An Interview With Kipcon’s Director of Inspections, Karen Thomlinson
Karen Thomlinson has served as Kipcon’s Director of Inspections for more than two years. This month I met with Karen to discuss her role at Kipcon and her journey with the company. We also explored the unexpected career path she might have pursued if building inspections hadn’t called—investigating bodies.
Skinned Knees, Climbing Trees & Construction Diagnosis
For those of you who joined us last month, you’ll remember the moment Karen realized she had a knack for diagnosing buildings. “I broke my leg and had to stay home from school. During that time, my parents were having the kitchen renovated. I remember sketching how the crew was framing the wall for a new window, and something about it didn’t look right. When I showed the drawing to my dad, he pointed out that they had forgotten to install a header. That moment became my first real introduction to construction.”
Diagnosing buildings came naturally for a little girl who once dreamed of becoming Quincy M.E., the original forensic investigator. “I wanted to be a medical examiner. But my mum didn’t like the idea of her daughter opening up dead bodies, so she told my dad not to encourage me.”
Karen Thomlinson, Director of Inspections & Quincy M.E.
If any of you have had the pleasure of working with Karen, it’s not hard to imagine little Karen – like big Karen – fearless and ready to go. As a Veteran, that fearlessness is part of who she is.
“I’ve never been afraid of heights, whether that meant climbing trees to see how high I could go or later rappelling out of helicopters. My knees were always skinned.”
A Life-Changing Mentor
Karen’s first job in the industry was a summer job with a family friend. “I was fortunate to have an incredible mentor, Marshall Frost, who guided me throughout high school and college. I worked for him during those years, and his influence played a huge role in shaping my career.”
When Karen eventually interviewed for a job at Kipcon, Mitch, who knew Marshall (the two had immense respect for each other and “were friendly competitors”), didn’t want to hire Karen out of respect for Marshall. During her interview, Karen got Marshall on the phone to give Mitch his blessing. After giving Mitch the o.k. to hire Karen, Marshall also came on as a consultant for Kipcon for a time.
Considering what Karen’s current schedule looks like, it should come as no surprise that her first project, during her sophomore year of college, with Marhsall, was walking on a roof. Karen was smaller than the construction guys on-site, and Marshall told her to get up there! Another piece of invaluable advice from Marshall, “order a custom harness. As someone who’s vertically challenged, it’s important to have.”
Karen and Kipcon
Karen has worked with Kipcon for eight years. On her first day with the company, she was told, “here’s your project, go!” During those early years, Karen worked closely with Mitch and Mark Yanchuk (our Vice President of Engineering). Since then, Karen has never stopped going.
“Kipcon gives you the opportunity to work on a wide variety of projects across many different areas of the industry – there are always chances to branch out and gain experience in other disciplines.”
As previously mentioned, this upcoming February will be Karen’s third year as the Director of Inspections. “A major highlight of my time at Kipcon has been becoming the Director of Inspections. Stepping into this role has allowed me to learn how to support my team members, help them grow, and make sure they have what they need to succeed. It has also been personally rewarding—especially as a remote worker—because it gives me more opportunities for genuine human connection and creates meaningful, teachable moments as I guide the team.”
From Left to Right: Chelsea Brodmerkel (Marketing Director), Karen Thomlinson (Director of Inspections), Jennifer LaGaurdia (Proposal Coordinator & Project Administrator), Seth Frumkin (President)
When I asked Karen about her role on the leadership team, she explained, “I get to see decisions on both sides, what’s best for the company and what’s best for my team. There’s pressure from above and below. There has to be leadership alignment and team advocacy. I get to help my team be their best, and I have the ability to see potential in them. The things they might not know they can do, I can see that and encourage them to do something they wouldn’t normally think they’re capable of. Seeing that is one of the most fulfilling parts of my job.”
Karen also enjoys her work with Toll Brothers, which often takes her beyond state lines for inspections. These projects give her the opportunity to travel, experience new locations, and bring her expertise to communities across the country.
Karen Thomlinson, Private Eye
During our interview, I asked Karen, “If you weren’t in this industry, what do you think you’d be doing?”
“I have no regrets about anything I’ve done, but I tell my husband that we should open a detective business on the side… but I’d be a medical examiner. My mum said I was always taking things apart and figuring out how to put them back together. During Covid, I still got to go into buildings and walk roofs. There’s some forensics there. Diagnosing what’s going on with a building, figuring out what happened to a body.”
I told Karen I could see it.
A Sturdy Foundation
Even though Karen’s mum didn’t want her to become a medical examiner, Karen’s parents always supported her. “My parents thought there wasn’t anything I couldn’t do. I could play with anything I wanted to. My mum would just say that she’d make my hem longer to cover my skinned knees. The only thing my parents ever said was ‘let us know if you need a ride.’” A strong support system is just as important for us as it is for the buildings we inspect.
Karen also mentioned that for a while she took painting classes with her dad. From home construction projects to architectural drawings, “I always liked to draw.”
A Kipcon Freaky Friday
When I asked Karen if she had to switch seats with anyone in the company for a day, who would she choose and why, she told me, “I would choose Arlene. I would love to see how the company has evolved from her perspective, especially considering it all began in her basement. She carries so much of Kipcon’s history with her, and experiencing the company’s growth through her eyes would be incredibly enlightening.”
If you too are wondering about Arlene and her role within the company, make sure you check in with us for May’s blog. Arlene currently splits her time between the finance and sales and marketing departments, and next month, we’ll get to spend some time with her and the other members of the sales and marketing team (including me).
Connect with Kipcon
If you’re looking for someone to scale the side of your high-rise, or if your community is in need of any inspections or engineering related services, reach out to us here or call us at (800) 828-4118.