Donna N. Williams (seated, far right) leads the Parsons -H.J. Russell JV team’s efforts on the ITRP.
The journey continues!
On the doorstep of its 50th anniversary in 2019, George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) continues to break new ground, literally and figuratively, on its quest to unparalleled excellence as a five-star global air service gateway. The Houston Airport System’s IAH Terminal Redevelopment Program (ITRP), one of the most significant expansion programs ever undertaken by HAS, is a key stop along that journey.
Underneath the supervisory umbrella of HAS’s Chief Development Officer Robert Barker, ITRP is led by the Executive Program Manager (EPM) team, Turner & Townsend, a three-person team led by Steven Andersen. Two Program Management Support Services (PMSS) teams partner with HAS and the EPM. The teams, both joint ventures, were selected by the City of Houston through the qualifications process in 2014 to provide services for ITRP. Those teams are the Parsons-H.J. Russell JV and the Houston Aviation Alliance JV.
The PMSS scope of services includes responsibility for providing the systems, services and staff to ensure the successful completion and commissioning of the ITRP in compliance with the approved scope, schedule, and budget and with highest-quality level of services.
The Parsons-HJ Russell JV is led by Donna N. Williams. Donna is a vice president and program manager for Parsons Transportation Group, a subsidiary of the Parsons Corporation, a global engineering and construction leader.
Donna characterized the current state of the program and applauded the patience and due diligence of the HAS moving forward deliberately. “We’re moving in a good direction,” she said. “I’m reminded of the old Steven Covey quote – ‘If the ladder is not leaning against the right wall, every step we take just gets us to the wrong place faster.’ “The only constant is change,” Donna continued, “and how we adapt is what makes the difference.”
The Parsons-HJ Russell JV includes the two firms plus seven consultants. The JV team is comprised of companies with longstanding business relationships, some of more than 20 years, and Donna said their business success in working together was key in assembling a winning team.
What will people see at the end of this journey – how will ITRP make our flying experience better?” They will see a beautiful airport,” Donna said, “in a vibrant city, even more so than now. The flight experience will be such that passengers will choose to fly into this airport because of the experience – the ease of moving through with minimal effort, the state-of-the-art technology being implemented here that makes the flying experience fun – restaurants, music, amazing amenities…”
Donna gave kudos to HAS and the ITRP Team for their commitment to the Program. “Everyone is working very hard to provide excellence and to keep the conversation going in a healthy way,” she said. “Yes, the journey continues, and the destination is going to be well worth the ride. And then some.”