The Mount Airy Church of God in Christ represents the largest and most complicated project ever managed by Jonathan R. Distel. This 80,000-square-foot Church complex was built on a 4-acre location and incorporated the original orphanage.

Initially, extensive site development was required, followed by underpinning the orphanage's existing foundation so it could accommodate the massive new structure that would be against it. The layout and geometry of the new building were incredibly complex. The construction called for a steel and concrete structure, an exterior insulated finished wall system with cultured stone at the first floor level, and a standing-seam metal roof. The interior required complete mechanical systems and a sloped floor with wrap-around balcony to accommodate seating for 3,000 members of the congregation.

To successfully manage any project of this magnitude, free and open lines of communication with the many parties involved are mandatory. Jon dealt with each and every church decision-maker, architect, and contractor personally. He also held weekly meetings to outline specific expectations and scheduling for every aspect of the project. By remaining accessible to all the parties and receptive to their needs and concerns, Jon was able to maintain a smooth, productive workflow throughout the 2-year-long project.

Things moved along so seamlessly that Jon was able to overlap tasks and make up time during different phases of the operation. In addition, he kept very detailed documentation of every aspect of the construction. Whenever an unexpected circumstance or a need for a change in plans arose, he recorded it in detail and was able to quickly address and work through the situation with the building's owners and the architects.

With all his priorities in order — communication, scheduling, organization, and documentation — Jon was able to complete tasks accurately and solve problems swiftly. All phases of the project fell into place precisely and the building was finished ahead of schedule. But most important, Jon's approach helped make an operation of enormous scale run as smoothly as possible for all involved.