“I have always held Cumming in high regard, so when the opportunity to work here presented itself, I took the leap.”

We’d like to welcome Fiona Lyons to the Cumming team! Fiona has nearly 10 years of experience in the A/E/C industry and will be joining our Los Angeles team as a Business Development Manager. She will work closely with the local team to grow our Los Angeles presence and we are excited to have her on board!

How long have you been working in the A/E/C industry?

I have been working in the A/E/C industry since graduating from grad school in 2011. I spent much of my career working for the Urban Land Institute, the oldest and largest network of cross-disciplinary real estate and land use experts in the world.

I later transitioned into development with a local real estate consulting, investment, and development firm, which specializes in using placemaking to create value-add opportunities in urban environments. This is where I learned firsthand the intricacies of what it takes to get a project developed.

Most recently, I moved into the world of consulting, where I worked with practice leaders to identify key growth sectors and opportunities to expand our presence in the Los Angeles region.

What brought you to Cumming?

I have always held Cumming in high regard, so when the opportunity to work here presented itself, I took the leap. It is not only what Cumming does that I find exciting — the people here are what sealed the deal. After all, the people who you work with make you love your job.

What advice would you give to those in the A/E/C industry?

My advice to anyone starting out in the industry would be to rely on your relationships and to give as much as you take. You get out what you put in, so always be honest. I would also say, be a sponge and never stop learning.

What are some of your greatest accomplishments?

One of my greatest accomplishments is seeing an abandoned furniture warehouse transformed into a flexible working space for emerging bioscience companies that have outgrown their incubators. Located within what is known as the LA Bioscience Corridor, the vision of this project took shape and served as the critical linchpin in writing Los Angeles’ bioscience story.