Jill ranks in the top 50 Women in the Top 100 Magazine

Dubbed “a leading connector in the Pittsburgh business community,” Jill McKibbin is an expert strategic construction and business organization consultant with over 35 years of sales experience. In 2010, she became the owner and president of McKibbin Consulting, a Pennsylvania-based firm where she implements her own signature approach to align businesses across diverse backgrounds. With the help of a highly dedicated team of skilled professionals, Jill provides numerous companies with the tools necessary for growing their businesses, building sales teams, reaching different markets, and using new strategic growth strategies. She credits her success to the long-term relationships she has maintained with a plethora of customers: architects, general contractors, surveyors, and construction mangers as well as audio visual, civil, environmental, geotechnical, structural, and MEP engineers. As testimony to her accomplishments, Jill was the recipient of the 2014 Women in Business Award and is a multi-nominee of the Athena Award.

Jill’s multifaceted background makes it easy for her to work with clients across industries. Nothing has ever been freely handed to her, and she is a survivor having overcome countless obstacles and hardships. “Early in my career, I did all kinds of jobs,” Jill says. “I even toured as a professional singer for a number of years.” As the mother of an ailing child who required extensive medical attention, she was also forced to hold her fair share of difficult roles. However, each job introduced her to a broad range of people, taught her the importance of teamwork, and enabled her to personally relate to the challenges of her clients.

Jill’s career took a positive turn in 2005 when she accepted a position at a mechanical contracting company. She was involved with several organizations in her city and knew that building relationships would be key to supporting sales and securing larger industrial accounts, so that same year, she founded an industry organization called Commercial Industrial Service Trade (CIST). Over the years, as Jill transitioned into other companies and moved into different roles, her industry relationships continued to grow.

In 2010, an architect recommended that she take all her skills and experience—and her special brand of relationship building—and branch out on her own, and McKibbin Consulting was born. Now, for more than a decade, Jill and her team have been serving as a one-stop shop—aligning clients with property owners and managers, directors of operation, purchasing agents, architects, and facilities directors. The private consulting firm has also been a conduit for those interested in working with local universities, women, veterans, and minority-owned companies. No matter what kind of company Jill looks at—from the billion-dollar, publicly traded to the small, privately owned—she identifies ways to align them with the right people, whether local, national, or international.

Jill also during COVID 19 never turned away her clients when some of them had an inability to pay. “That’s what makes both my firm and the CIST group unique—we are all from different backgrounds and industries; we are transparent; and we go above and beyond for each other and for our clients,” she explains. “At McKibbin Consulting, people come first, and the money is secondary.”

Part of Jill’s determination to serve others stems from her own past struggles. She learned firsthand how daunting it is to battle seemingly insurmountable difficulties. Therefore, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jill not only recommended strategies to help other companies survive, but she also drew upon her experience to expand McKibbin Consulting.

Jill would like to include a special thank you to Autumn Edmiston, the CEO and owner of The Edmiston Group based in Allison Park, PA. Autumn has been instrumental in helping Jill to reach her current level of success and to become the versatile businesswoman she is today. Jill also wishes to thank God.

Contact:
Jill McKibbin
President
McKibbin Consulting
Website: www.mckibbinconsulting.com
The Edmiston Group: https://edmistongroup.com
LinkedIn: Jill McKibbin

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Jill McKibbin – Women of Influence Alumni

Pittsburgh Business Times, MAY 19, 2023

Jill McKibbin
President/C.O.I McKibbin Consulting

Jill is known as a Center of Influence and Consultant with over 30 years of experience in working with companies locally, nationally, and internationally by providing unique growth strategies to connect with all industries and verticals. She is the Founder of the Commercial Industrial Service Trades Organization (CIST) which focuses on the A/E/C industry and provides consulting services for growing MWBE and Veteran-owned companies.

Giving Back To Local Veterans

A Classic Car show and summer bash was held in South Park to raise monies to purchase a service dog for a local veteran in Bethel Park. Partnering with the Allegheny Rockets, McKibbin Consulting was the main sponsor for the event that raised $28,000 for the Rescue 22 Foundation.

Rescue 22 Foundation was co-founded by Angela Connor, the daughter of a Vietnam Veteran. The 22 stands for the 22 veterans we lose to suicide a day. The dogs are an important tool to combat depression, anxiety and other challenges associated with PTSD.

For every dollar raised $ .97 of that goes to the foundation and not overhead. Those involved in the organization are all volunteers who have either served in the military or are somehow drawn to the cause. Training costs for each service dog runs $25,000. Unlike other organizations, Rescue 22 matches the appropriate dog to the veteran’s needs and train them in the support before presenting the service dog to the veteran.

The Veteran Service Dog Trust [VSDT] fulfills out foundation’s primary mission in order to provide the highest quality task trained dogs on behalf of our nation’s veterans. Our foundation provides psychiatric, mobility and medical service dogs to our veterans at no charge and without geographic restrictions. Service dogs that meet the needs of veterans diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress remain our most requested type of dog. The VA does not provide funding for service dogs for PTS, TBI or other non-mobility diagnoses at this time.

Generous donations from our supporting individuals, companies and sponsors provides for the following services that make our life-saving dogs possible:

• Training (the average service dog trains for over a year)
• Animal care including food, veterinarian services and grooming
• Service dog and handler equipment
• Handler education
• Service dog and handler integration

McKibbin Consulting is proud to support our local veterans in this cause as there are currently 10 veterans in the Pittsburgh region on a waiting list for a service dog. To learn more about how you can support Rescue 22 Foundation, contact Angela Connor at 302-272-8029 or email [email protected].

Company With a Heart to Help Others Matchmaking for Business

By The Western PA Healthcare News Team – February 20, 2021

Matchmaking and February go hand in hand. Jill McKibbin, President of McKibbin Consulting, is known as the matchmaker and connector in helping small businesses grow through matching companies with introductions through her vast network of connections. COVID has created challenges to develop connections for all business types. As businesses have struggled to stay afloat during the pandemic, they have reached to McKibbin for advice and connections to new markets. National and international companies wanting to expand their footprint into the region are contacting McKibbin regarding introductions and guidance.

With a strong construction vertical, McKibbin has had people from all over the country reach out for assistance in developing connections within the Pittsburgh region and beyond. What does that mean for those that are involved with McKibbin Consulting? Jobs, new contracts, and opportunities for business growth.

Spending her career in business development before opening her own business, McKibbin Consulting was launched in 2010. Through her monthly networking group meetings, Commercial Industrial Trades Services (CIST), she has helped connect engineers, architects, property managers, land developers, real estate attorneys, bankers, and contractors to one another to build strong teams of business owners. McKibbin Consulting is a central point of contact that brings together teams of companies to create and deliver commercial industrial trade services.

Minority contractors have benefited from guidance to become certified as a minority contractor – women-owned, veteran, disadvantaged business owner. Why is this important? These certifications enable smaller businesses to become part of larger contracts particularly when federal monies are involved. Additionally, there is an opportunity with corporations that require diversity in their vendor relationships. Without these certifications, smaller companies may not have these chances to grow.

Jill’s desire to help others enables her to excel in developing businesses. As a consultant, she sees the strengths in a company and develops an understanding of how to build upon them. Having the heart to help people she finds something that connects everyone together. She then becomes the connector or the matchmaker to introduce that business to potential leads within her network.

Because of her success in the construction industry, other types of businesses are now reaching out for evaluation of their business and new ideas on how to pivot particularly as it relates to a different way of doing business because of COVID. The landscape in the business and construction community is changing. Companies are shifting employees to work from home, commercial space is being reconfigured and new businesses are entering the market.

To learn how McKibbin Consulting can make the right connections to grow your business, visit www.mckibbinconsulting.com or email [email protected].

https://www.wphealthcarenews.com/company-with-a-heart-to-help-others-matchmaking-for-business/

Tips for Subcontractor Selection

Subcontractor-selectionThe weather is breaking, and construction season is gearing up. As a general contractor, you’ve just landed that big project and now it’s time to get down to work. You may be good at the construction process, but there are some specialty contractors that are necessary to get the job done. So what are some things to consider when choosing a subcontractor for your project?

Does a Subcontractor Perform Better Than Your Own Crews?

You know yourself, the more you perform a certain task, the better you are at it. For example, your crew may perform masonry once in a while, but the job you just landed calls for extensive and intricate masonry work. Understanding the scope and project requirements is vital before you can determine the need for a subcontractor. A subcontractor is needed when the work falls outside of your expertise area or when your resources are already assigned to a different project, limiting the capabilities to execute the work using internal resources. If the work involves federal monies, you may also be looking for minority subcontractors. Here are some things to consider.

Project Size Matters

It is important to understand this component prior to execution in order to get the proper bonding and insurance coverage for you and your subcontractor.

Subcontractor Qualifying Indicators

Now that you have decided to bring on a subcontractor to supplement your workforce, you need to evaluate the following areas:

  • Safety
  • Financials
  • Staffing
  • Equipment
  • Project Plan and Schedule
  • Past Performances with regard to Comparable Projects
  • Letter of Recommendation or References
  • Project Cost and Payment Terms

When putting out the RFP, these factors should be considered. A subcontractor must be able to provide this information as an answer to your RFP.

Safety Record

One of the most important factors when qualifying subcontractors is their safety performance. Be sure to review the EMR rates, OSHA recordable, time loss due to accidents/incidents. If this is a new subcontractor, ask for their safety plan and program and be sure to review it so that it aligns with your safety expectations.

Financial Stability

A financially solid subcontractor may be determined by their bonding capabilities and letters from financial institutions that will express their financial stability. Request and review the required licenses and insurance.

Qualified Staff

As part of an RFP request to be considered for a project, a subcontractor should provide basic information along with resumes highlighting the relevant experience, senior leadership, and personnel who will be in charge of the project. This will help to ensure enough resources are available for your project.

Equipment

As a subcontractor, there are often specialty tools and equipment that are required for the job. The subcontractor must bring said equipment to the job site. Be clear to specify that in your RFP. Depending on the type of subcontractor requested, transportation permits and costs are subcontractor’s items, so they should be taking care of those items.

Subcontractor Schedule

A detailed plan of action should be requested to include a narrative on how they will manage the project and how they handle unforeseen conditions.

Past and Current Projects

With the rapid pace of construction in Pittsburgh’s economy, if your company is wanting to stay abreast of the growth in the region, it’s important to have a grasp on a subcontractor’s project experience. In an interview process, you may want to ask about concurrent projects and how those projects could affect the resources devoted to your project. A review of similar projects must describe scope, schedule, budget, man-hours worked and any special consideration that was part of the project.

References

Don’t fall short at this step. It is your responsibility to call and verify references provided before awarding the subcontractor a construction contract. Using the listed names and projects included in the RFP, call or ask specific details about the subcontractor performance on a particular project.

Price

The lowest price is not always the best option. There are other factors to consider. Ask for details on payment terms and avoid using subcontractors asking for large amounts of down payment, that might be a red flag. Discount terms and payment terms must be discussed and agreed especially final payment and release of waivers.

Minority Contractors

When federal monies are involved, often larger companies are looking to partner for specialty contracts with minority companies. This partnership allows for smaller companies to grow and larger companies to compete for work with a diverse group of contractors.

McKibbin consulting has relationships with a number of specialty and minority-owned contractors, as well as property managers and developers. Within her network, Jill offers opportunity for general contractors to partner with minority subcontractors allowing both to benefit. To learn more contact Jill at 412-498-3572 or email [email protected].

Value of Certifications

Value-of-minority-business-certificationsThere are a number of certifications in business and often 2nd or 3rd tier awards as well as federal monies that are awarded to contractors with these certifications. You can get a jump start on your organization’s long-term contract growth by considering these minority business enterprise certifications.

Minority Business Enterprise – National Minority Supplier Development Council

The NMSDC connects certified, minority-owned suppliers with thousands of corporate members, providing access to influential private-sector buyers. Additional MBE benefits include eligibility for NMSDC development programs and invitations to industry events.

Disadvantaged Business Enterprise – U.S. Department of Transportation

USDOT’s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program offers small businesses owned and operated by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals the opportunity to compete for federally funded highway, transit and airport contracts.

8(a) Business Development – U.S. Small Business Administration

With a goal of awarding at least five percent of annual contracting dollars to small disadvantaged businesses, the federal government established the 8(a) Business Development program. Participating companies can compete for set-aside contracts, form joint ventures with other firms and receive assistance navigating federal guidelines.

Women’s Business Enterprise – Women’s Business Enterprise National Council

The WBENC facilitates partnerships between certified Women’s Business Enterprises (WBEs) and corporate partners, allowing access to suppliers and procurement executives at thousands of organizations and government entities. WBEs are eligible for federal contracts, access to mentoring and capacity development, and use of WBENC marketing and promotional materials.

Veteran-Owned Small Business – U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

The Veterans Affairs Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization counsels, assists and protects the interests of veteran-owned enterprises. The office’s Vets First Verification Program affords veteran and service-disabled veteran-controlled firms the opportunity to apply for earmarked and sole source contracts.

HUBZone – U.S. Small Business Administration

The Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) program offers federal contracting preferences to companies operating in areas with proven economic needs, including rural counties, Indian lands and disaster areas. There is a map of qualified HUBZones to determine if your business is eligible for the certification.

To learn more about certifications and how you can leverage minority certifications to grow your revenue, contact Jill Mckibbin at 412-498-3572 or email [email protected]

2018 ATHENA Award Nomination

The ATHENA Awards Program of Greater Pittsburgh distinguishes itself from other regional awards through its emphasis on women mentoring other women and girls. Jill McKibbin was nominated in both 2015 and 2018 for the Athena award in many ways because of her efforts to help women-owned and disadvantaged businesses compete in a larger market. For those of you that know Jill, you know she works hard at connecting her clients and has created various programs to fit a person’s budget. CIST provides monthly opportunities for her clients to learn of upcoming construction projects and network with referral partners.

Do You Know a Good…?

construction-networking-groupJill McKibbin, owner of McKibbin Consulting and founder of Commercial Industrial Service Trades (CIST) – a category specific construction networking group – has spent most of her career in the construction field. With a vast amount of contacts, some have referred to Jill as the matchmaker for the construction industry.

What benefit does that bring to the clients she works with? There are a number of the mega projects–like Shell or the combined-cycle power plants–that have garnered headlines and make up big chunks of the dollars spent, but there has also been a steady stream of smaller, regionally-focused projects started.

When federal monies are involved, often larger companies are looking to partner for specialty contracts with minority companies. This partnership allows for smaller companies to grow and larger companies to compete for work with a diverse group of contractors.

specific-construction-networking-groupThe CIST groups were founded by Jill McKibbin in 2005 and have continued to grow over the past 10 years. The group is only open to clients of McKibbin Consulting. The organization has three Pittsburgh Chapters providing professional services for commercial buildings from the ground up, including but not limited to: construction, architects, engineering, interior design, landscaping, elevator services, IT services, staffing, office furniture, interior plant service, marketing, and commercial cleaning.

Each chapter has one unique participant per trade to prevent competitors from learning of construction contacts shared by others in the group. In addition to monthly meetings, there are open quarterly networking events for all trades and business professionals wanting to interface with the construction industry.

According to an article published by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in May of 2018, “28 projects worth $1 billion under construction and more on the way: Downtown in midst of building boom.” That refers only to downtown. Do you know what’s happening in some of the surrounding counties?

With the rapid pace of change in Pittsburgh’s economy, is your company wanting to stay abreast of the growth in the region? Are you looking to connect with decision makers? Are you wanting to add support to your sales team in terms of leads? These are all things that McKibbin Consulting delivers.

To learn more about services, call 412-498-3572 or email [email protected].

Client Spotlight – Edmiston Group

Edmiston-GroupThe Edmiston Group is a Pittsburgh-based branding and marketing firm that has consistently delivered and implemented proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business growth. The firm works with businesses to build brand identity and strategic marketing plans utilizing print, web and social media channels. Action, innovation and professional service with a personal touch are what businesses receive with the Edmiston Group.

Edmiston Group works with a variety of construction and building trades clients. Their services include corporate identity logos, websites, brochures, social media management and other marketing materials that create a meaningful, cohesive marketing message. Hiring the Edmiston Group to oversee your marketing program will allow you to do what you do best…expand your business.

Utilizing a diverse team of professionals with strong brand strategy experience, the Edmiston Group has a comprehensive set of experiences and skills in such areas as: Marketing, Business Development, Strategic Planning and Public Relations.

For the MEI CyberCorp project, the owner created a jobsite monitoring product powered by solar energy that was used on construction and well drilling sites but didn’t have any type of company brand. They worked with the business owner to create a brand identity to include a new company name, prepare graphics for trucks and the product, conduct a professional video and photo shoot, create two websites, brochures and assist them to be ready to display at the oil and gas tradeshow.

Edmiston Group Informational Flyers:

Edmiston-Group-Cavcon

CAVCON, another Edmiston Group client, received a new website and new marketing materials. In their ongoing marketing support role, they write custom blogs, manage their newsletter, create custom ads and assist in PR for ground breaking events.

The Edmiston Group has helped their clients grow their business by:

  • Defining a clear and focused brand on what makes their business unique
  • Designing compelling sales and marketing pieces in both print and web
  • Identifying where to place advertising dollars
  • Measuring results

On either a project basis, or ongoing monthly retainer, clients served by the Edmiston Group receive Marketing Services in senior leadership, personalized attention, and experienced support – bringing fresh ideas for YOUR growing business.

Client Spotlight – TECH 2000 Woodworks

custom-cabinetryFor over 35 years, Tech 2000 Woodworks President and Owner, Keith Geller has been designing, building and installing fine custom woodwork cabinetry for residential and commercial applications, growing Tech 2000 Woodworks into one of the top custom cabinetry shops in the Pittsburgh region.

The experienced team and the very latest equipment enable Tech 2000 to work with all types of wood and a myriad of other materials, including bamboo, laminate, solid surfacing, granite, and marble. The finishing department offers custom finishes and stains to make your project unique in both design and color. Tech 2000 is a FSC® Certified Millwork Company FSC-C109135 and have participated in a number of LEED projects throughout the region.

custom-cabinetryPreserving history and the original architecture was key in the resent renovation of St. Peter’s Church in Pittsburgh. It was the church’s desire to bring this historical building back to as close to its original looks and condition as to when it was built back in 1855, before fire destroyed the structure in 1870. Working from original photographs provided by the church staff, Tech 2000 manufactured and supplied all of the new wood work to match existing wood work within the church, such as the HVAC Covers in the center and sides of the church, new front kneeler walls and ramp with railing to the Main Altar, Reconciliation Rooms, Statue Niches at the back of the Church, Choir Loft Cabinets with wood paneling to match original wood panels, base board and casing to match original just to list some of the items that were fabricated.

Tech 2000 worked closely with Nick Rosky of Volpatt Construction who was the general contractor on this project along with the architect Ian Morrison of the architectural firm of Radelet, MCarthy & Polletta Inc. throughout the project to help achieve the goal of matching as much of the original details possible to the beauty of intricate wood working centuries ago.