Meet the Team: Spotlight on Wilkinson's Plumbing Division

We're excited to present another department in our Meet the Team series. In this edition, we’re shining a spotlight on the Plumbing & New Construction division. Get to know the people behind the scenes, learn about their roles and discover what makes their department unique.

Doug Bleicken, Plumbing/Construction Division Manager; Mike Ford, Project Manager/Estimator; Amanda Reis, Assistant Project Manager

Get to know Plumbing Division Manager, Doug Bleicken

Can you introduce yourself and describe your role in the department? I am the Plumbing/Construction Manager. My responsibilities include growing the commercial plumbing staff, overseeing plumbing operations, estimating, and project management. I have a Master Plumber License, Journey Plumber License, Journeyman Pipefitter License, Medical Gas Certification, and a Management Certificate from Curry College. 

How long have you been with the company? I joined Wilkinson in 2022 and I have over 30 years of experience in the commercial plumbing and heating industry.

Top Row: Robert M., Foreman; Kevin M., Plumber; Dean F., Foreman; Stephen M., Plumber; Isaiah M., Plumber; Stephen S., Plumber; Bottom Row: George T., Plumber; Manuel F., Plumber; Brian O., Plumber; Joseph W., Apprentice Plumber; Ian F., Apprentice Plumber; Pat S., Plumber

Department Details

What are the main responsibilities of your department? We are responsible for:

• Building relationships with GCs (estimators, project executives, PMs, APMs, Supers).
• Receiving bid invites, sending out pricing, and following up on outstanding bids and quotes.
• Tracking job lifecycle from initial bid to closeout packages.
• Bid approval, contract, submittals, permits, inspections, warranty & as-built drawings.
• Keeping up with all job updates, change orders, approvals, site visits, & project specific meetings.
• Scheduling manpower.
• Ensuring job success with plumbing foremen.
• Manpower, purchase orders, change orders, up to date drawings, and safety equipment.

• Keeping up with all job updates as they come in.
• Making sure all internal files are up to date.
• Reviewing Job Folders: Dropping in new addendums, drawings, RFI’s, Change Orders, etc.
• Reviewing Job Status: Job numbers, start dates, submittal packages & approvals, material releases, and permit & inspection status.
• Manpower: Scheduling which jobs plumbers are set to work on daily, along with  a tentative two week schedule, and longer project projections.
• Bid Status: Keeping track of bid requests and due dates and amounts, tracking which GCs bid vs. who is awarded, and bid wins vs. losses.  

How does your department contribute to the overall success of the company? The Plumbing/Construction division focuses on working together to bring in new business and building relationships to ensure customer satisfaction.

What are some challenges your department faces, and how do you overcome them? A current challenge is trying to find a sweet spot for manpower and scheduling. We have started to project out timelines for active jobs and possible wins to ensure we will have a balance between enough plumbers and foremen in the field and workload. One solution is hiring new employees when needed and providing training.

Personal insight from Plumber, Brian O.:

What do you enjoy most about your job? Seeing a project successfully completed.

Can you share a memorable experience or achievement during your time here? Watching the construction division evolve into a successful branch of the Wilkinson Companies. 

What skills or qualities are essential for success in your department? The ability to be humble and work together to accomplish a common goal.

How do you stay motivated and inspired in your role? Knowing that the people who hold management roles are willing to listen and make changes when suggestions from the field are brought to them.