OLIO Development Grp. LLC

I lead and direct the activities and teams that are instrumental in bringing new projects to life. As president, I establish the vision of OLIO Development Group, and then help create and build teams capable of executing that vision at a high level. My ultimate goal is to efficiently coordinate and seamlessly connect the necessary functions—including location selection, pre-development and construction, and facilities maintenance—to deliver a project that exceeds owner expectations. I define success as helping my teams envision the big picture. When everyone understands how all functions of the development process come together to create a whole that’s greater than the sum of the parts, that perspective is invaluable. It enables the team to support each other and collectively deliver the best possible outcome on every level.

About my career:

I joined Raising Cane’s Ohio in May 2015 as the director of development, bringing with me 20 years of experience in the construction and construction IT industries. In this role, I helped envision and establish OLIO Development Group as an independent, full-service development firm with capabilities to fully support the expansion of Raising Cane’s Ohio while serving a diverse range of other commercial clients. While construction and development are my passions, I am an entrepreneur at heart. I’ve helped launch, grow, and lead several companies, including a firm that provides general contracting services to national retail clients (Prodigy Construction Management, Ltd) and a company that offers a web-based collaborative project management tool for contractors, architects, and construction managers (Report Hawk). I earned my degree from Ohio University where I majored in organizational communication and minored in American history.

Jake Crocker sits at the head of the board for RCO Limited. As chairman, he provides leadership and direction to RCO’s executive team and helps ensure that the franchise’s overall strategy and growth goals meet the objectives of all stakeholders.

Jake is a co-owner of RCO’s parent company, Cara Zale, a privately-held investment partnership with stakes in several growing businesses and social organizations, including OLIO Development Group; Workplace Impact, a marketing firm based in Mentor, OH; and RealCo Enterprises, a real estate investment firm. In this role, Jake channels his passion for investing and sustainable growth, honed over 25 years working in the finance and hospitality industries, to provide advisory services and guidance to OLIO’s leadership team and other Cara Zale-owned entities. Jake is a member of the board and audit committee of United Midwest Savings Bank and is an advisor to The Business of Good Foundation, an organization that empowers social investing. Jake holds a bachelor’s degree in business from Ohio University.

I help clients realize their project vision while meeting the requirements of the site and municipality. All project owners start with an idea of what they hope to build. All municipalities have rules and codes that govern details from parking to signage.
And all sites have physical parameters that must be respected. It’s my job to marry these elements and help find the ideal balance that allows projects to be built successfully.
My goal is to help clients create projects they can brag about.
I work closely with municipalities as well as the architectural and civil engineering teams to communicate the client’s objectives and find viable solutions that preserve the owner’s vision while working within the context of the site. At the same time, I advise clients
on code and zoning rules. Collaboration and communication with all parties and careful consideration of every detail, including permitting, land use, branding, and site layout, help make each project a success.

About my career:

I started my career in architecture working as a project manager prior to joining the OLIO team. In these roles, I gained experience with a wide range of project types, honing my skills of balancing the project goals while complying with local zoning and building code. I have learned to listen and understand what is important to each planning commission and relate their goals to our project, so everyone is happy with the final product.
These skills have proven themselves invaluable today as I work to facilitate the pre-development workflow. I’m a graduate of Bowling Green State University.

I bring in-depth knowledge of building components and construction drawings to every project. As senior superintendent, I work closely with each of OLIO’s superintendents and provide the needed support to manage the on-site construction process from end to end. I keep a close eye on the drawings and spend time on each project site, troubleshooting problems, approving change orders, and collaborating with the team on solutions. I partner with our construction manager in the office, often serving as his eyes and ears on each site, to keep each project on track. I aim to expedite processes and improve efficiency wherever I can. I have extensive experience interpreting and translating construction drawings, and that allows me to quickly answer vendors’ questions, saving valuable time and enabling the team to work as productively as possible. My goal is always to keep the project moving forward while ensuring the highest quality end product.

About my career:

I began doing construction work in the summers when I was 15 years old. I worked as a subcontractor full-time for seven years before buying a drywalling business that I still own today. I joined the OLIO team in October 2015, initially as a subcontractor, and later became a project superintendent before moving into the role of senior superintendent. Whether hanging drywall or helping a team better understand the construction drawings on a project, I enjoy the chance to collaborate with others as well as the opportunity to be hands-on in creating something we can all be proud of at the end of the day.

I help find the right answers to keep jobs moving forward. As a superintendent, I work closely with the various teams on the construction site to build each project according to the drawings and specifications. If a vendor has a question, I either provide the answer or find the party who can. I help facilitate the flow of information between the architects, engineers, and project owner and the people doing the work on site so every project ultimately meets the vision of the owner. Project schedules, budgets, and accuracy are all my number one priority. Project work needs to stay on track and in scope, but at the same time, every job must be done correctly and to the best of our ability. I help manage all aspects of the project and aim to meet or exceed the owner’s expectations at each step.

About my career:

My dad was a superintendent and I’ve followed in his footsteps. He was my first boss and mentor, and I got my start in the industry at 10 years old, which has afforded me the opportunity to learn all aspects of the business. I’ve worked as a trim carpenter and surveyor as well as a project manager of retail and a project manager of woodworking. These various roles have provided me with valuable experience in everything from handling contracts and financing, to ordering materials and overseeing installation, to serving the client and project owner. Throughout my career, I’ve worked to enhance my time management and communication skills, both of which are essential as a superintendent.

I coordinate and facilitate effective communication between all parties involved in executing and delivering a project. My work starts during the planning and design phases, where I help document and define project scope and create the master schedule. Once the construction phase beings, I work closely with vendors to manage the project according to schedule, document and report on progress, and keep all processes on track. Ultimately, it’s my job to help control quality, time, and costs on projects in order to meet or exceed the expectations and requirements of our clients. To that end, I help the company and our vendors take full advantage of project management technology and work to keep the entire team organized and focused on hitting daily and weekly goals and objectives.

About my career:

Before joining the OLIO team, I worked for five years with N. Wasserstrom and Sons, a manufacturer and supplier of equipment for restaurants. I specialized in restaurant interiors and managing the pre-development and construction phases of projects, gaining experience in sales, distribution, and coordinating installation of equipment. I earned degrees in hospitality management and entrepreneurship from The Ohio State University and have several years of experience on the other side of the project, so to speak, working in the hotel industry. I enjoy bringing together my background in design, engineering, and manufacturing to help successfully manage development projects from end to end.

I oversee and monitor the financial health of the company and its projects. By staying on top of project budgets, billings, and payments, I keep the financial wheels moving and help projects stay on track. My team and I have worked to streamline the process of closing out projects and providing full financial reporting to the company’s executives within two weeks of project completion. This efficiency and visibility are key to OLIO’s ability to operate effectively and ensure strong partnerships with all project stakeholders. I’m a careful steward of our clients’ resources. Efficient financial management, as well as understanding and communicating the true costs of projects, enables project owners and the company to make the soundest financial decisions. It’s a privilege to serve clients in this way and to give executives confidence that funds are being well-managed throughout the entire project.

About my career:

I am a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with over two decades of technical experience. I have previously served as the financial reporting and analysis accounting manager for The SYGMA Network and worked many years in accounting and finance at JPMorgan Chase. In these roles, I mastered the ins and outs of how a company operates from a financial perspective. I began my career in public accounting, an experience that ingrained in me the importance of proper documentation. Throughout my career, I’ve had the opportunity to work closely with diverse people and gain teamwork and communication skills that are vital to success in any role. I studied accounting at The Ohio State University.

I work to reduce risk in the development process. This includes managing contracts, lien waivers, and insurance documentation for all vendors working on a project as well as completing all necessary compliance reporting. My work helps protect OLIO, our partners, and our project owners. Most importantly, being organized and staying up to date on all requirements ensures that, in the event of an onsite accident or issue, problems can be quickly resolved. This enables projects to stay on track, ultimately saving time, money, and headaches for all parties involved. I strive to bring efficiency to all areas of the business. I enjoy troubleshooting and finding ways to streamline processes in the compliance arena as well as throughout the organization. I take pride in being the in-house expert on Procore®, our team’s construction management software. And I pinch hit wherever I can to help my coworkers meet and exceed project owners’ expectations.

About my career:

Organization and communication are my strong suits. I’ve worked previously as an office assistant and have extensive experience in the hospitality industry. Working in a public setting with a wide range of people has helped me hone my skills and understand what it takes to meet and exceed customer expectations. As OLIO’s first compliance coordinator, I’ve had the opportunity to help define what the position means for the company and help grow the role to best serve all stakeholders. I graduated from The Ohio State University where I studied English with a professional writing and communications focus.

I work closely with municipalities to complete pre-development due diligence and ensure all necessary documentation is in order to facilitate successful groundbreakings. This includes handling permits and overseeing all zoning and application approvals as well as coordinating with the utilities to streamline necessary pre-construction activities. It’s my responsibly to make sure every i is dotted and every t is crossed before the first shovel hits the dirt. I’m passionate about process improvement and efficiency. I’m currently pursuing my Lean Six Sigma Black Belt. Using these skills to stay on top of applicable codes and requirements for each municipality and job site is a challenge I really enjoy. I love giving project owners peace of mind knowing every detail is handled.

About my career:

Before joining the OLIO team in June 2018, I sat on the other side of the desk, working with a local planning commission and gaining valuable experience in city ordinances, zoning, and building permitting processes. This insight means I know what project owners can expect during the pre-development process, and I’m prepared to help efficiently navigate and expedite the journey. I hold a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and a Master of Science in criminal justice from Bowling Green State University. I began my professional life working as a police communications dispatcher before moving into a city position. I currently volunteer with the Gahanna Historical Society focusing on marketing and communications.

During construction, I work on site every day to keep the project moving according to plan. It is my job to oversee and coordinate all the teams and professionals in the field responsible for executing the construction drawings and turning the plans into reality. I keep one eye on the schedule and budget and the other on the quality of the deliverables. I help the vendors interpret the drawings and troubleshoot any issues that arise, and I work with the engineers, architects, and project owners to successfully execute their vision. Each day is about setting up the next day’s success. My goal is to provide the oversight needed to meet each day’s goals in order to set the stage for the teams and the work scheduled for the next day. So many hardworking people come together to make each project a reality. I have a responsibility to them and to the project owner to ensure everyone is in a position to do his or her job successfully.

About my career:

I joined OLIO in February 2018, bringing with me years of experience in the construction industry. I’ve worked in the field to build major big box retail facilities as well as to build or repurpose buildings for companies such as Starbucks, Panda Express, T-Mobile, and Taco Bell. I’ve served as a construction estimator for the Department of Homeland Security following Hurricane Katrina, helping federal facilities determine the necessary work needed to bring buildings back up to code in the aftermath of the storm. I earned my degree in construction engineering from the University of Akron.

I strive to deliver the highest quality project on time and on budget. Once a project enters the construction phase, it’s my job to keep everything on track and ensure quality every step of the way until the project is completed and handed over to the client. I work closely with the project managers and superintendents in the field to stay on top of progress and ensure adherence to approved construction drawings, and I am always in communication with project owners. The goal is to minimize firefighting as much as possible and to successfully complete each day’s and week’s objectives to the team’s and project owner’s satisfaction.

My motto is to finish strong. Anyone can start a project. But seeing the scope of work through to completion takes tenacity and perseverance. It also requires skilled and talented teams of people in the field. At OLIO, I have the advantage of working with capable people with the ability to consistently get the job done. I always keep one eye on the big picture and help ensure effective coordination and communication between the parties throughout the process.

About my career:

Before joining OLIO in 2017, I served as vice president of operations for Restaurant Specialties for five years. I worked closely with the project managers and interfaced directly with the clients, gaining an invaluable perspective into the project owners’ needs, which continues to influence my everyday work at OLIO. My background is in fine arts with an emphasis in drawing and painting, and I hold a degree from The Ohio State University. I owned my own studio, Dragonfly Design, Ltd., which specialized in murals and commercial artwork. The ability to marry my love for design with my expertise in project and construction management makes every day with OLIO a highly rewarding experience.