Hero of the Week: Project manager solves glitches with creativity, teamwork

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Noroflk District Public Affairs
Published Feb. 13, 2019

FORT NORFOLK, Va. – Johnny Grandison Jr. knows how to solve problems. After approximately 20 years working for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, he’s developed two go-to elements to ensure the district delivers the mission: strong teamwork and creative thinking

Earning this week’s Norfolk District Hero of the Week, Grandison, who is part of the programs and project management division, was nominated by John Flint, the military programs branch chief.

Man poses for photo by standing outside. Pier is in the background.
PM solves glitches with creativity, teamwork
Johnny Grandison, Jr., a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Norfolk District senior project manager, stands outside the district headquarters building at Fort Norfolk, Virginia, Feb. 12, 2019. Grandison credits the district’s project success to teamwork and creative problem solving. (U.S. Army photo by Andria Allmond)
Photo By: Andria Allmond
VIRIN: 190212-A-SO401-1015

“(Grandison) has played a key role in executing several military projects for a variety of customers at multiple installations within the Norfolk District,” Flint said. “His prior PM experiences at USACE district and division levels, along with his deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan have been invaluable.”

The Corps’ prides itself on its highly-skilled workforce, as does Grandison. He believes his success wasn’t earned by individual action alone.

“I’ve always liked helping people and solving problems,” Grandison said. “Here at the district, we have a great team of people who want to accomplish the goal. When we face something new, we brainstorm and think outside the box while maintaining fiscal and legal perimeters.”

He stated that his teams’ projects provide ample opportunities to use innovative methods in engineering and beyond.

After graduating from Florida A&M University in 1996, he began working for the Fort Gordon, Georgia, department of public works in 1997. His first tour for USACE was at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. After working for the Corps again at Fort Gordon and then for the Savannah District, he arrived at Norfolk, Virginia, in 2017.

His profession includes facilitating and coordinating with project delivery teams, ensuring each member can effectively and efficiently accomplish their job. This includes scheduling and budget, as well as resolving issues.
Those issues often materialize in the form of constraints on a weekly, sometimes daily basis.

“The goal is to find a way to allow out team to maneuver beyond the barriers, so they can continue pressing toward the mission,” he said.