Alumni Profile: Farrah D茅sir
Major: Architectural Technology
Current Position: Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Creative Form Development
An Unexpected Career Path
At first,聽Farrah D茅sir (B.S. 鈥�99)聽never intended to work in construction. Architecture was always her dream, so she came to study at the聽School of Architecture and Design.
鈥淪ince high school, I wanted to major in architecture,鈥� says D茅sir, who also took interior design classes at the Fashion Institute of Technology while she was in high school but decided to major in architecture and went to 懂色帝, where she could study both.
Several years after graduating from 懂色帝, D茅sir met a former classmate who told her about a position at their company JR Construction. 鈥淚t was something I never thought I would do,鈥� shares D茅sir. 鈥淸When] the company called me [about] an opening for a general contractor, I initially turned it down and said, 鈥楴o way, I love architecture. I鈥檓 an architect.鈥� Eventually, I was motivated to consider other career options besides architecture because drafting behind a computer all day for 10 hours was exhausting, which did not fulfill my interest in designing projects.鈥�
D茅sir later took on the role of project manager at JR Construction in New York City and never looked back. 鈥淎t first, I thought I would do it briefly while looking for an architectural position and had no intention of staying,鈥� admits D茅sir. 鈥淏ut I eventually fell in love with construction management.鈥�
After stints at the YMCA, construction management and engineering company URS/AECOM, and Gilbane Building Company, where she oversaw construction projects around New York City, such as libraries, schools, and commercial spaces鈥擠茅sir started to build the foundation of her company, Creative Form Development, by working part-time on residential projects.
The company soon expanded into something more significant and is now a full-service construction management company. 鈥淭here aren鈥檛 many Black-owned female construction companies in the industry,鈥� says
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