Jeff Cockrell | designer, head of construction & project manager (2013 - present)
Jeff came to modern by chance, but it’s by no coincidence that we wanted to keep him around. He had run a successful design and construction company for 5 years before he showed up at our offices to buy paper and ask if he could collaborate on a job with us. Now, not only does Jeff help manage our projects, but he joins the team at the earliest phase possible. He usually starts during the project analysis and programming phase, then begins to help generate a detailed construction proposal using cost breakdowns and proposals from our bid documents. This collaboration opens up the project to further scrutiny and leads to creating detailed construction documents used during the process by all of our in-house artisans and contractors.
Once the project is complete Jeff performs a post project analysis while creating a detailed "as-built" plan, to make sure all expectations were met and exceeded, he details his findings in a report on how we could do better in the future and where we excelled.
Manny Muniz | project manager (2020 - present)
Manny brings a fresh perspective in project management. Passionate to dive head-first into every new build, his attention to detail, keen creative eye, and out of the box approach is a welcome addition to the unique skillset the modern team brings to our clients’ projects. And for those that enjoy the vibrant Austin music scene, you can often find Manny performing around town as the long-renowned DJ Manny Dojo.
Eduardo Campos | site manager & superintendant (2000 - present)
Modern’s very own Renaissance man, Eddie is our go-to guy for anything and everything, and is valuable to our day-to-day operations as he ensures projects are delivered successfully and on time. He collaborates with engineers and subcontractors to define project needs and oversee performance. He monitors projects from planning to completion, and ensures our quality standards are met while maintaining the safety and security of the construction site.
Melissa Burckhardt | director of marketing & sales (2020 - present)
Melissa is an Austin newcomer, finally settling down and growing roots in Texas after years of living and working in Asia and the Middle East. She brings with her knowledge in marketing and communications, business development, strategic planning, and stakeholder management, honed in her years of working in multinational organizations and multicultural environments.
With her extensive and multi-faceted background, Melissa now leverages her international business experience in her role as Director of Marketing and Sales. She is also our clients’ first point of contact, managing client relationships and ensuring on-boarding of new clients go seamlessly as possible.
Bianca Aquino | contract & office operations manager (2021 - present)
Meticulous, proactive, and success-driven, Bianca is a seasoned Operations Manager with years of experience working within real estate development and construction management firms in North America and Asia. Bianca works with our senior-level management team in aligning business objectives with administrative, financial, and operational functions while ensuring that our projects are on schedule and financial goals are met.
Iary Garcia Sotelo | associate designer (2020 - present)
Having earned a Bachelor’s degree in Pre-Med Biology and two Masters’ Degrees in Education and Public Health from Baylor University, one would assume Iary has paved a clear path for a career in medicine and/or healthcare. But her passion for art and design pulled her in a different direction and led her to a lifelong pursuit of helping others achieve their dreams through creative exploration.
This passion has resulted in her winning various awards in art and education, doing a 2 year stint as an Art Consultant, and even owning and managing her very own art gallery and boutique for five years before taking on the position as an Activity Director, creating and implementing immersive art programs at a local retirement center. With this art-fueled trajectory, it wasn’t a surprise for Iary to land yet another role that allows her to do what she loves. As an Associate Designer, Iary works closely with the Design Team in providing clients with their dream spaces and structures reflected in custom designs tailored to their needs and lifestyle.
Tim Sack | project management to the luxury development & hospitality market, Austin/Aspen (2015 - present)
With a background spanning nearly all key elements of the design space, Tim brings a unique set of experiences which provide a comprehensive service, and a thoughtfully combined balance between aesthetic, construction, execution and the promotion to his projects. His understanding of the construction field combines with a design awareness, honed over years as a leader in the luxury design media business, allowing for smooth communication and efficient execution of projects and developments of varying scale and scope.
A thought leader in design thinking, his open approach to client projects provides layers of value through efficiency management, solution creation and transparency.
Marisela Sotelo | engineer (1999 - present)
A professional Civil Engineer currently licensed in the state of Texas, Marisela investigates our project designs to ensure structural soundness. Her experience and ability to adapt to new construction techniques gives basis to our design solutions.
Alex Whitaker | AIA (2007-2009 & 2013 - present)
Alex began working with modern as a project manager in 2007 and took 5 years away to get his Architecture license. During the process he worked and traveled through New York, Dripping Springs, and Wimberly. Now that Alex has rejoined our team, he adds a new dimension of design and keeps us at the forefront of design technology. Using Revit, AutoCad, ScetchUp and Vectorworks we are able to render navigable models and create real time changes to CD's.
Jonathan Ericson | IPSSA (2016 - present)
Jonathan had been in the pool service industry for over 10 years when he came to us with the desire to expand his intensive service knowledge into constructibility & feasibility analysis. Having first hand knowledge of what mechanical manufacturers and designs work best in the industry gives us an edge over the competition, especially when it comes to reducing service calls and increasing the clients enjoyment of the overall project. It’s fun that our clients like to invite Jonathan over, not just to fix issues, but rather to enjoy his company while he programs interesting scenes into their automation systems. When not working with modern, Jonathan enjoys working on his art & music.
Shane Applegate | construction management (2009 - 2019) | IPSSA, APSP
Shane has thrived in the pool service industry for over 15 years, starting in the water quality sector as a sales rep for Orenda & moving into his own service route & finally landing on a successful pool construction consultancy business. Providing positive feedback and a quick solution on our first project together he quickly joined our ranks & has been assisting with our large scale project management ever since.
modern designers & sales associates
Our design associates collaborate with Jan to draw on our extensive background in all aspects of pool & outdoor living design, and over 50 years of combined experience in the pool design-build industry. We collaborate closely with our clients to conceive unique spaces that seamlessly complement existing architecture while integrating surrounding landscapes. The ongoing relationships we form by collaborating with clients inspire us to imagine and create outdoor environments individually tailored to our clients that elevate their day-to-day experience. Whether it’s simplicity in form, functional honesty, or design embellishment, we adjust to unite design elements and exceed client expectations.