James C. Ostrom founded Ostrom Management Consulting as a way to actively participate in, and further the development of, continuous process improvement work cultures in the built environment related professions.
As a first generation college graduate in a blue collar family, hard work and taking pride in the work you do has always been central to my approach to a job well done.
James began his career working in high school for a building materials supplier. Over several years working in a warehouse receiving inventory and filling orders for customers, as a metal fabricator, and a delivery driver, some of my early experiences seeing the construction world from a retail supplier perspective helps to understand the key role these businesses play in the overall creation of the built environment.
After graduating high school James attended Purdue University Northwest located in northwest Indiana. My successful completion of a Bachelor of Science Degree in Construction Technology included an Associate of Science in Architectural Engineering Technology. Throughout my college career, I worked several different jobs both during school and summers. These jobs included working as a laborer and carpenter for a custom home builder, being self employed as a small construction company, and as a lab assistant at the University. These experiences working as a carpentry subcontractor and small general contractor are beneficial to understanding the pressures small businesses and subcontractors experience as part of a larger team involved in construction projects.
James started his professional commercial construction career in the estimating department of a small general contractor in the City of Chicago, Illinois. After working in estimating as an intern and after college full time, James changed roles to a Project Manager. This Project Management role was centered on the managing projects as part of the development of a new healthcare construction market for the general contractor. This role required estimating and managing many smaller projects at multiple healthcare facilities.
James next career stop was working at a large international Construction Management Company. This change in direction was an effort to be able to experience larger projects and get closer to the construction field operations early on in my career. As both a Project Engineer and Project Superintendent James was exposed to how Construction Management as an agent in a cost plus delivery model worked. Although this was a good experience being able to work in the field and be close to the construction trades, the decision to leave and return to more of a general contractor or construction manager at risk delivery model organization.
This decision led James to accept a position with a medium size general contractor as an Estimator/Project Manager in a downtown Chicago office. This role was focused on interior build-outs of high rise building in the downtown Chicago market initially and then changed to managing healthcare client accounts for The University of Chicago Hospitals and Advocate Healthcare System.
While working as a Project Manager for the general contractor James was asked by one of his clients if I would consider working for a healthcare organization managing construction as an owners representative. James interviewed and was hired as a Project Manager in the Design & Construction Department of a large healthcare system. Not only did James enjoy focusing on healthcare construction full time, the exposure to healthcare delivery and how it was impacted by capital improvement projects was an additional challenge that was welcomed.
After several years of managing progressively larger project I was asked to join my former boss at another large healthcare system on a master facility plan program that exceeded $144 Million. After accepting a position as Project Manager, James was promoted to Senior Project Manager and started an in-house construction group. After successfully managing a project portfolio exceeding $300 Million over several years James was ready for his next career challenge.
While working as Senior Project Manager, James returned to school part time and graduated with a Master of Business Administration Degree in Management from the University of Saint Francis in Joliet, Illinois.
James next role was Project Director in a corporate engineering division of a large healthcare system. The project was a nearly 450,000 SF $280 Million Children’s Hospital Addition and related campus revitalization program. This project included relocating parking structures, helipads, and building connections to the main hospital and laboratory facilities. In addition, the campus main entrance was relocated to the new building addition which required to removal and relocation of a City roadway which was completed as part of the project as a developer and deeded to the municipality at completion.
After successful completion of the Children’s Hospital Project, James was promoted to Executive Director of Standards & Commissioning. This new role in the organization was created to develop facility standards and quality processes for over 180 healthcare sites of care including eight hospital campuses in Illinois and Michigan. In this role, James lead the successful creation of a facilities standard program, creation of a sustainability program, and the creation and development of a Total Project Commissioning process implementation. These program lead to the first LEED Gold Certified building construction project and the first project utilizing Total Project Commissioning delivery methods. This role also introduced James to Six Sigma and Lean Process Methodologies.
James next role was starting Ostrom Management Consulting firm as Principal Consultant . This first consulting project was located in Western Asia and was related to one of the largest mega projects for the development of a new city in the world. This consulting role lasted part time for about one year and included involvement in new infrastructure related to an international port, a major train station, new industrial center, business district, canal system, hotel, and multiple residential communities.
After roles as Director of Lean Innovation for a construction company and Director of Planning, Design, & Construction for a healthcare system, The decision was made to try something a little different by entering into the profession of code compliance and enforcement. After spending two years as a Building Inspector and Code Compliance Officer in the second largest city in Illinois, James accepted the position of Building Official in a medium size town in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois.
In the summer of 2021, James shifted to full time teaching as an Associate Professor of Construction Management at Joliet Junior College in Joliet, Illinois. In addition to teaching, James stays connected to the current work environment by consulting, building inspection for municipal and education, and as a home inspector.