Business Development Representative Jeannie Rodriguez has worked at Sundt for a little more than eight years. She has more than 15 years of experience in marketing and business development for architecture/engineering/construction firms and commercial real estate.
Jeannie grew up in San Diego, graduated from San Diego State University and still lives there. She supports Sundt’s San Diego and Irvine offices.
What does a Business Development Representative do?
We help Sundt get work. For the two offices I support, that entails identifying potential opportunities and researching leads (tracking school bonds that have passed, identifying owners looking to build and meeting with architects), working with other business development and marketing folks on proposals, collaborating with project teams on presentations to potential clients, and equipping our sales teams with materials to introduce Sundt to owners.
What’s the most important thing you’ve learned while working at Sundt?
We win work because of the success our project teams have had on previous projects. Many projects are won in the interview because a client really liked the Project Manager or Superintendent. I’ve seen clients select Sundt for second and third jobs because of the reputation created by an extra-hardworking Project Engineer or Project Administrator. Sundt is respected in our industry because of the individuals who work for this company. Companies don’t build projects, people do – and we have the best in the industry!
What’s one thing a person should do or see when visiting San Diego?
Eat at the beach. Whether it’s eating appetizers at George’s at the Cove, fish tacos with your toes in the sand or a bagel while you walk the boardwalk, it’s so very San Diego to eat at the beach. I don’t do it often enough!
Do you have a hidden talent?
I can make balloon animals.
If you could pick one place in the world to live, where would it be?
San Diego! I seriously love this town.
Who’s your most influential mentor and why?
My sister, Kara. She founded a very successful marketing company for architects, engineers and contractors when she was 26 and hired me when I was in high school. I knew what a request for proposals was when I was 15! She gave me a very strong base for a career in construction marketing/business development. She’s incredible and is known in the industry for being able to win work. She helped Sundt win military projects in San Diego in the early 2000s and that’s how I was introduced to this company. She’s been an incredible mentor.