Jim Thomson
Vice-President, Central Region Health DirectorHDRJim is Senior Vice President and Director of Health for the Central Region at HDR, where he leads multidisciplinary teams delivering innovative, sustainable solutions for healthcare clients. With more than 30 years of experience in architecture and engineering, he brings deep expertise in healthcare design, development, and construction across a wide range of delivery models.
A collaborative leader, Jim has worked across design-build, integrated project delivery, and public‑private partnerships in the U.S., Canada, and the Middle East. He is passionate about inspiring teams, supporting professional growth, and creating positive change through data‑driven strategies and design collaboration.
E27 – Delivering a GMP Under Budget Amid Economic Chaos: A JV Panel Discussion on High‑Performing Collaboration
Delivering a Guaranteed Maximum Price under budget in today’s healthcare construction economy is extremely challenging. On the Destination Grand proje…Delivering a Guaranteed Maximum Price under budget in today’s healthcare construction economy is extremely challenging. On the Destination Grand project for Henry Ford Health, an integrated joint venture team delivered a GMP in short time and below b…Delivering a Guaranteed Maximum Price under budget in today’s healthcare construction economy is extremely challenging. On the Destination Grand project for Henry Ford Health, an integrated joint venture team delivered a GMP in short time and below budget, despite facing tariff volatility, supply chain disruptions, labor shortages, shifting priorities, and evolving design requirements. This panel discussion features all key stakeholders, includin…Delivering a Guaranteed Maximum Price under budget in today’s healthcare construction economy is extremely challenging. On the Destination Grand project for Henry Ford Health, an integrated joint venture team delivered a GMP in short time and below budget, despite facing tariff volatility, supply chain disruptions, labor shortages, shifting priorities, and evolving design requirements. This panel discussion features all key stakeholders, including Henry Ford Health, Barton Malow, Turner, and HDR. Panelists will share how they maintained alignment through the evolution of scope, including the goal of an all-electric hospital and addition of two floors, while navigating economic volatility, managing procurement challenges, and right-sizing bid packages in a tight labor market. Attendees will gain practical, actionable insights for stabilizing costs, controlling risk, using data-driven decision-making, evaluating systems selections that reduce risk, and fostering high-performance collaboration across multi-partner teams. This session delivers proven approaches that owners, designers, and builders can apply when external conditions are working against success.Show MoreClick the title to see all detailsShow More
