May 2024 Behind the Scenes: Unveiling Our Team’s Passions
May 1, 2024
Discover the heartbeat of our company with an exclusive glimpse into the diverse talents and personalities that drive our successes. Get to know the faces behind the innovation in our “Meet Our Team” feature.
Bob Leonard, Senior Project Manager
Meet Bob Leonard, a seasoned Senior Project Manager who is also a licensed residential contractor. His exceptional problem-solving skills were honed during his upbringing in a lively household with eight children.
Q: Where are you from originally?
A: I was born and raised on the Jersey Shore.
Q: What hobbies do you enjoy in your free time?
A: When I am not working you can find me on a beach playing volleyball or working on DIY projects. I don’t know if eating counts as a hobby but that’s at the top of my list.
Q:What is a fun fact about yourself?
A: I am a licensed residential contractor in Charleston, SC. Among many remodeling jobs that I have completed, I am most proud of when I gutted and remodeled my own home in Charleston, with the help of a team of good subcontractors.
Q: What is a personal or professional achievement that profoundly shaped your life or career path?
A: I am one of eight children, and it shaped my life significantly. In a big family, you learn quickly how to cook, clean, do laundry, and whatever it takes to fend for yourself. My early experiences taught me how to be a problem solver and whenever someone says, “We have a problem”, I say, “We don’t have a problem we have solutions”.
Q: How did you find your way into the hospitality/construction industry?
A: I have a degree in Manufacturing, and one of my primary courses was the original AutoCAD. After graduation, a friend of mine in commercial HVAC asked if I wanted a job converting drawing velums to computer drawings. After several years, I worked my way up and became a Project Manager.
Q: Could you recount one of the most meaningful moments you’ve experienced with your team members during your tenure at The Hardy Group?
A: One of my most meaningful moments with The Hardy Group so far was gaining experience working on new builds. During COVID, I was assigned to work onsite at the TownePlace Suites in Nashville, a new build project. As the world adapted to unexpected changes, I felt extremely fortunate to be working with Project Executive Eric Augur. Despite the chaos, he ensured we got the job done as usual and proved to be an exceptional leader throughout.
Q: Has there been a mentor in your life who significantly influenced your career journey?
A: My most influential mentors are two of my older brothers. One was a builder and is now a developer and one worked in housekeeping and is now a General Manager. Early in my career, I looked to them for guidance.
Q: How do your personal passions aligns with the work we do at The Hardy Group?
A: I always wanted to be an architect but ended up being a builder and a carpenter for most of my life. The transition to serving as a Project Management combined my interests, there is not only personal satisfaction of completion, but the satisfaction of the client that makes you feel appreciated.
Read more about Bob, here.
Alyson Berget, Project Director
Meet Alyson Berget, a Project Director with a profound passion for hospitality and interior design. Her upbringing was uniquely shaped by living in a Bed and Breakfast owned by her parents, igniting her enthusiasm for both fields.
Q: Where are you from originally?
A: I’m originally from a small town in Minnesota with less than 5,000 people! I spent time in Chicago for college before moving to the West Coast in 2016.
Q: What hobbies do you enjoy in your free time?
A: I love to be outside exploring new hiking trails, traveling to unique places to experience other cultures, and practicing hot yoga.
Q: What is a fun fact about yourself?
A: When I was very young, my parents renovated a beautiful Victorian home from the 1900s and transformed it into an operational B&B. Growing up in a Bed & Breakfast, I was always surrounded by Hospitality and naturally became passionate about interior design.
Q: How do your personal passions aligns with the work we do at The Hardy Group?
A: I love to travel and one of the best parts of traveling is staying in hotels. At The Hardy Group, we manage all the various aspects of hospitality design and construction which in turn can lead to a better experience for future guests.
Q: Could you recount one of the most meaningful moments you’ve experienced with your team members during your tenure at The Hardy Group?
A: One of my favorite memories with The Hardy Group is joining team members from all over the country in Atlanta for the annual company meeting. It gave all the teams a chance to connect outside of our normal day to day, learn in a group setting, and have fun. Everyone is very nice and cares about fostering a positive work environment.
Q: How did you find your way into the hospitality/construction industry?
A: I grew up surrounded by hospitality and was always passionate about interior design. After managing a wide range of project types at previous firms, I knew I wanted to focus on hospitality, specifically hotels. I love creating environments that have a sense of home but allow you to transport to another, sometimes more luxurious and adventurous, world.
Q: Has there been a mentor in your life who significantly influenced your career journey?
A: My mom has always been my greatest mentor. When I was young, she allowed me to assist with renovation and design ideas for the Bed & Breakfast, curate the little details, and even provide breakfast to the guests. She is my biggest fan and inspires me to have an entrepreneurial mindset.
Q: What is a personal or professional achievement that profoundly shaped your life or career path?
A: I always had a dream of living in a large city and working on big projects. Even though I was already accepted into a midwestern school near my hometown, I decided to take a risk and I secretly, against my parents will, applied for a half-tuition scholarship for interior design. After completing a mini project, I was awarded the scholarship at the Illinois Institute of Art in Chicago. This decision profoundly impacted my career path and gave me the opportunity to meet some of the most influential people in my life.
Read more about Alyson, here.
Steve Bunetto, Senior Project Manager
Meet Steve Bunetto, a Senior Project Manager with over 30 years of industry experience and a former bull rider.
Q: Where are you from originally?
A: I am originally from Joliet, IL.
Q: What hobbies do you enjoy in your free time?
A: I enjoy outdoor activities like golf and fishing.
Q:What is a fun fact about yourself?
A: I was a Bull Rider for about 1½ years back in the early 1990’s in Litchfield, AZ.
Q: Has there been a mentor in your life who significantly influenced your career journey?
A: One of my most significant mentors is Rick Cavender with Marriott. He always said I was a strong #2 and taught me how to manage to become a strong leader.
Q: How did you find your way into the hospitality/construction industry?
A: After almost 30 years on the operational side of Hospitality with a variety of companies like Marriott International and Whitelodging, I took some time off to reevaluate what I wanted to do. I ended up choosing the construction side because my experience has taught me the balance of both sides and it has definitely helped in certain renovation situations.
Q: How do your personal passions aligns with the work we do at The Hardy Group?
A: I am passionate about providing clients, staff, and guests a great product that is new and exciting. It is extremely satisfying to watch a project come to life before your eyes.
Q: What is a personal or professional achievement that profoundly shaped your life or career path?
A: When I worked for Marriott, all the DOE’s I worked for helped me develop professionally and taught me how to take care of a team
Read more about Steve, here.
Nick Muntean, Project Director
Meet Nick Muntean, an ordained minister, former college soccer player, and experienced Project Director.
Q: Where are you from originally?
A: I am originally from Fort Hood, Texas. Some would say, I’m an Army Brat.
Q: What hobbies do you enjoy in your free time?
A: I’m a dad to an incredible 2-year-old girl, Charlotte. She’s a ball of energy who keeps my wife and I going nonstop, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. When I’m not busy chasing her around, I’ll usually have my nose in a book! I also love to be outside playing sports, hiking, or traveling somewhere new.
Q: Could you share a brief and interesting fact about yourself?
A: I’m an ordained minister and have officiated a handful of weddings for family and friends.
Q: Could you recount one of the most meaningful moments you’ve experienced with your team members during your tenure at The Hardy Group?
A: One of the most meaningful moments for me was when I was asked to take the lead on a project. I was grateful for the vote of confidence from our executive leadership team, and it helped me grow into my role as a Project Director. I enjoyed that I had the authority and autonomy to make it my own, and the experience was one I’ll never forget.
Q: Has there been a mentor in your life who significantly influenced your career journey?
A: My first boss at a General Contractor company is a key mentor in my life. I have a business degree and my background is in finance, she took me under her wing and showed me the ropes. She taught me the value of time, and always doing things the right way the first time – if you don’t have time to do it right, you don’t have time to do it twice! This industry is relationship driven and clear communication and accountability are the bedrock of those relationships. Though we no longer work together, she’s a good friend and I’ll always appreciate her guidance.
Q: What is a personal or professional achievement that profoundly shaped your life or career path?
A: I grew up playing soccer and was fortunate enough to play in college. I thrived in the hardworking, fast paced, team-oriented environment that was always working towards a common “goal”. I knew that I wanted that same energy in my profession.
Q: How did you find your way into the hospitality/construction industry?
A: My first job out of college was working with a wealth management firm. About 6 months into it, after a long day I bumped into a carpet installation crew who was installing flooring on my office floor that night. I had helped run carpet crews as a job in college and realized I knew the guys on the elevator. They joked with me about how I’d be happier with them installing flooring than wearing a suit sitting in a cubicle, and I realized pretty quickly they were right.
Q: How do your personal passions aligns with the work we do at The Hardy Group?
A: I am obsessed with knowing how things work and why they work. I’ve learned something new every day at HARDY and keep improving on my personal, professional, and project experience. I also love to travel, and The Hardy Group has given me the opportunity to go to unique properties/places and experience different cultures that I otherwise might not have.
Read more about Nick, here.
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