Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend

- As a Diamond level sponsor of the NAHB, Merillat is helping to support women in the building industry-

This January, during the International Builders’ Show, I had the honor of meeting four extraordinary women during the National Association of Home Builders’ (NAHB) Professional Women in Building Awards Luncheon.  Not only did I get the chance to learn about each of these women, but because Merillat is a Diamond sponsor of the NAHB, I got to present them with “Women of the Future” grants.

As a Diamond sponsor of the NAHB, one of Merillat’s proudest contributions is helping to further the education of women in all aspects of the building industry, including business owners, marketing experts, interior designers and mortgage brokers. And with a “Women of the Future” grant, recipients can go on to further their careers by obtaining certifications or continuing their education.  This is especially important as women are increasingly becoming major players in an industry that has historically been dominated by men.

The 2010 grant winners are no exception to the drive needed to succeed in a business that has seen some hard times recently.  The following are just a fraction of their stories:

Wendy Albee, owner of Albee Interior Design in Bothell, Wash., started her career in the building industry when she moonlighted as an interior designer.  She eventually began doing it full time, and in 2001 founded her own company. Wendy is receiving more and more questions about energy efficiency and indoor air quality, so to better serve her clients she’s using her grant to obtain a Certified Green Professional (CGP) certificate.

Christine Fortenberry operated a home building business in the Atlanta area for 36 years, but in 2007, when the credit market collapsed, she lost the business and found herself starting over. This is when she decided to pick herself up and redefine herself as a residential general contractor, and started Fortenberry Construction Services. In her new company she noticed a shift in the way people looked at homes; they want to be close to their jobs, to remodel instead of build and they want their homes to accommodate multiple generations. Christine plans to use this knowledge, along with her grant, to obtain a light commercial designation on her general contractor’s license.  This will allow her to expand her services to include town homes, apartments and other structures up to five stories.

Meegan Holman credits the growth of her plumbing business, AKC Plumbing in Noble, Okla., to the growth of the central Oklahoma market as well as her company’s dedication to providing outstanding service. From the beginning, Meegan wanted the company to be more than just a plumbing contractor, but a partner to their customers.  And in order to better serve her customers she’s using her grant to obtain a CGP certificate.  Meegan says she’s trying to stay ahead of the game when it comes to green building and be the company people think of when they need help.

Melanie Spurgeon of Peoria, Ill., says becoming a builder was almost a birthright.  Her grandfather was a builder, and she spent many childhood days at construction sites. It’s no surprise that when she grew up she started her business, Design Built Homes. A few years ago, Melanie’s grandmother fell in her home, causing injuries from which she never recovered.  It is because of that event Melanie became interested in aging in place and safety for the elderly.  This is why she’s using her grant to obtain a Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS) certificate.

Merillat is proud to recognize the commitment of these women to increasing their knowledge and involvement in the building industry; and I personally wish them all the very best.

Tags: building industry, certified aging in place specialist, certified green professional, merillat, NAHB, national association of home builders, professional women in building