Food Facility Design and Construction: A Client’s Perspective

For more than a decade, I worked side-by-side with the leadership team at A M King, tackling large-scale projects for a global food industry client. These complex, high-stakes operations demanded expertise in site selection, growth planning, and balancing timelines, budgets, and regulatory requirements — all critical elements of successful food facility design and construction.

What impressed me most wasn’t just the technical precision or innovative facility designs; it was how seamlessly the team became an extension of the client organization. They anticipated our needs, solved problems before they surfaced, and always kept business goals front and center. Mutual trust and respect became the cornerstone of this successful, long-term partnership. I know this firsthand because I was the client.

After 33 years at this food company, I retired and joined the very firm I once relied on. Now, as Business Development Manager at A M King, I bring the client’s perspective to the Design-Build side of the table — helping our team understand what food companies truly need and expect from their facility partners. This unique vantage point allows me to guide future clients toward the same level of success we built together for years.

Decades of Success in the Food Industry

I grew up in Cincinnati where I took a year of drafting in high school, originally aspiring to become an architect. I quickly realized that sitting behind a drafting table wasn’t my true calling. Instead, beginning at age 15, I learned invaluable management skills at Kings Island, the iconic Ohio-based amusement park.

Those eight summers working catering events taught me planning, organization, and teamwork — foundational lessons that I would later apply directly to food facility design and construction projects.

I also learned early on that people matter as much as processes. A friendly hello, a calm demeanor, and a sense of urgency at the right moment can completely change the outcome of a project. Those seemingly small gestures laid the groundwork for how I approach leadership and client relationships today.

After college (Finance major, Miami University), I joined the real estate department at the aforementioned global grocery retailer. I was tasked with:

• Developing new markets and building retail stores from scratch
• Collaborating with attorneys, engineers, and architects
• Navigating public hearings, zoning meetings, and government approvals
• Ensuring that each project fit operational and community needs

One memorable example was a public hearing in Buffalo, NY where community members expressed frustration over a proposed store opening. By listening, and presenting well-researched solutions, we gained approval and opened the store successfully. That experience taught me that trust, preparation, and anticipation are critical.

After my promotion to National Warehouse Manager, I oversaw development of 500,000+ sf refrigerated and dry facilities nationwide.

These “crown jewel” projects for a revolutionary, fast-growing company required collaboration with brokers, engineers, designers, and builders to achieve efficiency and cost savings without sacrificing quality. Across all projects, it became clear that asking questions, assembling the right team, setting clear expectations and following through consistently drives successful outcomes.

The Client Side of Food Facility Design and Construction Projects

One of the biggest challenges in food facility expansion is balancing time vs. money. Traditional design-bid-build approaches often fail because rushing to break ground can actually cause delays, budget overruns, and operational disruptions. I experienced this firsthand before adopting a Design-Build approach, and I’ve seen many companies encounter similar pitfalls in their own construction projects.

Switching to A M King’s distinctive, integrated Design-Build model was transformative for my company. We slowed the early planning phase, engaged end-users, and built realistic budgets. This method eliminated surprises and allowed client-driven changes rather than contractor- or government-driven delays.

For example:

• Redesigning distribution centers achieved 30% savings without sacrificing quality.
• Reengineering ammonia refrigeration systems improved energy efficiency by 35% and simplified future maintenance.
• Utilizing an onsite quarry for a project’s stone base replaced costly offsite materials, saving time and money.

These examples demonstrate how A M King’s Design-Build approach prioritizes efficiency, innovation, and problem-solving while keeping client goals central in renovation/expansions, as well as new construction projects.

Food Company Executive to Design-Build Business Developer

Joining A M King was a natural next step. My 30+ years at my former employer prepared me to bring real-world client insight to every project. I don’t sell in the traditional sense. I sell ideas, visions, and practical solutions grounded in experience.

I understand large-scale real estate, project development, permitting, zoning, and stakeholder management. I know where the landmines are and how to navigate them. Most importantly, I educate clients, so they feel confident in the process and decisions we make together.

With experience managing 700,000+ sf facilities, negotiating more than $50M+ in land deals, and guiding projects through permitting and zoning hurdles, I help clients envision what’s possible while avoiding costly mistakes. My intuition about what municipalities are often not telling me, for example, gives me an edge, putting me in a prime position for discovering the true value of property at the very inception of the project.

I’ve also learned that relationship-building is just as important as project expertise. Most of all, it’s about taking time to understand a client’s specific nuances and culture. I like to say that one of my superpowers is genuine caring for my clients. I thrive on meeting them where they are, actively listening, understanding their goals and visiting existing facilities — a philosophy perfectly aligned with A M King’s strategy for development and expansion of food processing, and food distribution and cold storage facilities.

Effective communication extends to the myriad groups that we must work with to achieve stellar results. Whether it’s meeting local officials to secure approvals, presenting to skeptical community members, or collaborating with design teams on energy-saving innovations, building trust through communication, humility, and humor can turn challenges into breakthroughs. This human element — often overlooked in large projects — is the secret ingredient in successful Design-Build projects.

Building Trust and Delivering Results

Everything starts with respect. Respect is earned, and ownership of one’s work is non-negotiable. My father instilled the principle: “Do it right, or don’t do it at all.” Combined with my early experiences in operations and management, this shaped a philosophy rooted in preparation, accountability, and passion. Every project team member matters because the sum is always greater than its parts.

At A M King, this philosophy is reinforced organization wide. Employee-owners approach every food facility project with integrity, creativity, and client focus. By aligning expertise with client goals, we deliver turnkey solutions that meet operational needs, timelines, and budgets — without surprises.

I firmly believe that passion drives performance. When a team loves what they do, it shows in the quality of work, attention to detail, and commitment to client success. By combining passion with a structured process, clear expectations, and proactive communication, we ensure each project not only meets but exceeds client expectations.

Watching a well-planned, beautifully executed facility come to life — and knowing the impact it will have on people’s work, safety, and efficiency — still gives me a thrill.

I am grateful for my journey — from amusement park summers to three decades at an amazing global food company, and now to A M King. I’ve overseen projects from concept to completion and seen firsthand the difference a client-focused, experienced team can make. All of this has prepared me for this incredible opportunity with a remarkable 100% employee-owned Design-Build firm that I now get to call family! I have seen, myself, over many years, what A M King does, how they do it and why customers come back.  Once my former company found A M King, they never left!

Now that I’m part of the A M King team, I am helping our clients navigate the complexities of food facility design and construction projects, overcome obstacles, and achieve exceptional results that far surpass what they envisioned.