Member Spotlight: Paul Heggins
Name: Paul HegginsCurrent Career: Associate Director CBRE
What AAFAME Committees are you in: Sadly, I am not involved with any Committees, but I do encourage my staff to attend the meetings and participate in the events.
Past Jobs: Started my career in 1986 working for Financial Industries Corporation as a maintenance tech. Became their lead engineer and started traveling to the different properties owned by FIC. I traveled to Elizabeth, NJ, Philadelphia, PA, Jackson, MS and Austin, TX. In November of 91, I was transferred to Austin right after the purchase of the Austin Centre/Omni Hotel. In 1996 the building sold and I decided to put the traveling behind me and stay on with the new owners of Austin Centre/Omni Hotel. That building became my home away from home for almost 27 years and in that length of time I have worked for several different management companies. March 2018, I was offered an amazing opportunity with CBRE so I left Austin Centre after 27 years and now my goal is to take over all of Highrise buildings in downtown Austin.
Professional Aspirations (path you want your career to follow): Take over all of downtown Austin as the Managing Director of Engineering
What do you not like about your boss? There’s nothing not to like. I love everything about her.
What do you want to be when you grow up? I would like to go back to being a pilot, a radio control pilot that is. I have flown RC planes and helicopters for many years. It’s funny because once you get good at flying RC planes, you think you are good enough to fly the real planes
Unusual experience as a Building Engineer: Every day is an unusual experience, that’s what I love about this profession. Come to work with a plan, by the end of the day you realize the plan you started with had to be tabled, and that’s how quick things change in this industry.
Five Minutes of Fame: Several moons back a friend of mine started calling me The Great White Shirt! That kind of stuck, so I guess my 5 minutes of fame is still going on today
Hobbies: RC Flying, woodwork around the house and building planes from kits. But when I fly, I prefer flying planes owned by others so mine can sit on the shelf looking good. Keep in mind, there’s an expiration date on all RC planes.
Pet Peeves: Lots of Pets Peeves out there! What I hate the most is being told, NO it can’t be done. You can do it! I don’t care what it is….it can be done or there’s a way to work around it. Don’t be negative when it comes to making something better.
If you could change anything, what would it be: I would’ve taken over all of downtown years earlier.
Quote, saying or song: “Be careful what you wish for”
Favorite thing about AAFAME: I love that it’s not just an organization, it’s more like a family, a place to get information, assistance if you need it. AAFAME is a great organization to be a part of. I regret I don't have the time to be more involved but I believe it to be a great benefit to all Engineers and I would encourage all that aren’t, to become a member!
Interviewed By: Sara Camp with Beckwith Electronic Systems, LLC.