“I really got into [construction] because I received the opportunity through a part-time job in the summer [of 2001],” said Tori Terrell, vice president of finance and treasurer at Design Electric Inc. “It was through that summer help and establishing relationships in the office that drew me to want to stay and work through my high school year, and then come back when there was an opening for a full-time position.”
Terrell started as “just a summer helper floating around.” Then she came back as a full-time receptionist, transitioned to the payables department, and then to the accounting manager role with accounts payable and receivable. From there she grew into the controller, financial controller and then eventually the vice president of finance. She passed her Certified Construction Industry Financial Professional (CCIFP) exam in 2023.
In 2021, she was asked to join the board of directors at Design Electric and was the first woman to do so. For her, that was very exciting.
One of the biggest projects Terrell was involved with was helping her company’s leadership team see a need for succession planning. She then brought key players to the table to assist them internally with that succession plan in terms of the company.
Terrell has assisted Design Electric, a company with around 140 employees, in many ways, including completing their organizational parts and identifying new roles. In addition, she helped with planning how a person could go through various paths in their careers, identifying who may be flight risks or retiring soon, and prioritizing which roles needed to be focused on in succession by the immediate need.
What motivates Terrell is her Charlottesville, Virginia-based company’s workforce, with several employees boasting 10-plus years at the company. She added that Design Electric directly impacts many local families. “Our employees help to build and maintain a lot of very important buildings and facilities in our community. This includes the No. 1 trauma hospital in the area at UVA Hospital, as well as all the educational schools on the grounds of the University of Virginia and at James Madison University. We [also] helped with the Martha Jefferson Hospital from 2000 to 2014 — it was one I really enjoyed being a part of from start to finish.”
Terrell believes there’s still some reluctance of hiring women due to the nature of construction and what it entails. “Sometimes there’s a fear of training someone in a position, and then they may leave because they might choose to [start a family],” Terrell said. There may be misunderstandings of what women could be capable of as far as their capacity, like lifting heavy equipment, or being able to easily work on a job. She added that some think women only operate on emotion, which is a big myth.
“When you have a team working to come to a consensus,” Terrell stated, “having variety of thoughts, a variety of backgrounds and a variety of experiences is going to only bring wisdom to the table and help the decision be much wiser in nature.”
“Anytime you’re gathered around the table that make a decision, I’d strongly encourage that you make sure to keep that opportunity open to diverse backgrounds and women, when possible,” Terrell said. “When you have someone in a leadership position, don’t ever underestimate their ability to pick up on things due to instinct or just scientific differences that can really complement any decision or idea that’s being discussed.”
Terrell was a was a founding member of the board that created the Blue Ridge Chapter of CFMA and is currently serving as president. “Through my local chapter, we are trying to help give education and networking ability to others.”
At her job, Terrell looks for opportunities to help mentor other women in the office. “When I see different programs geared toward women, especially women in leadership or professional empowerment, I reach out, making sure they’re aware of it, offering to register [them] so we can attend together. It’s really important you make it obvious to your coworkers that you’re there to help lift them up and lead them and make sure they have these opportunities.”
Terrell imparted a few words of advice: “Don’t ever feel you don’t deserve a seat at the table or that you don’t deserve an opportunity that’s given to you. Just take that opportunity, because you never know what it’s going to lead to.”
