By: Mollie Shauger | Thursday, August 13, 2020 | Leadership
To Susan DiGiacomo, the end result of a building project is more than just the aesthetic outcomes; it’s also about how it will be received by the community. One of the rewarding aspects of her job in construction management is seeing how a new or redesigned building can fuel the “economic engine” for a town or city.
“I’m always intrigued by how a project can be a catalyst for community growth or economic growth,” she said.
She now joins the Metropolitan YMCA of the Oranges Board of Directors to help advance that same type of growth in this area.
DiGiacomo is Vice President of the New Jersey office for Lehrer Cumming, a division of Cumming, an international company that provides project management and consulting on construction projects to clients across many different industries. She leads the New Jersey office in Cranford, which opened in 2015 and employs 11 people (and growing). Her office has provided design and management services for small and large-scale developments across the state, with a portfolio that includes mixed-use residential, commercial, educational, recreational facilities and municipal projects.
In her role, DiGiacomo is responsible for client management, project management in pre-development and pre-construction phases, and new business. Under her leadership, Cumming oversaw the design and recent construction of the state-of-the art YMCA of the Piscataway Community Center, an 84,000 square feet, two-story combined Y and town recreation center in Piscataway. The building features fitness and sports areas as well as a child care center, multi-purpose rooms, art and dance studios, and a golf simulator. The site also includes an outdoor splash park.
DiGiacomo was introduced to the Metro Ys through current board member and longtime friend Peter Tanella. She was excited by the involvement of so many people with business experience on the board, particularly for a nonprofit.
She plans to lend her two-decades worth of experience working with a variety of clients to the Y leadership board, as the Metro YMCAs explore new opportunities for growth. An Essex County resident, she looks forward to providing her insight to a local cause in the Y.
“We are excited to have Susan join the Y. Her expertise in building construction management and oversight, energy, and desire to improve communities aligns with the Y’s mission of strengthening our communities through healthy living, youth development, and social responsibility,” said Metro YMCAs President and CEO Richard K. Gorab.
Growing up, DiGiacomo served as a Y summer camp counselor in Westfield. She attended Rider University in Mercer County, where she earned a B.A. in Communications Journalism. She resides in Montclair.