni brothers...as one might guess!). They had a reputation for good quality, and many thought the homes were custom designed because there were many options available.I started with them as a punch-out guy ('assistant superintendent'), primarily taking care of all the little details homeowners needed addressed at the end of construction, and also troubleshooting and resolving issues throughout the construction process. This was a great application of the general construction skills I had developed, particularly carpentry skills.I soon moved up to Superintendent, in charge of a couple subdivision developments and the occassional "off-site" (when we'd build a home on the customer's own property).I was naturally good at communicating with homeowners throughout the building process, from the preconstruction orientation to the final walk through. Folks building a home are perhaps the most challenging customers to deal with, because they are very emotionally attached to the project, and usually have little knowledge about how things get built. Sometimes they or someone close to them has had a bad experience with another builder. As a result, as superintendent I not only had to keep many subcontractors on schedule and various local building departments and officials happy, but had to be both teacher and counselor to the customer.One day I asked the Operations Manager why he rarely visited my neighborhoods, and he admitted that he typicallly had to spend his time dealing with customers who were concerned about some aspect of their home's progress, and none of my customers ever called with any concerns. It wasn't that there were never any delays, mistakes or other issues on my jobs; I was always able to address issues with subcontractors and explain the issue and resolution to the customer without problems escalating up the ladder.