Get to Know Strategic Account Manager Saul Contreras

Saul Contreras is a strategic account manager for Energy in Western Washington and has been with McKinstry since 2022. Saul enjoys collaboration across teams as well as the impact McKinstry’s projects have on our partners and the planet.

In the Q&A below, learn more about what brought Saul to McKinstry, what his favorite projects have been and his words of wisdom!

Learn More About Saul’s Experience

What do you enjoy most about working at McKinstry?

The two things that stand out the most is, number 1, the people.  Working with passionate and talented team members makes showing up every day not only challenging but extremely fun.  There is a lot of collaboration across the team, departments and organization so there is never a dull moment, and usually it takes a village to solve or deliver resolutions for our partners.  Number 2 is the impact our projects have with our partners and the planet.  I have never had a job where we could tangibly measure those results.  It’s great to reflect on that and feel really good about the work we are doing.

Which project have you loved contributing to the most?

Honestly, I have enjoyed them all.  Being new to the industry, it has been a big learning curve on every project and everything is still new and exciting.  But if I had to pick a favorite it would have to be the work I have done with the Highline School District – Southern Heights / Virtual Academy.  The scope was to replace the older style lighting with new LED fixtures across the school.  There was additional scope to refresh/replace the flooring, ceiling, casework and painting.  Essentially, we were transforming the space so the new teachers and students would have a comfortable and updated environment for the 2023 school year.  The timeline was extremely tight and I’m happy to report we were able to deliver on time and meet the school district’s expectations.

What drew you to McKinstry and the industry?

An ex-colleague started working at McKinstry during the pandemic and spoke very highly of the company culture.  Every time I would check in with him, he would have this authentic enthusiasm that really piqued my interest.  Then during the interview process, everyone I met was passionate and brilliant. I knew that, even though this was a new industry, I shouldn’t pass up the opportunity.

How do you spend your free time?

I have a 4-year-old and a 1-year-old so I spend as much time as I can with my family.  It’s always a fun time at my house nowadays.

Which of McKinstry’s values do you resonate with most?

Put People First.  Whether is a social aspect or business, when you put people first it sets a great foundation for starting a relationship.

Any additional wisdom to share with others?

McKinstry is such a diverse organization with many product offerings and so many talented individuals, it can be difficult to fully understand our scope of capabilities.  As a Strategic Account Manager, I’m here to align our partners’ values with our own and help them navigate the McKinstry ecosystem no matter what size project.

Explore Other Insights

McKinstry’s Technical Womxn Alliance

McKinstry Alliances are our version of employee resource groups or affinity groups. Alliances are voluntary, employee…

Diana Wright: Navigating Language Barriers with Empathy

“A lot of us live in a bubble, sharing the majority of the time with people in our own community. Hispanic Heritage M…