SSP is very pleased to welcome two new Senior Project Managers to the team, Brann Greager and Joe Paniccia. Recently we sat down with both to learn a little more about them.
Joe Paniccia
Tell us about yourself.
I grew up in a small town in the Adirondack Mountains of northern New York. After service as an officer in the U.S. Army, I had roles in yield management, pricing, and operations in the vehicle rental industry. Those roles involved a number of relocations, so I lived for a few years each in Washington, DC, San Jose, and Minneapolis. Another job relocation brought me to Denver about 20 years ago, so it seems I’ve finally settled down a bit location-wise. I worked at CenturyLink in IT leadership and project management roles for the past 18 years before coming on board at SSP.
Why SSP?
I’ve had a life-long fascination with maps and everything geospatial. In my career, I’ve managed some GIS-related projects, but for most of those engagements, GIS was only a component, not the main focus, leaving me a bit unfulfilled. So a few years ago I decided to pursue a more direct path into GIS work. I began networking via GIS organizations, and also completed a masters degree in GIS (University of Denver) to get broader exposure to the current technology and practice of GIS. This opportunity with SSP is the fit I’ve been looking for because it combines one of my strengths (project management) with my passion for GIS. Just as importantly, the culture at SSP appears to be a strong fit as well. I want to contribute to SSP’s continued success.
What specific experience, skill set, etc. do you have that will bring value to SSP?
20+ years of IT project management, a focus on strong working relationships, and a servant leadership style for managing projects and teams. Just a guess, but I’ll assume my past skills as an artillery officer in the Army are not terribly applicable at SSP.😊 …although GIS was certainly a major component of artillery fire direction calculations.
How did your first day/week go?
It’s been great so far! I’m grateful for the warm welcome I’ve received from everyone I’ve met. And I’m impressed with the structure in place for how work gets done at SSP.
What kind of projects will you be working on here?
One of my first projects will be at Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU).
What are your hobbies / interests outside of work?
My main hobbies are trail running, mountain biking, orienteering, triathlons, hiking, skiing – almost anything that gets me into the mountains and forests. I also love to read, especially military history. I follow most major sports, especially hockey, football, and baseball. My favorite travel destinations are in Europe’s alpine countries. My wife is Sandy – we were married about 3 years ago, having met in a trail running group.
Brann Greager
Tell us about yourself.
I’m not only a Colorado native but a rare Colorado “pioneer” – my family on my Dad’s side has been in Colorado continuously for over 100 years. I’m a Professional Engineer (PE) and a Project Management Professional (PMP), and this is only my third job since I graduated Colorado State University with an engineering degree. I started out as an environmental engineer working in the mining industry, and soon discovered GIS as a tool for my environmental studies and reports. I enjoyed GIS so much that I made it one focus of my career, becoming an ESRI-authorized instructor back in the days of ArcView. From there, I followed a co-worked to Carter & Burgess (now Jacobs) to apply GIS and database technology for their clients, especially in the transportation industry. After several years and a variety of interesting projects, I built a GIS-enabled railroad crossing inventory system that blossomed into a successful business niche and a portfolio of projects that I managed for the past decade.
Why SSP?
I first heard about SSP from ex-coworkers who are now clients, and they spoke very highly of the SSP team. From there, I was drawn in by the interview experience, meeting the wonderful people here, and learning about SSP’s history, successes, and values. I’m so excited to join a small company that has a family-like feeling, where I feel that I can contribute right away and be a part of exciting and cutting-edge projects.
What specific experience, skill set, etc. do you have that will bring value to SSP?
I’m joining SSP with 25 years of experience as a consultant to a variety of industries; a knowledge of engineering, planning, and GIS; a service-oriented approach toward my clients and my project staff; and a passion for learning both about our technology and the language of our clients and highly technical co-workers.
How did your first day/week go?
My first week was a bit of a whirlwind to say the least. As I let everyone know prior to accepting my offer, my first week coincided with my wedding at the end of the week to my lovely wife Lauren. Unfortunately, my already short first week began with a stomach virus that sidelined me on my very first day of work. I was so dismayed that I couldn’t come in, but Matt Stuart and the rest of the team were extremely kind and understanding. Feeling much better on Tuesday, I had two excellent days of onboarding, meeting co-workers, and learning about the company tools and systems and the SSP approach to project management. I got a good idea of what the rest of my 2018 would look like and the work that I’ll be doing in the coming year. From there it was home for a long weekend of wedding activities, including a welcome party on Friday night and a wonderful wedding with about 120 people on Saturday.
What kind of projects will you be working on here?
I was hired specifically to work on the upcoming Utility Network implementation project for the Southern Company, which will be close to a full-time engagement for the next couple of years. In the meantime I’ve already gotten engaged with the Utility Network Strategic Roadmap for Minnesota Power and Superior Water Light & Power.
What are your hobbies / interests outside of work?
First and foremost, “bikes and beers” is a good place to start. I’m an avid cyclist and participate in a number of fun challenge rides every year, and met my wife through our cycling group. I’ve also been brewing beer since early college, and have gotten to brew three of my recipes commercially in the past three years. I also love travel, live music, cooking, and home remodeling and construction projects.
What do you think?