Michael Gregory’s Leap from Automotive to Senior Chief Engineer in Facilities Management

Spotlight: Michael Gregory’s Leap from Automotive to Senior Chief Engineer in Facilities Management

When Michael Gregory reflects on his career, one theme stands out: the rewards of taking a risk. Today, he serves as the Senior Chief Engineer for the Northeast region — a role he was recently promoted to, but his path to this position didn’t follow a traditional route. Instead, it began in the automotive industry and took a bold turn during the height of the pandemic, when he decided to pursue a new career in facilities management.

Michael started his career in the automotive field, where he found himself moving into more administrative roles. “My career path in the automotive industry started to take a little bit more of an administrative role and at that time I was kind of going crazy sitting behind a keyboard all day,” he recalls. At the same time, he was honing trade skills on his own — carpentry, electrical, plumbing, HVAC work — that sparked thoughts about a career change.

That change came in 2020, right in the middle of the pandemic. “I started my career with C&W Services on the Amazon account. I started out in RME [Reliability Maintenance Engineering] during pretty much the height of COVID. I opened up several buildings for them and assisted them with a lot of their technical needs during that time. It was a little crazy, but we made it work.”

For Michael, the leap was both exciting and nerve-wracking. “That was a big jump and a big risk that fortunately now is paying off, but it was definitely a risk and made me a little nervous. But it ended up working out.”

The opportunity came after friends in the trades encouraged him to look at larger facilities management companies. “It was more so a shot in the dark. Not everybody's willing to take the chance on somebody that had my background, making a full career change to go from the automotive industry to facilities. So fortunately for me, somebody back in 2020 reviewed my resume, gave me a shot, and I've been grateful ever since.”

Michael also shares what the interview process was like during those unprecedented times: “I was a little nervous, but fortunately it all worked out in the end… It was several virtual interviews, and I had to take an aptitude test. … My training was on site. It was a group training orientation and then after that was done, we were all dispatched to all our respective facilities, and the rest is history.”

Since then, Michael has advanced steadily through roles as a stationary engineer, mobile engineer, and lead engineer. “As of the 1st of this month, I'm now the Senior Chief Engineer for the East Coast with the Mobile Facility Solutions team with GOS [Global Occupier Services].”

Looking back, Michael says he wishes he had made the leap earlier. “I made the career change when I was 30 years old… I wish that I chose this career path sooner.”

His advice to those considering a similar path is simple: “Really do your research on what options are out there. I think it will help them make that decision if they want to go into this field and really succeed.”

Michael’s story shows how courage, transferable skills, and the right opportunity can transform a career. “C&W Services is the one that decided to give me the chance, coming from my previous industry to this industry. So, I'm going to give them 110% because they're the ones that took the chance on me.”

Michael’s journey from automotive to Senior Chief Engineer is a testament to the power of taking calculated risks and embracing new opportunities. By trusting his transferable skills, embracing each new challenge, and committing fully to the opportunities both C&W Services and Cushman & Wakefield GOS offered him, he has built a rewarding career that continues to evolve. His story highlights that sometimes the most rewarding growth comes when you step out of your comfort zone and pursue a path that challenges you — and in doing so, you can achieve remarkable success.