Women in Construction – Reflections on a Journey, Then and Now

Though I consider my entire career to be in the manufacturing side of the industry, my journey in modular construction began in the 1980s when I joined an international space rental company in sales.  It was a couple of years later that I had an opportunity to join NRB, a family-owned modular manufacturing company, in a newly formed role as Sales Manager, tasked with building up a new sales team, and expanding business into new markets and regions.  It was a very exciting opportunity though in retrospect, I don’t think I fully appreciated the scope of what could be lying ahead of me, most particularly being a woman in construction during the 1980’s and ‘90s.  I was fortunate to have the mentorship and support within my company that continually inspired my determination.

In 1992 I became VP of Sales and Marketing, a position I held until my retirement in 2021. As the business grew, my talented sales and estimating team expanded along with it, giving me time to study the broader industry landscape and new potential opportunities that could exist.  Joining the Modular Building Institute, we attended annual conferences and explored new market and design possibilities by looking at some incredible projects being built and connecting with other innovative manufacturers across the US and Canada.

I attended regional MBI meetings held along the eastern seaboard to learn everything I could about the challenges and opportunities others may be facing in our industry. It seemed obvious to me that if an entire industry collaborated, we should collectively be able to move the needle and remove some of the barriers along the way.

In 1997 I was elected to the MBI Board of Directors working on various committees and in 2001, I became the first woman and first Canadian President of the MBI.  I served a total of 15 years on the board, completing my last term in 2015. In 2013 I was a founding member of the National Institute of Building Science Off-site Construction Council, Chair of the MBI Canadian Educational Foundation and I contributed to the development of the AIA Design Guide for Architects and the Fannie Mae Toolkit for Lenders.

After retiring in 2021, I remained engaged in the modular construction industry by transitioning into a role as a modular consultant, allowing me to stay involved and continue to contribute to academic institutions and organizations committed to advancing the industry.

In 2023, I had the pleasure of meeting Sabrina Fiorellino, a highly driven entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of Fero International, a new modular manufacturing company, and I was happy to join her team as VP of Sales. Fero proudly supports women in construction as an organization where today 30% of the team are women contributing across a variety of roles, including the Executive and Board levels, administration, sales and marketing, project management, purchasing, and skilled trades on the production floor.