Julie Petrich has joined Hill International’s Mid-Atlantic team as business development director for the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) region. She brings to Hill nearly 20 years of project management and business development experience in the transportation industry, as well as a passion for relationship building.

“Clients prefer to work with people they like, from engineers to executives, and they benefit more from consultants who are true partners and who understand the challenges they face, as well as their visions,” says Julie. “This is especially true in the infrastructure sector, where owners are responsible for managing complex, interconnected projects in line with their overall program, portfolio, and organizational strategies.”

Project management partners with strong client relationships are better positioned to look at the big picture, beyond the scope of individual project assignments, Julie explains. This allows project managers to recognize interdependencies and opportunities for synergies, analyze portfolio- and program-wide risks, and reliably forecast owner needs.

“Relationships are also important for credibility,” she goes on. “No matter what our scope of work, it’s important that our clients completely trust our staff to understand their objectives and constraints and act always in their best interests.”

For Julie, this relationship-first approach begins with business development. “During pursuits, we don’t want to figure out just enough about a potential client to prepare a winning proposal,” she says. “We want to learn about processes and procedures, client culture, their existing systems and management capabilities, other projects and programs in their portfolio, their long-term business strategy—anything and everything that will help us lay the groundwork for a real relationship.”

At Hill, Julie will build relationships to develop Hill’s business in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area. Here, Hill’s traditional strength has been U.S. Federal Government building projects. Collaborating with her new colleagues, Julie will help capture additional opportunities in this exciting market. “I’ve been so impressed talking with some of our operations folks in DC and learning more about their projects,” she says. “They’re passionate and care deeply about the historical and cultural significance of the buildings they work on.”

In addition to looking at additional vertical opportunities, Julie also aims to help grow Hill’s business in other key regional market sectors. With the DMV set to welcome 1.5 million new residents through 2050 according to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments’ most recent forecast, Julie expects many opportunities in the transportation, water/wastewater, data center, and mixed-use sectors. “Throughout the U.S. and around the world, Hill has strong experience in these sectors,” she says. “I look forward to collaborating across our regions and business lines to connect owners in the DMV region with Hill’s global knowledge and expertise.”

In addition to collaborating with experts and practice leaders at Hill, Julie also plans to leverage her relationships with peers throughout the industry. Julie is a member of the Maryland Transportation Builders & Materials Association Legislative Committee, a member of the American Council of Engineering Companies of Maryland’s Consulting Engineers Political Action Committee, and a member of the WTS Washington, DC, Chapter.  These relationships, she says, can lead to advantageous partnering arrangements and new opportunities in multiple markets.

“We’re glad to welcome Julie to Hill,” says Senior Vice President and Regional Manager Todd Cooper. “With her background in operations, she knows exactly what’s at stake for our clients and what they need in a project management partner. Her relationship-first approach to business development also aligns with Hill’s priorities, and I know her connections throughout the industry will be invaluable as we work to grow Hill’s business in Washington, DC, and throughout the Mid-Atlantic.”

To speak with Julie about your program, project, or construction management needs, reach out to her at [email protected].