Nicole Johnson

Women hold a growing fraction of the construction industry, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:

• 9% women reported in 2022
• 44% are in construction management
• 13% own a construction-related company

Who Are the Trailblazers?

With women entering the construction field at increasing rates, who do we have to thank for paving the way?

• Emily Roebling—One of the first documented women in construction, Roebling paved the way for women in various sectors of the industry. When her husband fell ill, she replaced him as chief engineer and oversaw the completion of the Brooklyn Bridge.
• Julia Morgan—Morgan gained her Civil Engineering degree in California in 1898 and became the first licensed architect in the state. She was both designer and construction supervisor for the Hearst Castle.
• Elsie Eaves—In 1927, Eaves became the first woman inducted into the American Society of Civil Engineers. Her database invention had a significant impact on how residential and commercial building projects operate today.

Alongside these pioneers stand an increasing number of woman-owned businesses. The following are among the most well-known in the industry today:

• Kathryne Cahill Thompson, Cahill Contractors—Cahill Thompson joined this family-run company as a project engineer in 2007 before later becoming CEO in 2016. She is currently the highest-earning woman-owned construction company in the Bay area.
• Jennifer Todd, LMS General Contractors—Founder and President of LMS General Contractors, Todd is the youngest black woman to receive a General Engineering license in the state of California. She was also the first black construction business owner to be featured on the cover of Construction Business Owner magazine in 2020.
• Marilyn Grabowski, Atlantic Infra—Grabowski is known as the go-to partner of New Jersey’s utility companies. Her company is the largest and most experienced infrared contractor in the world.

This article made the front cover of Construction Safety’s Fall 2023 edition. To read the full story, please check out Workplace Materials and Handling Safety.