Catalyst: a substance or event that speeds up change
At Catalyst, we know that two heads are better than one and its more fun to work with a team. We’re here to help with that extra bit of energy needed to make your projects, initiatives and goals a success.
Why Catalyst
The best part of this industry is the opportunities to learn different tech, company models, disciplines, roles. The variety and chance to learn something new is what has made the work so fun!
Last year, Cass Schmidt founded Catalyst with the intention of taking the experience and expertise she has gained throughout her career and using it to help folks accomplish their goals and objectives. One constant will always be the continuous ebbs and flows of work and the difficulty of having the right amount/type/skill of resources to support it. Sometimes you just need someone knowledgeable to review a design, proposal or brochure. Or someone that can support a proposal effort or backfill a PM for a couple of weeks. Or you’re looking to fully enter the Renewables space and need a partner to help with that journey. We’re excited to learn what you are trying to achieve and support you in getting there.
Certifications
Advisory Board Member, CM Program MSU, Mankato
Industry Mentor, UTA Arlington REA Progream
PMP Certified
About Cass
Hi…I’m Cass!
I started my career by going to school for Construction Mgmt in Mankato, MN. At the time I knew I wanted to travel, build things and have a stable paycheck. I landed an internship with building wind turbines in 2007 and fell in love with the work. I loved the climbing, the candor, the teamwork and how everyone just came together with no pretenses.
After graduation, I went on to built bridges, refineries, power plants and Border Fence from Brownsville, TX to Newfoundland, Canada. I rotated from office to field learning across heavy civil, electrical collection, fiber, utility, piping, structural steel, tunneling, heavy highway and foundations disciplines as estimator, project engineer and superintendent.
In 2014, I found my way back to Renewables and supported various EPCs across Wind, Solar and BESS Industries, building projects as an onsite Project Manager.
Then, in 2022, I shifted into the Business Development space, leading a Business unit for a Solar EPC. Here I had the space to incorporate what I had learned on site and help ensure our bids fully captured the work and also help clients understand construction risks early on when they could capture the benefits.
Another new challenge presented itself when I accepted the role of VP, Renewables for a Survey and Land Acquisition firm that was looking to create market share in the Renewables space. Thanks to support of their senior leadership and fantastic team members who were excited to learn a new market, we were successful in building a new operating group from the ground up that has now built up a base of repeat clients that accounted for 10% of revenue in its first year.