I am here to communicate answers to a few questions for people that don’t know me, or would like to know more. Here are the facts, Q&A style of me interviewing myself:

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LAYERS AND MORE DETAILS will be updated here regularly!

Keep checking in. I am your voice.

 

Q: Overall description of yourself?

A: I am a Producer, Project Manager & Partnership Navigator.

I have an unrivaled passion for building relationships, solving problems, connecting people & managing projects. My professional experience in startup culture and business management compliments my engineering background. I’ve had the honor of learning directly from the best leaders and innovators, including the CEO of a multi-billion dollar company, Zappos.

A super connector, detail-oriented problem solver, project manager and engineer, I thrive when I am interacting with people and managing projects. I develop strategic relationships, present and future. I crave diversity, variety and responsibility. My drive and competitive nature shine when fueled with passion (and humor). My biggest pet peeve is wasting time.

I began my career as a structural engineer and moved into construction management for several years. I later had an intense involvement in the tech world, and now remain in project management and consulting with very strong links to tech.

Passions and strengths:
• Left-brained engineer and right-brained professional who can humanize your business processes while making sure they work well
• Risk-taker who likes to be thrown into the fire while wearing multiple hats
• Ability to perform in structured environments (engineering, construction) and among unstructured craziness (managing, planning a book and PR tour for a #1 NYT Bestseller from scratch)
• Leading a team and managing a project through to completion
• Trusted executive partner who maintains loyalty and confidentiality at the highest level

Some of the most common questions people ask me:
• How does an engineer end up in a social role, planning events, and managing the life of the CEO of a billion-dollar company while playing an integral part in the launch of his bestselling book?
• Why would an engineer want to do marketing, PR, social media and/or anything customer related, and how does it apply to project management?

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Q: Will you be keeping the stipend from the Town for your position?

A: I do not feel right taking money from a Town that is suffering. I will be donating a large portion of my stipend to local groups and charities in Somerset.

Q: What is your background and who are you?
A:

• Somerset resident, born and raised
• Homeowner and taxpayer with a vested interest in the town
• Registered Civil Engineer in 5 states, including Massachusetts
• Cornell University grad, with a Master of Science in Structural Engineering from UCSD
• Fifteen years of Project Manager and engineering design experience on multi-million dollar construction projects in:         ✓ Infrastructure ✓ Education ✓ Healthcare ✓ Residential

• Executive Chair of Raiders Remember, providing annual scholarships for SBRHS graduates: raised $45k in the first year as an organization
• Technologically savvy with finger on the pulse of technology
• Worked alongside the CEO of multi-billion dollar company, Zappos.com
• Biggest pet peeve: wasting time

More here: http://linkedin.com/in/hollymac

Q: What makes you different?
A:

• No personal agenda, no pretense
• Connected to many investors worldwide
• Bring national experience home to Somerset for an optimistic, fresh, clean perspective
• Effective team leader that creates a sense of camaraderie
• Known in my industry for being under budget and on time
• Worked closely with billionaire entrepreneurs, PR and marketing companies, doctors, nurses, students, general contractors, developers, engineers, and municipalities across the country
• Nothing will stop me from doing what’s right

Q: What can I do for you? 

A: Every plan has an umbrella, a common thread, if you will. These three core values run through and through everything that we will do for Somerset. Cohesion, Communication, Collaboration. If we follow these three principles consistently, and couple them with diligence and hard work, we will move forward:

Create a Cohesive Plan

• Rule #1 of a successful project manager: Create a Cohesive Plan
• The town has not seen a cohesive plan in many years
• We must get creative; stop doing the same things and expecting different results
• Town leaders need to understand the budgets inside and out

Clear Communication

• I will get you answers
• Residents need a voice in town politics
• I will open new lines of communication and restructure existing channels
• Existing administration needs to communicate effectively
• I am a genuine and avid listener

Collaboration

• Draw from expertise in the community and avoid hiring consultants where they’re not needed
• We need to work together on the local, state and federal levels
• Successful projects are completed because of teamwork and great leadership
• Utilize past expensive plans and reports as a resource, prevent reinventing the wheel

 

Q: What are your values? What is your vision?
A: Every successful plan needs a solid vision and strong values. The same values that have been instilled in me throughout my life and career are the same values that brought me back to be part of this community. Here are some main highlights of my vision for our future, including, but not limited to the below/attached. These highlights have many layers and details. There is so much we can do, together, if we work as one, and use the common thread of communication, collaboration and cohesion in all that we do.

VALUES

• Timeliness
• Fiscal responsibility
• Educated decision-making
• Integrity and honesty
• Follow through: ideas are worth nothing without action

VISION

• Creatively and carefully increase revenue streams
• Stabilize and strengthen the tax base
• Identify and enhance our Downtown, Route 103, Slades Ferry; strengthen infrastructure
• Revitalize our seven-mile waterfront
• Define our town’s culture while maintaining the treasured history of our town
• Maintain our solid Public Safety departments
• Embrace our coveted education system
• Balance our commercial and residential communities for a fluid ecosystem
• Consolidate the above into a strong shareable Marketing Plan

 

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Q: Do you have a plan for the town?
A: Yes, of course. Most of you already know my plan. I have spoken to many of people I know and don’t know for many hours about my ideas, plans, and actions. A plan is a moving target and is always being improved. Rome wasn’t built in a day.

Q: Why haven’t you posted your plan on Facebook?
A: A plan that truly is well thought-out is not desperately smeared across social media in a comment thread in a rush to put something on paper. There is a sense of urgency, yes. It is not, however, in anyone’s best interest, especially the town’s, to implement a plan that is rushed or not thought through completely.  The town is in a very sensitive situation. We cannot afford to make game-time decisions and rush to conclusions. This is our town, and we need to choose wisely, since the decisions we make now will affect our future. One of the biggest causes of our demise right now is that too many decisions were rushed and/or not carefully thought through. Luckily for us, some of them weren’t seen through. We need to be mindful and think carefully. We need to educate ourselves so that we can make quick informed decisions. Bottom line, yes, I have a plan. And I am carefully, strategically, sending out my message. I make educated decisions, and am ready to execute and implement my plan at all times. As a project manager, I am always ready to strike when the iron is hot.

For instance: I worked for a few years on projects for Boston Medical Center in their Facilities, Design & Construction department. On one of these projects I was the Project Manager lead for a campus-wide evaluation and installation of computer systems across the campus, including level 4 infection control areas, OR’s, procedure rooms, etc. I hired and managed a team to work with the doctors and nurses in order to navigate this extremely critical install, especially in the OR’s on campus that never shut down. As part of this massive project, we carefully created a strategic plan to ensure that the infection control and installation procedures were coordinated to the minute with the OR. We had emergency backup plans. We could not afford to miss anything because it would jeopardize patients’ lives. During construction, the hospital brought in an emergency heart surgery. We implemented our emergency procedures, and the surgery was never affected. Seamless. That is just a piece of the project. It took several weeks of design, development and construction, and was delivered on time and under budget for the hospital.

My point is: Do you think that when the CEO of the hospital and my VP asked me for my plan that I told them to “go check out Facebook. I posted it yesterday. You didn’t see it?” No. Ladies and gents, plans don’t work that way. If we are basing our town’s fate on Facebook, social media, or any media, we have a massive problem. I can reassure you, as most of you already know, that I have been doing a ton of legwork to prepare myself for Election Day and the day when my candidacy becomes a reality. Because then, folks, I will be immediately ready to implement my plan.

Q: Can I contact you directly?
A: Yes. I’ve answered every question that has come my way. If you claim you haven’t received an answer, it’s because you haven’t asked. Any questions, contact me directly anytime. Also if you happen to see me at the Selectmen meeting, please say hello before leaving the room.

Q: Do you write all of your own social media posts?
A: Yes, this is Holly typing. I have no other admin on any of my social media pages or groups writing anything for me. It’s 100% from me. Not cut and pasted, not written for me. It’s all me.

Q: Are you trying to run off of your father’s name?
A: This question is moot. My father died 19 years ago. He was a teacher. Not a Selectman. He was far from a politician. My father inspired me and is always part of everything I do. If you knew my father, you knew he was a good man and very passionate about Somerset. Good people breed good people. My family has always been in Somerset. My family is mentioned to show that I have very deep roots here and come from a family that loves this town. It runs in the blood. Like my father, I too, am far from being a politician. I am an engineer and project manager who wants to solve the town’s problems.

Q: Did you build your own website?
A: Yes, and I did it for free on my day off, alone. I don’t spend $10,000+ on website design. That is exorbitant. A website is an effective tool for communication, of which the town needs more.

Q: Weren’t you in California and out west for a long time? What do you know about Somerset now?
A: I was raised in Somerset since birth. After moving away to finish grad school in California in 2000, I came back to visit Somerset for periods of time, at least 5 times/year. I stayed very close with everyone here. So much so that as soon as I moved back, I dove in head first and became involved in town. Approximately 3 years ago from now, I became the Executive Chair of Raiders Remember event, now perpetual scholarship and public 501c3. Being out west has made me appreciate Somerset for what it really is. I came back to town with a fresh perspective, and a big-picture view. I’ve brought back with me a lot of new knowledge and experience that will help the town tremendously. Being outside of Somerset has showed me many possibilities and a fresh perspective on innovative and new constructive ways to help the town. You have to step outside of the box on any project at all, in order to flourish and move forward.

Q: Are you in LeBeau and/or Setters camp?
A: Absolutely not. I barely know them. I’ve spoken to Scott twice in my lifetime. Setters, I believe I’ve only spoken to once at a Selectmen meeting, if that. Nether has ever “told me to run”. I had been considering running for a very long time before this year. I’m running for the Selectman seat. I’m not running against Scott. I’m not trying to get anyone out of office and I’m not trying to keep anyone in office. I’m not running for Scott, either. I am running because I care about the town and I’m severely worried about its fate.

Q: But you’re friends with Setters’ niece! And you live on the Langfield’s street! How could you not be in his camp?
A: This has no bearing on my political views, or why I am running. She and they will be the first to tell you that we don’t necessarily agree politically. I also bought my house because it was beautiful and was on the market. It was an opportunity that I seized.

Q: But I saw a picture of you and two of your opponents having lunch. What about that?
A: That was the first time I spent time with either of them. I respect them both and we get along.

Q: You know you cannot control your supporters if they say something negative about someone or do something negative, right?
A: Absolutely. However, I do have control over who I invite on to my team. Everyone on my team, especially those installing all of my signs and helping me, my campaign manager included, is carefully chosen, and is respectful, classy and kind. They represent me, and I them. You are the company you keep.

Q: Are you running to get anyone out of office?
A: Like I said, no. I pulled papers before any of the town gossip came flooding in. I am not part of it, never was. Myself, and none of my supports are in this race to get anyone out of office, nor to keep anyone in particular in office. We are in this race for the betterment of Somerset.

Q: Do most of your supporters ask for your endorsement when they post something about you?
A: Yes. They have a lot of respect and class. They like to portray positive messaging and want to be sure they have their facts straight.

I hope that answers some of your questions. Again, I am an open book. Feel free to reach out directly. I would love to hear your thoughts.