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Joe Woolums

Joe Woolums

(he/him)

collaborating to provide exceptional service for development and construction teams

Director of Preconstruction at EMJ Construction

Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States🇺🇸
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Collaborate with owners and designers to define project scope, prioritize goals, and develop preliminary budgets and schedules to evaluate feasibility during the design phase.

Solicit proposals from architectural and engineering firms, and negotiate agreements for professional services.

Organize owner/architect/contractor meetings, and manage responsibilities through the preconstruction phase.

Manage due diligence activities, review lease documents, and coordinate with building authorities and utility providers.

Assemble detailed cost estimates and schedules, solicit pricing from subcontractors and suppliers, and negotiate contracts with owners, subcontractors, and suppliers.

Provide oversight and guidance to junior team members for preconstruction activities.

Over 30 new construction commercial, municipal, institutional, hospitality, and multifamily residential projects totaling more than $350-million in revenue.

Over 60 renovation/redevelopment projects totaling more than $250-million in revenue.

Turn-key and interior fit-out projects for retail and restaurant/entertainment tenants including Academy Sports, Belk, Burlington, Cabela's, Carmike, Cinemark, Dave & Buster's, Dick's Sporting Goods, Five Below, Kohl's, LiDL, Michaels, Petsmart, Old Navy, Nordstrom Rack, Ross Dress For Less and ULTA.

Projects completed in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin.

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Career: 5

Director of Preconstruction

EMJ Construction

Full-time · On-site

Jul 2023 - Present

Senior Preconstruction Manager

EMJ Construction

Full-time · On-site

Jul 2013 - Jul 2023

Estimator

EMJ Construction

Full-time · On-site

Jul 2002 - Jul 2013

Change Request Expeditor

EMJ Construction

Full-time · On-site

Jul 1999 - Jul 2002

Survey Assistant

Bainbridge, Gee, Milanski & Associates

Seasonal · On-site

Jun 1995 - Aug 1998

Skills: 4

Business

ContractingProject Management

Interpersonal

MentoringProblem Solving

Projects: 20

First Presbyterian Church Additions & Renovations (Chattanooga, TN)

Sep 2025 - Present

Renovate and expand historic downtown church, including renovated staff offices, children's wing, and sanctuary, and new fellowship hall, chapel, coffee shop, meeting rooms, and parking structure.

West Tennessee Veterans Nursing Home (Arlington, TN)

Mar 2022 - Present

Construct 126-bed intermediate and skilled nursing facility to serve veterans of Tennessee.

Erlanger Park - South Broad District Ballpark (Chattanooga, TN)

Oct 2024 - Apr 2026

Construct new multi-use venue to serve as home to the Chattanooga Lookouts minor league baseball team. Project located on the former U.S. Pipe and Foundry brownfield site and incorporates historic buildings into the ballpark facility.

The Linden - 430 Manufacturers Road (Chattanooga, TN)

Oct 2022 - Oct 2024

Construct 271-unit multifamily residential development consisting of two five-story apartment buildings and associated site improvements. Brownfield site; special handling and disposal requirements for soil.

TVA System Operations Center (Georgetown, TN)

Mar 2022 - Aug 2024

Construct the nation's most advanced power command and control center, including architectural trades as part of a multi-prime arrangement.

Greenway Station (Seagrove Beach, FL)

Mar 2021 - Feb 2023

Construct mixed-use development consisting of a three-story 48K-SF 85-key boutique hotel (The Lodge 30A) and four commercial buildings totaling 26K-SF located on Scenic Highway 30A.

Independence Mall Sears Redevelopment (Wilmington, NC)

Jul 2019 - Oct 2020

Redevelop shopping mall and Sears anchor store parcels, including demolition of Sears building and a portion of the enclosed mall. Construct 146K-SF of new retail, grocery, and restaurant spaces, including tenant improvements for Dick's Sporting Goods, LiDL, and Five Below. Reconfigure parking lot and site utilities.

Hamilton Place Mall Sears Redevelopment (Chattanooga, TN)

Mar 2019 - Mar 2020

Redevelop Sears anchor store parcel, including selective demolition and reconfiguration of two-story building. Renovate 140K-SF building to accommodate multiple commercial tenants, including tenant improvements for Dick's Sporting Goods and Dave & Buster's. Reconfigure parking lot and site utilities, and create outparcels for future hotel and restaurants.

H&M - St. Claire Square Shell Renovation (Fairview Heights, IL)

Feb 2019 - Jun 2019

Renovate tenant spaces within an enclosed shopping mall to create a new H&M store, including selective demolition and shell improvements.

McCallie School Keith Greenway Improvements (Chattanooga, TN)

Jun 2018 - Apr 2019

Improve main pedestrian thoroughfare, including water feature, terraced landscaping, and replaced and additional walkways.

Public Storage - Lafayette Street (Nashville, TN)

Oct 2017 - Feb 2019

Construct six-story 235K-SF self-storage building, and associated site work. Demolish existing one- and two-story self-storage buildings. Urban site with public rights-of-way on three sides and an adjacent building on the fourth side.

The Commons (Collegedale, TN)

Mar 2017 - Aug 2017

Construct new multi-phase community center including entrance pavilion, open-air market space, public restrooms, 10K-SF event hall, and storage building.

Texas A&M University - Commerce Freshman Housing (Commerce, TX)

Jul 2016 - Aug 2017

Construct five-story 137K-SF 496-bed dormitory, including associated site improvements.

The District at CoolSprings Galleria - Phases I and II (Franklin, TN)

Jun 2014 - May 2016

Redevelop Sears anchor store parcel, including selective demolition and reconfiguration of two-story building.

Mall Renovations - 2015 (multiple locations)

Mar 2015 - Nov 2015

Dakota Square Mall (Minot, ND) - renovate 84K-SF concourse and food court. Laurel Park Place (Livonia, MI) - renovate 64K-SF concourse, food court, public restrooms, and exterior mall entrances. Monroeville Mall (Monroeville, PA) - renovate two-story 136K-SF concourse, food court, public restrooms, and exterior mall entrances; refinish original terrazzo floors throughout concourse. Sunrise Mall (Brownsville, TX) - renovate 107K-SF concourse, food court, public restrooms, and exterior mall entrances. Janesville Mall (Janesville, WI) - renovate 56K-SF concourse, and construct new public restrooms.

Mall Renovations - 2014 (multiple locations)

Mar 2014 - Nov 2014

Richland Mall (Waco, TX) - renovate 70K-SF concourse, food court, public restrooms, and exterior mall entrances Volusia Mall (Daytona Beach, FL) - renovate 116K-SF concourse, center court, food court, public restrooms, and exterior mall entrances

Burlington - Northgate Mall (Chattanooga, TN)

Jan 2014 - Jul 2014

Redevelop common areas and tenant spaces within enclosed shopping mall to construct a turn-key Burlington store including shell and tenant improvements

Cabela's (Acworth, GA)

Oct 2013 - Jun 2014

Construct 99K-SF retail store including all building trades for shell and tenant improvements, and remediate mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) site retaining walls previously constructed by others

Mall Renovations - 2013 (multiple locations)

Feb 2013 - Nov 2013

Acadiana Mall (Lafayette, LA) - renovate 73K-SF concourse, food court, public restrooms, and exterior mall entrances Northgate Mall (Chattanooga, TN) - renovate 64K-SF concourse and exterior mall entrances, and renovate tenant spaces to construct 14K-SF Old Navy shell

Shops at Northgate Mall (Chattanooga, TN)

Nov 2012 - Aug 2013

Demolish existing movie theater and small shops, and construct new 45K-SF in-line retail buildings including shell and tenant improvements for Michael's and Ross Dress For Less stores

Credentials: 5

LEED Green Associate

Jul 2010

Georgia Adopt-A-Stream Chemical QA/QC Volunteer

Mar 2024

NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial Building Contractors

Apr 2025

Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation

Mar 2022

SKYWARN Spotter Class

Apr 2021

Education: 1

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

BS, General Engineering

Aug 1994 - May 1999

Secondary Field of Specialization in Construction Engineering

Awards: 1

Bronze Prize in Student Engineering Design Competition

James F. Lincoln Arc Welding Foundation

Jan 1999

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