Though the construction field remains a male-dominated one, women have established a presence in the industry. Two local general contractors discuss the paths they’ve taken to become business owners and leaders in the field.
Building a career
Karen S. Hoffman is co-owner of Hoffman Builders Inc. in High Point along with husband, Randy. The couple built their own home together in 1980 and enjoyed the experience so much they started their business the next year. Their company builds six to seven homes and 12 to 20 townhomes a year ranging in price from $150,000 to over $1 million.
Hoffman’s main duties are designing and drawing plans, selecting materials and meeting with clients and subcontractors.
Before starting the business, Hoffman did drafting work for a developer and designed showrooms, textiles and graphics for a furniture company. She studied interior architecture and design at East Carolina University.
“I’ve always loved architecture and new home construction. Even as a kid, I’d go walk through houses that were under construction just to see what they were doing because it fascinated me.”
She got her general contractor’s license 10 years ago, mainly for her own comfort level. “I didn’t need it, but I felt like it would validate what I do.”
Leslie R. Millsaps took a different path to the building industry. She was led into the field by her husband, David, who has a background in tile work.
“It’s not something that I can say 30 years ago that I would have guessed I’d be doing. I actually have a master’s (degree) in piano,” Millsaps says.
The couple started DLM Builders Inc. of Greensboro in 1993 after restoring a home together in the College Hill neighborhood. They are full-service remodelers doing whole house renovations, two-story additions, cement-based siding replacement and other projects.
Millsaps handles project schedules and contracts, works with clients, and manages business matters like accounting and insurance. She got her general contractor’s license in 1994.
A male-dominated field
Being the only female on a construction site can be intimidating, but both Hoffman and Millsaps report not experiencing much in the way of discrimination. For Millsaps, a few older men made assumptions about her status in the early days.
“It started out 15 years ago that some of the trade contractors that worked with us looked at me as the 'little girl.’ There were some that called me honey and called me darling, that kind of thing, and assumed that I was an adjunct here when actually I’m the president of the company. Usually when people learned that, they were surprised.”
Millsaps feels those experiences stemmed more from generational issues, older men who were accustomed to women in more traditional positions, and thinks that mind-set is a thing of the past.
“Where it may be male-dominated as far as numbers, there are certainly no respect problems. I completely feel on par with everyone in the business.”
Hoffman doesn’t recall ever having trouble being respected by her male counterparts in the field. In the beginning, she asked questions, listened and tried to allow other professionals get to know her. Acting like a know-it-all wasn’t going to work, says Hoffman, because that behavior wouldn’t be tolerated by a man or a woman.
“I can talk to (subcontractors) and they respect me because they know I’ve been doing it for so long. As long as you know your stuff, the guys will respect you and do what you need to have done,” Hoffman says.
By the (small) numbers
While they’ve met with success, Hoffman and Millsaps seem to be the minority in the building industry. Women are active and hold leadership positions in the area’s building associations, but few are builders or remodelers; women instead come from traditionally female-dominated sectors like real estate or marketing.
Builders associations in the Triad don’t keep detailed demographic information, but most say they have only a handful of female builders as members. The Greensboro Builders Association estimates it has 11. Home Builders Association of Winston-Salem financial manager Valerie Adams estimates the organization has five.
Officials with the High Point Area Builders Association were unsure of the number of its female builders, and the Alamance Caswell Home Builders Association estimated its numbers were small as well, but added that Carey Rohrer of Rohrer Custom Builders is the incoming secretary for 2009 and is expected to serve as the association’s first female president in 2011.
The Winston-Salem builders group is the only one in the area that has a Women’s Council. The 30-member group mainly does fundraising for charities and is not focused on activities for contractors or professional development.
The Greensboro Builders Association had a women’s council around 20 years ago. The council was open to all female members, but it disbanded because of lack of participation. Millsaps suggests that the number of other councils competing for members’ time might have hastened its demise.
Advantages for women
Some skills and traits that are typically considered as strengths for women — anticipating people’s needs, communication and multi-tasking — may give them an edge in the building industry.
“Some women have a better feel for how people use kitchens, bathrooms, places that you live,” Hoffman says, and women may be more adept at creating floor plans to accommodate the needs of daily life. When dealing with clients, she must contend with different personalities effectively and says she often feels like a counselor or mediator for couples to help them make choices.
Millsaps cites being organized and creative at the same time as keys to her success. It takes a systematic approach to managing dozens of details to complete projects correctly and on time. “You’re always coming up with solutions, and even though the problems are similar, when you put the element of the client into it, it’s different every time.”
She credits, in part, her stint as chairwoman of the GBA Remodelers Council in building her confidence, as well as the example of other strong women leaders in that organization.
Perhaps the most valuable lesson for both women has been the importance of building a solid reputation in the community.
For those interested in the field, Hoffman suggests getting experience by working with reputable people and learning from them.
Other beneficial skills to cultivate, she says, are the ability to read blueprints and land surveys, a basic understanding of geometry and spatial ability. Hoffman also thinks it’s a perfect time for women to enter the field. And opportunities exist in the Triad, where schools like GTCC offer degrees in construction management and technology. “They’re mostly filled with men, so if a woman is good and knows her stuff, she’ll stand out.”
