Professional women in building: A network of support

Professional women in building: A network of support

by Bailee Wicks Communications Manager

BIAW celebrated Professional Women in Building (PWB) Week Sept. 13-17. PWB week celebrates women as an important component of the residential construction industry. PWB Councils play a huge role in initiating conversations and supporting women through mentoring.

Washington has two PWB Councils: one at the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties and the other at Olympia Master Builders. PWB Councils give a voice to the women in the building industry, dedicated to promoting industry professionalism and supporting members at the local, state and national levels.

More than a meeting

Debbi Boyd, Real Estate of the South Sound, and Olympia Master Builders PWB Council chair, says PWB is more than just a monthly meeting.

“My favorite part of being in a PWB Chapter is the networking with other professional women in the industry and learning and collaborating on how they manage their life and professional work balance,” Boyd said.

However, those events became more than networking during COVID.

“Our PWB Council is a little over 18 months old and was commissioned right before the pandemic hit,” adds Boyd. “I have heard from some members that the PWB Lunch and Learns and Mingles were a way to keep sane and receive information about safety and working from home successfully during lockdown.”

NAHB Second Vice Chair Alicia Huey (l), President of HCS Construction Services Sherry Schwab (m) and Executive Producer of Tenhulzen Residential LLC Traci Tenhulzen (r) lead the industry panel at the MBAKS PWB Summit, moderated by Kimberley Martin on Oct. 7.

Kimberley Martin, of Cyneburg Services, LLC, MBAKS Professional Women in Building Council chair, shares that passion.

“I hope other women considering careers in our field will look to us for inspiration and guidance,” she said. “We’re a built-in support system with our biggest goal being to help others succeed.”

Remember, you do not need to be a part of a PWB Council to inspire others and strengthen the workforce. Celebrate tradeswomen, support the next generation and help us build the next generation of skilled workers.

To learn more about PWB week or councils, contact Communications Manager Bailee Wicks at (360) 352-7800 ext.143 or baileew@biaw.com.