New York City-based construction and development services firm CNY Group today announced the appointment of Katie Urtnowski as Vice President of People and Culture. In her new role, Ms. Urtnowski will reinforce the firm’s mission of maintaining a progressive, people-orientated culture through providing employees with opportunities for continuous growth and learning, as well as creating value for CNY’s diverse portfolio of clients.

“We’re thrilled to have Katie at the helm of People and Culture here at CNY,” says Ken Colao, Founding Principal & President at CNY Group. “Her vast breadth of experience across multiple sectors will help further guide our valued staff and cultivate strong bonds both internally and externally.”

As a student, Ms. Urtnowski initially pursued bachelor’s degrees in education and psychology before determining that a business degree was the right path for her. Spanning a variety of industries that have informed her unique point of view, her experience includes roles in healthcare, insurance, and non-profit law—each of which allowed her to continue honing her remarkable interpersonal and communication skills. Instrumental in forming her approach to business and workplace culture was her service at the Urban Justice Center in New York, which shaped her philosophy and framework for leading human resources.

“A leader must have a vision, but also know how to execute it,” says Ms. Urtnowski. “At CNY, I work to bridge the gap between strategic and tactical; people and business. The firm truly cares about their people, and I’m excited to be given the opportunity to help take CNY’s already impressive culture to the next level.”

Already, Ms. Urtnowski has had a hand in launching CNY’s first leadership development program, re-engineering the firm’s performance management system, as well as building out a company-wide learning development platform. Part of CNY’s Strategic Executive Team, Ms. Urtnowski sets the tone for employee touchpoints, exhibiting core competencies of foresight, agility, accountability, and resiliency in everything she does at the firm.

Ms. Urtnowski has certifications in both Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). She also holds a Leadership Development certificate from Cornell University.

About CNY Group

CNY Group LLC is a construction and development services firm headquartered in New York City. Founded in 2003, CNY and our affiliated operating business units combine building expertise and the highest professional standards with a delivery that is time sensitive and bottom-line savvy.

CNY’s core competency is managing the construction of new buildings, slender hi-rise structures, complex gut renovations and interior programs. We serve clients in diverse market sectors including hospitality and residential, commercial, office interiors, educational and healthcare, biotech, retail and cultural work.

Our dynamic organization of talented and dedicated construction professionals is led by the firm’s principals who are hands on and have an aggregate of over 100 years of experience managing large-scale and complex projects. The firm is active in the New York metropolitan area, and has successfully provided construction and development management services, both nationally and internationally.