Constructing Community: A Spotlight On The Move Team
Constructing Community: A Spotlight On The Move Team
Tom Tafoya, Michael Brubaker, Michael Miller, Uriel Gonzalez, Kevin Wellsfry, James Hartley, and Soren Gutierrez are more than just business leaders – they’re Project Managers and interior designers, architects and movers. For nearly two years, this group planned, problem-solved, and executed every detail of the move from Carmichael to our new building in Gold River, bringing life to a project that began as the “Road Map to 7,000 and Beyond” eight years ago.
“In 2017-18, I was working on a plan called ‘Road Map to 7,000 and Beyond’ to plan Visions’ future,” explains Tom Tafoya, Chief Operations Officer. “Back then, we were serving about 5,500 students and had smaller staff. One of the goals to help us grow was purchasing a new building to better serve our families and support our staff.”
In 2019, the search for a new building began, but was put on hold when COVID hit. A year later, as the effects of the pandemic receded, the process restarted, beginning with the idea to purchase the Southgate Glass building next to Visions’ former office. That opportunity, along with dozens of others, ultimately did not pan out, and finally, we found 11931 Foundation Place.
“Suffice to say this has been a multi-year project involving exploration of dozens of properties, listing and selling 5030 El Camino, and finally closing and moving into Foundation Place,” Tom adds.
Supporting Tom was Senior Director of Operations Michael Brubaker, whose role evolved throughout the move process.
“At the beginning, I worked with Tom and our realtor to find the building. Once the building was acquired, I worked with the team (including our architect and project manager) to develop the detailed construction plans,” says Michael. “Once the construction started, I participated in the weekly meetings to ensure the construction was being done as agreed upon and according to our high standards. I also supported several of the projects and oversaw some of the vendors for other building projects that were outside of the general contractor’s purview.”
Collaboration was essential throughout the planning process, with the team logging 300 to 400 hours in meetings from start to finish. Clear roles, open communication, and strong coordination kept both the Visions team and our contractors aligned and moving forward.
“My role was to work in concert with our team, our project consultant and architect, as well as contractors and service providers to obtain quotes and samples/options for our team to review and select,” says Kevin. “I was also responsible for proofing all of the fine details of the many aspects of the ‘physical facilities’ part of the project including carpet, paint, fabrics, finishes, furniture, and construction plans.”
Administrative Assistants Amita Pegany and Randee Ramirez were Kevin and Michael’s right hand women, supporting everything from changing our address with the post office to ordering refrigerators for our breakroom. They helped lighten the load for our Move Team, filling in the gaps and making things easier for the rest of the team.
Also working hard behind-the-scenes were Director of Technology Services Uriel Gonzalez and Technology Services Manager Michael Miller, who collaborated to build our technology infrastructure, making sure both staff and students had the tools they needed.
“I was mainly responsible for implementing the plans and determining the exact details for the technology portion. For example, where would the network drops go, what PA system to use, camera placements, etc.,” says Michael.
“My role included looking at the projects from a balcony view, in order to review and assess risks as part of the move to the new building. Specifically, oversight for solutions on technology and logistics surrounding the move,” adds Uriel.
Changing Through Challenges
It’s hard to fully grasp the countless details involved in coordinating a move of this scale. While the end result is impressive, executing a project of this magnitude came with its fair share of challenges.
“As with anything in life, we make plans but nothing goes quite as planned,” admits Tom. “The team has worked through many challenges and obstacles and still delivered a great building which will be a lasting asset to Visions In Education.”
“We encountered many unanticipated layers of details and requirements with almost every project associated with this process,” adds Kevin Wellsfry, Operations Manager. “Our team went the extra mile through this whole process and especially on the move weekend, in order to ensure that everything was moved out of our old building and staff would be able to unpack on June 16, in order to be ready to service the public that week!”
“The move should have been pretty easy but was anything but when the moving company was quite short staffed,” says Soren Gutierrez, Director of Accountability & Data Services. “James [Hartley], Spencer [Summerhays] and I stepped up big time and physically moved a lot of the bins, chairs, chair mats, down from the second floor to the loading dock. Basically we pushed everything out to the movers so they could load four trucks simultaneously and as quickly as possible. In the end we got it down but it was two, 12 hour days to get it done!”
Alongside external challenges, the team also faced a number of internal obstacles.
“The biggest challenge was integrating the technology plan with other plans – how many cables were needed depended on the number of cubicles. We also had to understand what the goal of the spaces were to ensure we placed the proper technology there,” explains Michael Miller.
A few growing pains – like short-circuited outlets (RIP upstairs Keurig) – were to be expected, but each was a small price to pay for a space that better supports our staff.
Building it Back 1% Better
The new building comes with a host of perks – a quiet room, a gym next door, and endless coffee, to name a few – and starting from scratch gave us the unique opportunity to incorporate a number of 1% better improvements.
“The move provided us an opportunity to reconsider how we do things and implement improvements for long term gains,” says Michael Miller.
Our commitment to being 1% better is perfectly captured in the new tile centerpiece in our lobby. Designed with the Visions logo, it stands as a powerful symbol of the mission that drives everything we do. Thanks to the dedication of our Move Team, we now have a space that not only serves our needs, but also inspires us daily to support our students with pride and purpose.
“The staff may not be aware how many Visions team members it took to be a part of this process,” says James Hartley, Attendance and Records Manager. “It was not just the moving team and the management of vendors but also the Facilities team, the Tech team, and other staff members who put in many hours so that the…transition at the new building could be as smooth as possible.”
Without the Move Team’s hard work, dedication, and creativity, our new office would still be just a plan in Tom’s mind. Thanks to their efforts, we now have a space that better supports our staff and enhances the way we serve our students. Thank you for your commitment to our community – it’s good to be Visions!
