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Chinh Vu is a VRS member who’s building more than just his retirement. As director of the Office of Construction Management for Special Projects for the Department of General Services, Vu leads a team that currently manages 11 construction and renovation projects representing more than $1 billion in state funding.
“We manage projects for multiple agencies statewide whose critical missions range from helping solve crime to caring for the disabled, educating museum visitors and even making the laws of the Commonwealth,” Vu says.
State employees in Richmond are certainly familiar with the latter project—the new General Assembly Building—rising 15 stories in Capitol Square and set to be completed in 2022.
Before starting his career with the Department of General Services in 1998, Vu served eight years as an officer in the U.S. Navy, rising to the rank of lieutenant. During his naval service, Vu gained valuable experience overseeing construction and renovation work, including a particularly challenging project at Naval Air Facility Adak in the Aleutian Islands, where Vu worked to correct environmental issues at the base in preparation for its closure.
“The Navy taught me that in order to be successful, I need to value teamwork, to manage my time handling multiple concurrent tasks, to accept new challenges with a ‘can do’ attitude and to be flexible and willing to adapt to a changing environment as it relates to new policies and procedures,” Vu explains.
Vu says he has established daily routines that allow him to be proactive and stay informed about each project so that he can ensure timely resolutions as new issues arise. A typical day includes everything from processing vendor payment requests to meeting with designers, contractors and building code review teams, to providing guidance to contracted project managers.
“Most of our projects take years to complete, from the planning stage with budget submission to the client agency’s final occupancy in building,” Vu says. These large-scale and long-term projects often come with unforeseen conditions and challenges, which according to Vu makes the final completion of a project that much more rewarding.
“There is a great sense of relief and satisfaction upon completion of any project,” Vu reflects. “I have an appreciation and take humble pride in knowing that I am able to make a difference by providing a safe and healthy working environment for the employees of the Commonwealth and the public for years to come.”
When it comes to saving for retirement, Vu says he’s been contributing to the supplemental Commonwealth of Virginia 457 Deferred Compensation Plan and the Virginia Cash Match Plan as long as he’s been a VRS member, and plans to continue full speed ahead up until he retires. He stresses saving and investing as soon as you can afford to do so.
“Know your tolerance level and plan to invest for the long haul,” Vu says.
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