Professional Profile: Anthony Giuliano
Anthony Giuliano is general manager of life science construction with Lendlease Americas. Lab Design News recently spoke with Anthony about his career, experience, and personal interests.
Q: How did you get started in your career? Did you major in your field in college, get an internship, switch careers mid-stream, etc.?
A: I worked with my dad at a young age. He did plumbing and heating work and I became fascinated by fixing and building just about anything I could find. I actually started my major as an electrical engineer, earned my associate’s degree, and switched to architecture where I earned my bachelor’s degree at NYIT.
Q: What is a typical day at work like for you?
A: It’s a fun juggling act between visiting our project sites and facilitating in-person or virtual meetings among our internal teams and our clients – all while ensuring our teams are well supported by our management with the necessary resources and latest technology.
Q: Tell us about a great book, movie, song, or TV show you’ve enjoyed recently.
A: The Mamba Mentality: How I Play by Kobe Bryant. This book is just outstanding and contains so many examples of great leadership. His messages that resonated with me include motivate others through positivity to persevere even in the face of obstacles; be nimble and adjust your “game” as needed; and create opportunities in the face of challenges. All of these are the keys to success.
Q: If you weren’t in this profession, what job would you like to have instead?
A: I played the drums at a young age and met two professional drum legends in the music industry, so from my more creative side, I would have enjoyed being a musician. I also like to cook, so maybe a chef.
Q: What is the biggest work-related challenge you’ve faced? How did you overcome it?
A: During the various surges of COVID over the past two years, it has been an extreme challenge dealing with staff shortages due to sickness, complying with quarantine guidelines to ensuring the safety of workers and clients, and inventory shortages—all while delivering quality management and proceeding with project commitments to complete on schedule for our clients. This required extremely detailed staff planning, shuffling the deck between project managers and subcontractors, as well as diligent collaboration and communication with the clients. We also often had to deal with out-of-sequence installations due to material delays. The end result was a compilation and orchestration between supporting and mentoring project teams as they were stretched across a multitude of projects, filling in for their quarantined team members, and monitoring their personal and mental safety/well-being.
Q: What is your favorite building, lab-related or not?
A: The Sydney Opera House as it is the architectural extravaganza of its century.
Q: What lab projects are you working on at the moment?
A: Lendlease recently completed the Pfizer Plasmid DNA—Suites GH project in Andover, MA. This involved a full gut and rebuild of an existing pharmaceutical manufacturing suite, creating what is now one of the world's largest plasmid DNA production facilities used to support the manufacture of Pfizer's gene therapy and mRNA vaccine portfolio. We are also currently working on Merck's B880 FLEx Formulation Center in Rahway, NJ. This multi-product facility is designed to support product development and clinical supply execution for both human and animal health.
Q: What’s your typical order when you visit a coffee shop?
A: Cappuccino.
Q: What is one important skill you think that all lab design experts should have?
A: Outstanding interpersonal skills to effectively communicate and balance the technical components of the design to ensure they respond to the clients’ needs and wants.
Q: If you won a multi-million-dollar lottery tomorrow, what would you do with your winnings?
A: Start a trade school for high school students who may not want to pursue college but are interested in a trade. There is such a high demand for skilled labor, and it helps provide kids with a great career focus outside of the collegiate path.
Q: What kinds of hobbies or interests do you have outside of work?
A: Coaching my sons’ soccer teams and spending time with my family, especially enjoying various water sports.
Q: What do you hope to accomplish in the next few years in this new position?
Strengthen our culture of excellence—attracting and retaining the best and brightest people in the industry, where equity and inclusion is at the core of this mission.
Reinforce Lendlease as the premier partner and trusted contractor in the life science market, delivering consistency and quality in our project management, execution, and approach, while balancing risk management.
Grow, expand and continue to cultivate Lendlease’s commitment to the life science market and our communities.