Phil Marble — Defining Career Choices & Juggling Monkeys Jumping on the Couch
By: Darra Kubera, Director of Communications
January 12, 2023
Phil Marble has been a joy to work with since the moment he stepped into the FOS Buffalo office. After receiving the best birthday present ever last April — an offer letter to join the team — Phil has brought a contagious, positive attitude. His eagerness to learn how everything works is inspiring, and I couldn’t wait to sit down with him to learn more about when he switched from homebrew beer to wine and what propelled him into this field.
If you’re a fan of this people-of-FOS series, you know I enjoy asking my interviewees the same question — what’s your story? Phil is no exception and rubs his hand down his face as he contemplates how to answer this looming question.
“My backstory is kind of important as it relates to my role at FOS, and I why I like this position. I come from laborers and I’m actually the first person in my family to be college educated. From a young age I was exposed to working with my hands, since both of my parents were working in construction on building roadways and buildings. I’ve always liked seeing how things work, and I am motivated by thoughtful design, so that led me to architecture.”
After earning his two-year degree from SUNY Erie Community College in construction management and architectural drafting, Phil took a plunge and moved to Atlanta. While there, earning his next degree from a five-year, NAAB (National Architectural Accrediting Board) accredited program, he and his wife had their first son. “I met my wife the summer before moving to Atlanta. I was trying to get a fresh start after living in Buffalo my entire life; luckily she’s a registered nurse so she was able to decide to move away with me. My son was born while I was finishing my thesis, which was hectic since on top of that I was working full-time. That’s really what pushed us to move back to Buffalo. Having that system of family and friends nearby to support you is so important in life.”
Since moving back, Phil has bought a house and had another son and a daughter. “She’s such a ham. And it’s funny how very differently she does things compared to the boys. It’s fun to watch.” The ability to spend quality time with his family is something Phil doesn’t take for granted. “That’s one of my favorite parts about this job, being able to work hybrid or remotely. It helps with the kids immensely. I’m so proud of my family — my kids are super smart, it’s insane the things they recall, and we have our own little team at home. But I still have to remind the kids to not jump on the couch.”
“Another reason I love this job is everything I’ve learned. I came from a background of drafting, so this role has really allowed me to evolve as a person in my career and open up opportunities that weren’t offered prior. When I first started at FOS I spent a lot of time with Rich Mrugala in the office. We did a few field visits together, but he really took the time to share what I needed to know. He’s extremely knowledgeable and helpful, and he showed me how our facility condition assessment (FCA) records are written and produced — plus the impact those have on our clients. He stressed the proper way of doing things, and what the expectations were, because making sure you’re writing these records with a critical eye is so important. You really need to be aware of what you’re saying because that’s what the client sees.”
As a builder by nature, Phil says he enjoys that FOS allows him to travel and experience different buildings up close. “I like understanding how a building was constructed. As architectural assessors, we dive into that. If there’s a deficiency we investigate to see how and why it happened, is it a one-off or a reoccurring problem? We always start on the roof, working our way down through each floor, and then walk the exterior. This way we can begin to piece together the story of the buildings and any issues we see; it really creates a narrative in your head and over time you pick up on that story as you’re walking through the building. Older buildings are completely different than newer buildings, obviously, but it’s cool to see the nuts-and-bolts connection points between structures, noticing how engineering has changed over time.”
Falling into this facility management industry seems to suit you, but is there anything you would like to see change in this industry? “Buildings. Making buildings more energy efficient, and ones that can use outside elements wisely instead of just putting a rectangle in the ground. I understand why brick is used so much, but we’ve been using it for hundreds of years so shifting away from that is something I’d like to see.” His passion for sustainable materials makes sense, as Phil continues to share, he hopes to soon become LEED accredited (a credential that denotes proficiency in today’s sustainable design, construction, and operations standards).
Aside from the building and construction aspects of the job, how did learning about our FCA software platform, FOScore®, go? “Honestly, I love it. FOScore® is an unbelievably useful tool and I’m excited to see the new features everyone’s been talking about. As architectural assessors, we can automatically calculate action costs based on data from the software. With FOScore®, we’re able to get accurate pricing down to the square footage using different factors such as quantity, unit cost, region factor, and repair factor. Essentially, we can eliminate the need for those manual spreadsheets! All the asset data can be found in the software, everything from photos, location in the building, how to resolve common issues, and preventative maintenance plans — it solves so many issues facility managers face. I love with this software we can see what a building is worth and what repairs will be necessary years down the road. It’s an incredibly valuable tool for our clients.”
After spending a long time working as a draftsman looking for a career change, I’m glad to see Phil hitting his stride with FOS. “I’m proud to work at FOS. Everyone I’ve talked to here has been extremely welcoming and answers any question, there’s never a topic above my ‘paygrade’ and everyone is sincerely willing to help with anything and everything. That’s mind-blowing compared to where I’ve come from. This is the largest company I’ve ever worked for, and it seems like I’m constantly impressed by the culture and operations. I’m proud to be a team member, a valuable team member, and I hope to continue to grow my career with FOS and keep working hard.” We hope so too, Phil.