The Real Harris: Meet McKenzie Scholz

Tell us about your background. How did you get your start in the construction/service/BAS business?

I have a degree in Advertising/Creative Writing and found myself drifting more into the Marketing field. I found myself in the construction industry totally by chance. After moving around a lot, I wanted to move closer to my family. So, I started looking for opportunities in the Twin Cities. The Harris job description aligned nicely with my career goals and aspirations.

What drew you to Harris?

The culture drew me to Harris and is what continues to make me stay. I work with an amazing team and enjoy working with everyone across Harris. Harris puts a huge focus on culture and it really shows throughout all the different departments. We really are One Harris, working together in a respectful way. I feel comfortable reaching out to anyone in the company, no matter their job title which really helps with productivity, open communication and just overall comfort at the workplace.

What do you enjoy about working at Harris?

Aside from the enjoyable culture at Harris, I also find joy in the opportunity for growth. Harris provides great opportunities to further my education through various channels. I also feel like I’m supported in exploring new ideas and being innovative within my role. I am able to strengthen my skills as a marketing professional and apply them to my day-to-day tasks.

What is the best part about your position?

The best part about my position is the variety of projects. In Marketing, we work with all 14 Harris locations. This means we have a constant stream of various projects rolling in. One week, I could be working on a proposal out of California and interview materials for Phoenix, and the next a brochure for St. Paul and a proposal for a mega-hospital in Maryland. Things never get boring, that’s for sure! It’s exciting to be a part of Harris’ projects in a unique way, especially when you get those big wins with a well-known client. It’s fun to be able to drive past a huge stadium and tell my friends or family “Harris built that”.

What traits do you think are important for someone in your role to be successful?

To be in Marketing, I think one needs to be creative, excellent at multi-tasking and very patient/understanding. In Marketing, you juggle a lot of different projects with tight deadlines. You have to be able to prioritize, think on your feet and most importantly, take a deep breath!

What are your main responsibilities and initiatives that you lead?

My principal responsibilities as a Marketing Specialist at Harris include proposal coordination, interview preparation, collateral creation, and anything else that comes my way. We are always trying to develop new, effective, and exciting ways to market Harris!

What are you passionate about at work?

At Harris, I am passionate about my team. I love seeing our growth and the support we give each other every day. It fuels me at work to know I have such great support and a creative team that strives to keep learning and growing.

How do you like to re-charge?

I love getting out and experiencing life through concerts, trying a new restaurant, visiting a market or travelling. A good adrenaline rush always gets the system moving again! However, I also need some downtime.  Watching a movie with my husband and dog or reading a good book helps me relax and re-charge.

What keeps you up at night?

Professionally, if I have a lot of deadlines around the same time, I will have dreams at night that I forgot something. I have been guilty of sitting up and going through a checklist out loud, only to realize it was a dream as my pug stares at me like I’m crazy.

Personally, a good book. I set aside time every night to read and if the book is thrilling, I can lose track of time.

What are you most proud of at Harris?

I am most proud of how far the Marketing team has come, the innovations we have brought to the table, and how we continue to grow. It is a great feeling to create an outstanding marketing piece in collaboration with other departments. Especially when that marketing piece helps win work and/or helps the company grow. I feel like I’m making a difference with the work I do. This drives me to keep growing and doing more.

What is one thing Harris employees wouldn’t know about you?

I lived in South Korea for four years teaching English. I met my now-husband there and adopted my pug, Hazel. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that opened my eyes to multifarious cultures. We try to go back and visit as much as possible!

What inspires you?

The excitement of learning a new skill and seeing it successfully applied to further grow the company.