Employee Spotlight: Cynthia Mercante, Director of Software Development

Meet Cynthia Mercante.

How did you enter the industry

After I left the world of graphic design, I went back to school to pursue an Information Systems degree. I started this new career, working as a Systems Analyst.

I loved the problem-solving aspects of software development, and it still provided the opportunity for me to exercise some creativity.

How/when did you start at *GBA

The software development/systems integration firm I was working for was contacted by GBA about a software application project.  I ended up working as a consultant to GBA for the development of four or five applications.  My firm’s partners parted ways and GBA offered me a full time position. That was 20 years ago, but it only seems like four. (Well some days it feels like 44, but most days it feels like four.)

*GBA merged with Mazzetti in August, 2016, uniting the leaders in Healthcare Engineer and Technology/IT consulting. 

What keeps you coming back for more  

In the past, I used to look forward to having the opportunity to help our users solve problems.  I still love that part of my job, and now (post-merger), there are so many more potential development projects and new processes to learn and people to learn from–it’s exciting!

Exciting Projects

My amazing team and I are heads-down and eyes-straight on the goal of completing PlanItWeb by August 1! (PlanIt, soon to be ‘PlanItWeb’, is our custom technology planning  software, which supports our integrated approach and Revit integration, as well as many other features not included in off-the-shelf software.)

Thinking about the future

I wish there was a Grid Alternatives installation in this area!  Also, Nashville was just named Windiest City (based on one of two scales), so maybe we need to investigate wind power alternatives around here? 

Advice for the younger generation 

• Professional:  Never assume you know enough; keep learning.  Don’t avoid doing the right thing or the difficult thing.
• Personal:  Get healthy early in your life and sustain it.  It is a lot harder to recover from bad habits later in life. Also, practice gratitude.

Life outside of Mazzetti+GBA

My husband of 38 years and I have no kids, no pets.  But we do have two precious mothers to love: one is 88 and nearby, the other is 92 and lives in Rome.  We enjoy real Italian cooking (fresh and simple) as well as Spanish food and tinto (Spanish red wine). Every week I look forward to my funk/hip hop dance exercise class on Sunday afternoons – I have to watch the instructor and my big feet, which means I don’t think about work deadlines or anything else!