MWMCA Interviews Kara DiPietro of Holdings Management Company, dba HMC
Please tell us about Holdings Management Company (HMC), its origin and full scope of services and products produced?
HMC is a manufacturer of custom and architectural millwork, casework, cabinets, wood paneling, plastic laminate and wood veneer products, other interior structure fabrication, and sound absorbing building materials. The company is licensed by the Architectural Woodworking Institute ("AWI") and adheres to the Quality Certification Program's strict guidelines ("QCP"). The AWI-QCP certification program is the industry's most prestigious. HMC has decades of experience in manufacturing, installation, and project management.
HMC successfully manages and maintains up to twenty projects simultaneously, ranging in size from a few thousand to a few million dollars each. Every HMC project begins with a detailed estimate. Our estimators have decades of experience estimating complex millwork projects.Our commercial practice includes renovations and new construction of Healthcare Facilities, Corporate Office Space and Mixed-Use, Government Installations, Sports Stadiums, Convention Centers, College and Universities, Fast Casual and Franchise Food service establishments, and more.
We understand how to stick to a budget without sacrificing quality.We are knowledgeable about material pricing and lead times. During the bidding process, we review drawings to ensure constructability and durability. Project sequencing, security, and scheduling are areas of expertise. We have experience with temporary operations, complex project phasing, and tight deadlines. When bidding on projects, our understanding of construction complexities is invaluable. We take all of this knowledge and provide rock-solid bids on which the entire project team can rely.
HMC has formed a partnership with BAUX, the creators of one of the world'smost innovative and sustainable acoustic products. HMC became the exclusive North American manufacturer of BAUX acoustics products. BAUX acoustic panels and tiles can be found in hundreds of projects for leading brands such as Google, Microsoft, KPMG, Nike, and many more across the United States and Canada. HMC has evolved into one of the industry's most respected trade manufacturing organizations. HMC is tenacious in its pursuit of market share and partnerships that will result in the creation of more well-paying manufacturing jobs in the United States. The company is committed to investing in diversity, accelerating minority and woman business ownership, and community development as one of the few 100 percent woman-owned large millwork firms in the industry.
What is your American footprint?
Many of our commercial bid requests for custom and architectural millwork projects, including installation, that come through sites like Building Connected are located in the Maryland, DC, Virginia area. We've recently noticed an increase in direct web traffic to our website requesting pricing for millwork packages fabricated on-site and shipped to a larger area of the United States for installation. BAUX acoustics projects are located all over the United States and Canada.
How does your team work with an owneror prime contractor’s design/build team?
Often our team begins working with an owner and/or the prime contractor before the invitation to bid is even extended. We welcome the opportunity to meet with prospective clients by offering a tour of our manufacturing facility and a meet and greet with our team.We also try to take advantage of as many of the engagement opportunities offered by MWMCA that facilitate interaction among trade contractors and owners and construction management/general construction companies. Those opportunities to meet have proven to be a really valuable part of the business pipeline.
After receiving an invitation to bid, our estimating team works closely with the prime contractor's team. We conduct a thorough review of the drawings from both a quality control and a design standpoint (constructability,durability, take-off to ensure accurate dimensions, etc.). This review will frequently detect in advertent errors, missing items or alternates, and so on. We take pride in this review because it allows us to work through the prime with the architect to avoid problems later. Because ourteam has extensive construction experience, we are frequently able to offer solutions that result in a better overall result. Estimating large projects can take anywhere from six months to a year!
When HMC receives the Notice of Award, our estimating team transfers the project to our project coordinator. She will work with HMC's project managementand manufacturing departments to complete all initial paperwork, assign a project manager, and reserve time on the shop schedule for fabrication, installation, and so on.
Once a project manager is assigned, they take the lead on the project and will collaborate directly with the prime contractor or owner's representative to ensure the project's success.
Please tell us about the craftsmanship coming out of your manufacturing /fabricating crew?
The Architectural Woodworking Institute has certified HMC (AWI). AWI establishes guidelines for the specification, design, and installation standards of interior architectural woodwork. The AWI Quality Certification Program (QCP) ensures that AWI-certified firms provide the highest quality interior architectural woodwork. "To be the global leader in architectural woodwork standards, related interior finishes, industry specific education, and networking opportunities," is AWI's vision/mission. As a result, as an AWI certified firm, HMC is required to uphold and deliver on the same standards, from ensuring the accuracy of construction documents and submittals to providing education and job training opportunities. Our cabinet makers,finishers, and machinists are highly skilled professionals with over a century of combined experience.
Please elaborate on your commercial kitchen equipmentor appliance acquisition/installation side of the business?
In 2019, Holdings Management Company merged millwork manufacturing and BAUX acoustic product manufacturingunder one roof. We believe that our custom and architectural millwork and acoustic product businesses are the stars of the show, so we have chosen to focus solely on expanding those capabilities. Beginning in April 2021, we embarked on a significant expansion project that included the purchase of several additional large pieces of manufacturing equipment as well as the construction of a specially designed and engineered state-of-the-art 33,000 sq ft manufacturing facility that is both better for the environment and healthier for our employees. We intend to hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony some time in the first quarter of 2022, and MWMCA will, of course, be invited!
Word on the street is that you are big on philanthropic endeavors. What’s that all about?
Well, as I was going through life as a business owner, I came across complex obstacles. I gained perspective through perseverance. That perspective ignited a curiosity causing me to delve deeper into serious issues effecting society. Issues such as opportunity inequality and the vast income disparities that exist in our country today. In order to understand how these issues affect everyone on the planet, I began researching the relationship between economics and quantum physics. Surprisingly, there is already a body of research linking the two. It's known as "econophysics," and you can learn more about it by going to the Kinetic Capital Community Foundation website. To cut a long story short,a few years of research and exploration resulted in the formation of two new businesses.
Kinetic Capital LLC, for starters, is an economic innovation firm. We work to promote socioeconomic mobility by launching economic stimulus and business development initiatives (acquisitions, cooperatives, purchasing groups, and so on) that promote economic growth, opportunity equality, social integrity, racial equity, and environmental sustainability. We are working to create an economy that works for everyone and recognizes the importance of working toward transnational change based on cooperation, equality, social integrity, racial justice, and environmental sustainability. We believe that strong, local, small businesses will help to create a world in which everyone can afford to live in safe, healthy, and thriving communities. https://www.kineticcapitalllc.com/
Kinetic Capital Community Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization focused on community and urban development, was established soon after. Our approach is novel, and it is intended to assist people in recognizing their own worth and potential. The services, skills, resources, and opportunities we offerare all designed to assist individuals in reaching their full potential through self actualization. Our initiatives are intended to help people improve their quality of life and to build strong, equitable, and sustainable communities by leveraging economic,physics, and business development principles. https://www.kineticcapitalcommunityfoundation.org/
As a woman owning and running this business, what have your encounters been like when interfacing with mostly men of authority in the construction and design fields?
Ah, we were able to stand our ground against the mafia. I couldn't have done it without the practice I got cutting my teeth with the construction and design guys....
Why should HMC be the top choice when considering Millwork manufacturing and installation?
I already told you all the fancy stuff about our manufacturing facility and AWI certification and everything, but what it all boils down to is that HMC will NEVER let you down.
How can you be reached?
Email Kara DiPietro at k.dipietro@hmcoinc.com or (410)309-1903
