A Perfect Match
Herbert Carlo admits he’s a perfectionist. As President of USA
Painting, he has had more than his share of demanding clients: the
Russian Tea Room, Nasdaq and Leona Helmsley. After attending a
reception for contractors at St. John’s University, he hoped to add
the University to his client list. Since then, his high standards
and strong customer service have won him several University
contracts. “The University is a demanding client, but fair,” says
Mr. Carlo. “We’ve developed a good working relationship.”
Good Citizens By Design
Crystal McKenzie believes that companies should be part of the
solution. That’s why she offers the employees of her
marketing/communications firm a strong medical and dental plan and
has established a 401K program for their retirement. She also
believes that good citizenship extends to her clients and is proud
to still be working for her first client, Peg Alston Arts, an art
gallery, 20 years after their first project together.
For St. John’s University, Ms. McKenzie has created a different
kind of solution. She has redesigned the signage at the Queens and
Manhattan campuses to enhance the University’s graphic identity and
guide visitors througout the campus.
A Team Effort
When Steven Williams, President of GMP Construction Corp. took on
the job of building an electrical substation on the Queens campus,
he knew it would have to be a team effort with the University. This
would be only the second privately constructed substation in the
city—and the largest.
GMP would also be dealing with a tight construction schedule:
the new substation, which would enable the University to purchase
electricity in bulk, would have to be completed in five months.
“The people we worked for at St. John’s were very informed and
professional,” says Mr. Williams. “The project was a challenge, but
we quickly gained a lot of confidence in each other.”