Potts seizes internship opportunities to launch her successful career

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Sam Potts, who has had a lifelong interest in building things, started at JP Cullen as an intern in January 2013.

Throughout her internship program, which lasted her entire time in college, she was assigned to Camp Randall’s Student Athlete Performance Center project.

The experience led to her continued involvement in UW Athletics projects. She recently worked on the Camp Randall South End Zone renovation project.

“I enjoy helping clients build successful projects that have a lasting impact on their communities,” she said. “I love taking my friends and family to my projects and showing them what I helped build.”

A few years after Potts was hired full time, she was elected vice president of JP Cullen’s Young Leaders Group. She served in that role for two years, bringing many great ideas to the company.

Potts has been asked by two newer women within the company to be their mentor. Through the company’s Building Women Leaders group, she will provide each of them with opportunities to connect, support and empower one another to grow and succeed.

Her fellow estimator, Ryan Hastings, noted that Potts is training in preconstruction on the Edgewood Campus School project and commented on her clear communications with the architect and her ability to make constructability recommendations to avoid future difficulties and to present budgets clearly.

“The client had a few concerns with building maintenance and Sam was able to research historical project data to respond to those concerns, which in turn impressed them,” he said. “Because of

Sam’s skills and experience, the Edgewood clients are extremely happy and she has established a great rapport with the architect. I am so thankful to be learning from such a great estimator who leads by example.”