Architect of the Capitol Stephen T. Ayers, AIA, LEED AP, announced on Tuesday, August 24, that Ms. Christine A. Merdon, PE, CCM, has been hired as Chief Operating Officer.
The Architect of the Capitol’s (AOC’s) Chief Operating Officer is responsible for programs and initiatives associated with strategic planning, performance management, worker safety, customer satisfaction and service quality. She will join the AOC in mid-September.
Ms. Merdon comes to the AOC with a wealth of experience in both the public and private sectors. She began her Federal career in 1981 as a cooperative education engineering student for the U.S. Navy. After earning her Bachelor of Science degree in 1987, from the University of Maryland in Civil Engineering, she continued her career with the Navy as a project engineer and project manager. In 1998, she received a Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering.
In 1990, she joined the White House Military Office as a Project Manager responsible for managing classified design and construction projects at the White House, Camp David, and other Presidential Support Facilities.
In 1998, Ms. Merdon was hired by Clark Construction, LLC, where she was project manager and superintendent on numerous projects including the American Red Cross Headquarters, Bethesda Place II, and the renovation of Baltimore’s historic Hippodrome Theater.
Ms. Merdon joined McKissack & McKissack in 2000, where she ascended to the role of Senior Vice President of Program and Construction Management. Her responsibilities included operations and business development for program and construction management contracts in Washington, DC, Chicago, Illinois, and Los Angeles, California. She was instrumental in the growth of the company in Washington, and start-up and management of the program management division in Chicago and Los Angeles. All told, she has been responsible for the successful program and construction management of more than $11 billion in major construction projects and programs including: Washington Nationals Major League Baseball Stadium, O’Hare Modernization Program, Eisenhower Executive Office Building life-safety upgrades, Los Angeles Unified School District, Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial, Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum for African American History, and Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson Memorial Renovations.
“I am very impressed with Christine’s knowledge, energy, and passion for her work. She is a consummate professional who is focused on strategic planning, project management, and customer satisfaction. Her experience both in the public and private sectors gives her the unique qualifications necessary to assist our organization in preserving the historic integrity of the U.S. Capitol, providing a safe and sustainable workplace, and continuing to build a legacy of professionalism and service,” said Ayers.
Throughout her career, Ms. Merdon has won many outstanding performance awards, as well as project excellence awards for construction projects. She is a Registered Professional Engineer in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a member of the Construction Management Association of America, and a Certified Construction Manager. Ms. Merdon is the President of the DC Chapter of the Architecture, Construction, and Engineering (ACE) mentor program, and is very active in the Women in Engineering program at the University of Maryland. She and her family reside in Northern Virginia.
The Architect of the Capitol is responsible to the United States Congress for the maintenance, operation, development, and preservation of 16.5 million square feet of buildings and more than 450 acres of land throughout the Capitol campus. This includes the Capitol, Capitol Visitor Center, the House and Senate office buildings, the Library of Congress buildings, the Supreme Court building, the U.S. Botanic Garden, the Capitol Power Plant, and other facilities.
The Architect of the Capitol also provides professional expertise with regard to the preservation of architectural and artistic elements entrusted to its care, and provides recommendations concerning design, construction, and maintenance of the facilities and grounds.
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