Opening the door

It was her sister that introduced Allison Sellers to the world of construction. When a position opened with her sister's general contractor company, where she was an accountant, Allison applied.

It wasn't long before she realized just how much she loved the construction industry. Learning everything and anything she could, she worked her way up the corporate ladder, eventually landing as the Assistant Controller with Evergreen Construction Company, which is a part of the Evergreen Real Estate Group in Chicago.

We sat down with Allison to get her thoughts on the industry, what she does and why there is nothing like it.

Tell us your story. How did you get started in the industry?

I graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater with my bachelor's degree in operations management. I knew I wanted to get into a business role but wasn’t sure exactly which industry in which I wanted to work. My sister was working as an accountant with a general contractor, and they had an opening for another construction accountant, so I interviewed and got the job.

I quickly realized how much I enjoyed both construction accounting and all other aspects of construction. I took all opportunities that were made available to me to learn all aspects of construction, from start to finish, and it continued to pay off as I made my way up into more senior roles including here at Evergreen Construction Company.

What are some of the biggest changes you have seen over the past few years?

Over the past two years, the pandemic really brought on major changes to the way all companies do business. Learning new ways to communicate, accomplish a task and prioritize tasks are challenges I have faced and believe many in the industry have also

Based in Dallas, TX a nationwide company with more than 30 years of experience in:

> Brokerage - We will find the right properties to lease or buy for you –guarantee to find hidden opportunities and off market sites.

> Consulting - We will manage the entire development process –land acquisition, entitlements, zoning, and leasing.

> Development – Ground up and redevelopment specializing in single tenant net leased.

What clients are saying:

“Pam’s expertise in commercial real estate brokerage and development is strong. Recommending Pam to anybody is easy especially after seeing her aggressiveness in evaluating a market and securing the best opportunities within days not months.”

“Pam is a detail-oriented person who is able to bring projects in on time and under budget while maintaining excellent customer service. Additionally, Pam is a skillful negotiator.” faced. In the last five years, the change in technology has been fascinating to see.

Where once companies operated solely in Word and Excel, there now are numerous software systems to streamline nearly every operation in construction management, construction accounting, monthly expense reports, etc. These software systems have not only cut down the time needed to accomplish a task but removed a great portion of the manual entries needed, therefore reducing human error.

What opportunities are out there for the industry as we move forward in 2023? For women?

There are endless opportunities in all aspects of construction moving into 2023. In recent years, this statement is as relevant to women as it is to men. Though we still do not see as many women in the field, there are more and more taking on the physical role of working on-site on a construction project.

Within the office, we are no longer seeing women holding only administrative/ support roles. Some of the greatest project managers I have had the pleasure to work with are women. In addition to traditional roles in the construction industry (project management, HR, accounting), technology roles are becoming just as important to the completion of construction projects.

Technology roles are not limited to only an IT department but include BIM (Building Information Modeling) and marketing. Each of these departments help grow the business in their own way and are a perfect role for both men and women.

What type of trends are you seeing today?

Although we’re moving out of the extreme price increases in construction materials we saw during the pandemic, we now are operating in a completely different world than we had been just a few years ago. There is a great deal of competition within the construction industry not only for securing new projects but also for securing quality employees.

Finding a position that aligns with one’s personal values and work-life-balance are a top priority for employees. This alone forces companies to continuously evaluate their business objectives and company culture.

What advice can you share?

If you see room for improvement, share your thoughts and ideas. There truly is nothing more frustrating than going through the motions of a task because someone else fears change.

What's the best piece of advice you have ever received?

Making an effort takes no talent at all.

What's the single best thing every woman can do to make sure they continue to get a seat at the table?

Speak up time and time again until you are heard. Be confident in your worth and how you present your knowledge.

What's the biggest item on your to-do list?

Building and supporting my team at Evergreen Construction Company to give everyone involved a sense of worth and accomplishment is a top priority. I love to collaborate on new ideas on how a process can be adjusted to better meet the needs of a business. CCR

A Few Basic Qualifiers:

 Employers that pay by W2

 Businesses with under 100 employees for the 2020 credit and under 500 employees for the 2021 credit (schedule a call to understand the differences and how the 2020 100 employee range can be maximized over that number)

 For-Profit AND Non-Profit companies/organizations

 2 - 500 Employees (we currently don't count ownership and immediate family employee status due to gray area in guidelines and we don't want you penalized for it)

 Newly established businesses (from February 15, 2020 forward) can claim the ERTC for 2021 Q3 and Q4, if they haven't had gross receipts over $1,000,000 in the calendar year. (schedule a call for clarification)

How Our process Works:

 Contact us so we can talk to you about your company, activity, and how Covid hindered your business. This should only take about 15 minutes.

 If you have the qualifications needed we will request the proper documents from you to start your file and calculations

(941’s, Employee Payroll reports, and Gross Revenue Receipts)

 We get back to you in 2-3 days with a claim amount

 We send you a client agreement that lays out fees and services

 Certify all paperwork, submit to IRS for acceptance, Treasury checks are mailed to you