Employees

Amy Schoderbek’s connection to William A. Hazel began through family. Having grown up watching her father build his career with the company, she saw firsthand the accomplishments that came from being part of Hazel, and was inspired to join the team. When Amy joined William A. Hazel, she came with no background in construction, but the company gave her the tools, resources, and confidence to learn the industry from the ground up. Working as a Project Analyst has allowed her to understand how projects come together on paper while also seeing that work in action in the field, helping her continue to expand her knowledge and skills.

What keeps Amy motivated is knowing that every day can bring something different. She enjoys the fast-paced nature of her role and the fact that things can change throughout the day. The job keeps her on her toes and challenges her to adapt as new priorities come up. For Amy, that variety means there is never a dull moment and always an opportunity to learn something new.

One of the things that makes William A. Hazel special to Amy is its ability to grow while maintaining the family atmosphere that has defined the company. She appreciates that Hazel is always looking for ways to become stronger, more efficient, and more successful without losing the sense of family that makes people feel connected. As a Project Analyst, she works with people across nearly every department, making communication and integrity especially important parts of her day-to-day work.

For those beginning their careers at William A. Hazel, Amy’s advice is simple: keep your head up, take things one day at a time, and never be afraid to ask questions. She encourages new employees to push themselves to become the best versions of themselves and to always look for ways to improve. Looking ahead, Amy is excited to continue growing within her department while deepening her understanding of construction.

Devon’s career with William A. Hazel began with an internship that introduced him to both the company and the construction industry. Enjoying the experience, he accepted a full- time position as an estimator, where he had the opportunity to learn from experienced estimators, project managers, and superintendents before eventually transitioning into project management. Coming to Hazel without a construction background, Devon faced a significant learning curve, but the experienced people around him helped him build knowledge and gain valuable experience quickly. Learning estimating from Nic and Dalton gave him a strong foundation and a better understanding of how projects come together, while each project since moving into project management has brought new challenges and opportunities to grow.

What keeps Devon engaged in his work is that no two projects are exactly the same. Each day brings new challenges to solve, different construction processes to understand, and opportunities to work with others to find practical solutions. He particularly enjoys working through difficult problems as a team and finding a way to keep a project moving forward. One of his proudest accomplishments at William A. Hazel was completing the tunnel beneath I-495 for the Fairfax INOVA Campus. The project required years of planning, coordination, and approvals, and being part of the team that worked through the many challenges and ultimately delivered the project gave Devon a strong sense of accomplishment.

For Devon, one of William A. Hazel’s greatest strengths is the depth of knowledge and experience throughout its field operations and engineering teams. The company does not shy away from difficult projects or complicated problems because employees across the organization can be relied upon to find solutions. He contributes to that culture by continuing to learn, working closely with field teams, and taking ownership of the challenges that come with every project. The company value that resonates most with him is Stewardship. He believes Hazel has an opportunity to lead by example by investing in its people, adapting to workforce challenges, and continuing to build quality infrastructure while demonstrating that construction can offer meaningful, challenging, and rewarding careers.

For those just beginning their careers at William A. Hazel, Devon’s advice is to never be afraid to ask questions. He knows from experience that there are very few land development challenges someone at Hazel has not encountered before, and there is likely someone within the company who can offer guidance. Taking advantage of that experience is one of the best ways to build knowledge and advance a career. Looking ahead, Devon is excited to continue taking on new projects, tackling different challenges, and expanding his expertise. As technology continues to transform construction, he looks forward to finding practical ways to use new tools to improve how projects are planned, managed, and executed while building on the experience and knowledge that have made William A. Hazel successful.