Spotlight on Construction Executive Pasco Umbriac

Construction Executive Pasco Umbriac was recently recognized as a Top Young Professional by ENR MidAtlantic.

Pasco, who started at Clark in 2001, has helped pave the way for some of the DMV’s most complex high-rise buildings and is currently leading construction for The Wilson and The Elm, a landmark three-tower mixed-use development in Bethesda, MD. 

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Hazleton, a small city in northeast Pennsylvania.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?  

My wife Beth and I, along with our two children, Sam (8) and Adeline (5), live in Silver Spring, Maryland. 

Beth and I met in high school and our families live just a few miles away from each other in Pennsylvania. When we visit, our kids are able to spend time with all of their grandparents and share some of the experiences that Beth and I had growing up.

What occupies your time outside of the office?  

Most of my time outside of work is spent with family. The kids keep my wife and I busy between school, sports, and their boundless energy. When we can get away, we enjoy spending time exploring the outdoors and checking out live music in and around DC.

What led you to pursue a career in this industry?

During college, I worked at an HVAC design firm for a summer and thought, "if this is what mechanical engineers do, I'm going to have a hard time." When Clark came to Villanova for a career fair and I heard about the kind of work general contractors do,  it sounded way more fun. I was right.

I’ve been at Clark since 2001 and haven't looked back.

Throughout your time in the construction industry, what are some ways you feel it has changed?

The use of technology to plan and build our projects is the biggest change I've seen. In less than 20 years, we've gone from paper drawing sets scattered on plan tables to using 3D models to think about every facet of our work. It's exciting to think about what construction will be like 10 or 20 years from now!

What is your favorite part about working in construction?

I really enjoy the people we get to collaborate with on a daily basis including architects, structural engineers, trade partners, and of course, the Clark team!

It's also very cool to drive through town and say, "we built that".

What is your greatest professional accomplishment?

Every project we finish feels like a major accomplishment, but one that sticks out for me is the Central Place project in Rosslyn, VA. Not only was it a great project with an awesome team, but Clark made a lasting change to the skyline. 

What would be your advice to a young engineer at Clark?

Construction can be very rewarding and is a great career path. You’re able to use all the problem-solving skills that you learned in school, apply them to real scenarios, and receive fairly immediate feedback. While it's not necessarily a "9-to-5" job and can be stressful at times, the satisfaction of building something that will leave a mark on our communities for decades is worth it!