Birmingham, Alabama (Sept. 21, 2019)—Construction Business Owner (CBO), the leading business magazine for contractors, is pleased to announce 20 finalists for its Outstanding Women in Construction (OWIC) 2019 honor.
 
OWIC was designed to recognize industry-leading females and their skills, achievements and contributions to the construction industry. The 20 finalists selected for OWIC 2019 are:
  • Jessica Adame, National Outreach Manager, McCarthy Building Co.
  • Rita Brown, President, Brown Construction Collective [BCC+]
  • Denise Carnahan, Human Resources Coordinator, T&K Roofing & Sheet Metal Company Inc.
  • Blue Coble, Journeyman Ironworker/Quality Control Manager, Local 75 Ironworkers/Derr & Gruenewald Construction
  • Mary Patricia Geppert, President, Geppert Bros., Inc.
  • Marilyn Grabowski, President, Atlantic Infra
  • Emily Herndon, Marketing Director, CT Wilson Construction Company Inc.
  • Isha Kassen, Vice Chair for Construction Leadership Council Steering Committee/Project Manager, U.S. Engineering
  • Mandi Kime, Director of Safety, Associated General Contractors of Washington
  • Tiffany LaBruno, Director of Professional Services, Gafcon
  • Sandra Lawson, Director of Operations, Venture Construction Group, Inc., Venture Construction Group of Florida, Inc., VCG International, Inc.
  • Kabri Lehrman-Schmid, Project Superintendent, Hensel Phelps Construction Co.
  • Peggy Hogan Marker, President, Marker Construction Group
  • Christine M. McAnney, Vice President, General Counsel, Balfour Beatty US Civils
  • Vicki O'Leary, General Organizer, Ironworkers International
  • Guiomar Obregon, CEO, Precision 2000, Inc. (P2K)
  • Debbie Rodriguez, President/Owner, Competitive Edge Partners & Consulting LLC
  • Julie Schafer, Project Manager, Aurora Builders Inc.
  • Elizabeth Vereen Sisson, Owner/Operator, Grand Strand Builders LLC
  • Jamie Vanek, Vice President, Valor Construction Group, a TST Company
 
These finalists will be recognized in a special section in CBO’s November 2019 print edition and on constructionbusinessowner.com throughout the months of November and December, and will also receive prizes from participating OWIC sponsors, including a WD-40 Prize Pack and Keen Utility Boots from a new line of specially designed work boots for women. 
 
OWIC 2019 received nearly 200 nominations from the bosses, colleagues, coworkers, friends and spouses of outstanding women in every corner of the construction industry. “We are humbled by the response to CBO’s OWIC. As a team of three female editors working in the construction industry, we are grateful to be able to celebrate so many smart, innovative women, and to have the chance to recognize and support them in CBO and share it with our readers,” said Kathy Wells, editor of CBO.
 
Nominations for OWIC 2019 opened July 26 and closed Sept. 3., and had no age limitations, but required that nominees must:
  • Be female
  • Work in construction (general contracting, subcontracting, specialty trades and others allied to the field) in the United States
  • Be respected by industry peers, leaders and clients
  • Show outstanding skills, leadership, management and/or innovation
  • Make outstanding contributions to their company, industry and/or community
 
“The list of contenders was long and their stories were remarkable, so the finalists who made the cut are certainly deserving of the honor,” said Wells.
 
Nominations for Outstanding Women in Construction 2020 will open July 1, 2020. Visit constructionbusinessowner.com/owic for more information.