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Fighting Fear

“In college, I chose to hide my sexuality and did so for many of the same reasons other young LGBTQ+ people do. I simply wanted to be accepted for who I was.

“I didn’t want my sexual preference to make my friends uncomfortable or people to think of me any differently than they had before. Over time, however, it broke me down mentally to portray myself as someone I was not. By the time I was looking for internships, I had found myself longing to work in an inclusive and accepting environment where I could be unapologetically gay.

“I wanted to be my authentic self so much that I practically jumped when I received the opportunity to move to Dallas and intern with �۽�ֱ��.

“I was overwhelmed and excited all at once. I didn’t know anyone in Dallas other than the friendships I had made with my intern classmates. Little did I know that my first internship, and the friendships I formed, would leave a lasting mark on my life and, later, introduce me to my future wife.

“A year later, I accepted a position as a project engineer with �۽�ֱ��. I knew �۽�ֱ�� was a great company to work for based on my internship experience, but I was still hesitant to reveal my sexuality in the workplace. Although I had made great friends and knew they would be accepting and supportive, I wasn’t sure if the company would fully support and protect me based on my sexual preference. I was honestly terrified of losing a job I loved and being torn away from the friends I had come to cherish.

“At the time, I didn’t personally know a woman in a leadership role at �۽�ֱ��, much less one who identified as a lesbian. I thought that moving to a new city with a fresh start would solve my problems, but I had just inherited a new set of very real fears shared by many members of the LGBTQ+ community. I even found myself wondering if my benefits would extend to an LGBTQ+ family or if I’d face bias around, and be passed over for, opportunities because of my sexual orientation. These are all everyday worries that many LGBTQ+ people feel when they are closeted at work or, sadly, even if they are ‘out’ at work.”

Ripping Off the Band-Aid

“For most, coming out in the workforce is a difficult and very personal decision. I struggled with it for a long time and tried to convince myself that being out with friends and family would be enough. As time passed, I knew that I couldn’t be the best version of myself at �۽�ֱ�� until I felt comfortable in my own skin. This led to my ‘rip the Band-Aid off’ decision to bring a date to my company Christmas party. To my surprise, I was welcomed with encouraging words and excitement, a milestone that changed everything for me.

“Were there people who disapproved? Maybe. But for the first time in years, I honestly stopped caring what others thought, which released so much pent-up anxiety and fears seemingly overnight. I started focusing on what I loved about my job and why I chose to pursue a career in construction. It meant a lot to me to be recognized based on my work ethic and merit versus what I thought I would be judged for.”

Breaking Barriers

“In 2020, �۽�ֱ�� accomplished a DE&I milestone when it launched the Building PRIDE employee affinity group, representing the LGBTQ+ community and allies within the workplace. It was a true highlight of my career when I was asked to join the inaugural team.

“I was inspired to connect with LGBTQ+ employees from across the business and work toward a common mission: Strengthening �۽�ֱ�� as a diverse and inclusive company that encourages a culture of respect for all sexual orientations and gender identities to better reflect the communities in which we work, live, and play.

“�۽�ֱ�� also hosted an inaugural Diversity Equity and Inclusion Together Allies Summit, which consisted of company teammates across the nation tuning in virtually to nearly 11 hours of DEI-dedicated conversations and programming. It provided meaningful peer-to-peer discussions and roundtables led by our affinity groups, Building PRIDE, Connecting Women, and the Network of Black Leaders and Executives.

“We discussed intersectionality of race, gender, and sexuality in the workplace, professional development for women in construction, microaggressions, and the importance of straight allies, among other meaningful topics.”

Being the Exception to the Rule

“To bring everything full circle, I recently got engaged to that same woman I initially met years ago during my internship, and we celebrated with all of my Texas teammates at our quarterly meeting—a surreal moment when I look back over the last 10 years. I’ve been lucky enough to have incredible mentors and given opportunities to step up at work, within my local community, and as an LGBTQ+ representative. There is no doubt my journey is a success story.

“It’s also important to acknowledge that I am the exception, not the rule. There are so many stories of harassment and discrimination in the workplace that often go untold because of the fear of retaliation or losing one’s job.

“I ask that employees and, most importantly, employers really look in the mirror and ask themselves if they’re doing everything they can to listen and support those with experiences and perspectives that may be different than their own. Change starts at the top, and the support disseminates from leadership to the employees.”

It’s Not Just Business, it’s Personal

Gildardo “Gil” Fullen has always been a people person. One of eight children, Gil was the first in his family to be born in the United States after his parents and siblings immigrated from Guadalajara, Jalisco.

As a student at Long Beach State University, he tried his hand at astronomy, aerospace engineering, interior design, architecture, and mechanical engineering before finding the right fit in construction engineering management and graduate studies in civil engineering. 

Overwhelmingly, Gil found it was the people and management tasks he enjoyed most. After exploring every facet of the industry, he was able to zero in on his true calling: working with people and building projects. 

Gil embraced life in the field with a passion that’s still evident today. Just as he did in his college days, Gil explored all the various roles and responsibilities, working his way up from an intern to field superintendent, and learning the technical facets and soft skills towards  becoming a very well-rounded project manager.

Realizing that his teammates were his best teachers, Gil made the effort to absorb as much as he could from everyone. "The field is really important if you want to learn the technical aspects. I saw all of the subcontractors as my teachers and I would pull them in and ask questions related to their expertise. I was learning from the field as much as I could”.

One of the best lessons he picked up was that knowing how to build relationships was just as important as knowing how to build structures and, in many cases, can make all the difference in the success of a project.

Through a combination of technical, people and relationship skills, Gil quickly earned respect in the field and the California education market (a focal point for much of his career). It also earned him a major promotion. At 32, Gil became the youngest vice president and first Latino executive of Barnhart (later acquired by �۽�ֱ��). 

This promotion was a huge source of pride for Gil and his family. He also saw it as a huge opportunity for those around him: “When I realized I was the only Latino executive I told myself I have a seat at the table now, I can impact people, support their growth and serve as a minority leader to motivate and inspire others.”

Around the same time, he took on another more personal role – father to his daughters, Makena and Avarie. Suddenly his work resonated on a more personal level. “I visited a school district to assess their existing facilities during a summer school day and saw kids with red sweaty faces because the air conditioning wasn’t working. I wouldn’t want my daughters in this type of learning environment. Having children made it more personal, it wasn’t just about business, it’s about building an environment that’s going to help kids.”

Gil’s personalized approach matched by high-quality work has been instrumental in solidifying �۽�ֱ��’s success and expertise in the California K-12 and higher education markets. The work we perform has consistently been rewarded with repeat work and some of our most enduring client relationships. As Gil explains: “The more we successfully deliver our projects, the more our clients advocate for us in their circles. When we get a new client, we want to keep them for decades. When they see we really are interested in doing the right thing for them and the wider community it makes a huge difference.”

Many of the relationships he has built in the field are still a part of Gil’s life today. After almost 20 years in operations, Gil transitioned onto our Business Development team, where he continues to focus on building successful long-term client relationships. 

Gil is equally committed to connecting with his teammates - particularly the younger generations rising through the ranks - and responding to their individual needs, whatever they may be.

As Gil explains: “I mentor people to not only take over my role but to support them, help them. Just being there for people is important. Through the years, when they face barriers or issues, they confide in me. Sometimes it’s personal issues and they trust me to listen and support them.”

Seeing people thrive on an individual level is important to Gil. As an outspoken champion for diversity and inclusion, Gil has participated and presented at numerous diversity-related industry events including the Women in Construction USA San Francisco conference in 2019. He also teaches at the Coalition for Adequate School Housing Organization – School Facilities Leadership Academy and volunteers as a coach through Landmark Education, a leadership program he has supported for the last 20 years. 

Although Gil has made a name for himself as one of the best builders in the business, he credits all his success to the human connections he has forged throughout his career. Whether it’s speaking in his native language to Latino employees on his jobsite or speaking up for the kids in his school district, Gil has always put people and relationships first. 

Gil is a shining example that by putting people at the heart of what we do, we build more than just structures. We build lasting relationships with our clients, partners and teammates on an individual level that can benefit entire communities.

For Gil, what we do is more than just business, it’s personal.

EHS Manager Shapes Heat Stress Legislation

Experts from various fields recently testified in front of the Maryland House Economic Committee in support of House Bill 722, which will require employers to develop, implement, and maintain an excessive heat-related illness prevention plan for employees.

Among the expert panel was Environmental Health and Safety Manager for �۽�ֱ�� US Civils Southeast Region, Eric Yates, where he shared best practices for preventing heat-stress illnesses on construction jobsites.

“Ambient heat, which comes from a variety of sources in the workplace like the sun, machines, equipment and hot work processes, can have an extreme impact on employee safety and performance,” Eric said. “Excessive exposure can lead to heat-stress illnesses, which will affect employees’ performance and health if proper prevention methods are not put in place.”

During the hearing, Eric shared how prevention methods such as employee training, proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and prevention plans can help employers recognize and avoid high-risk situations and signs associated with heat stress.

Eric and other experts will join Maryland House Delegate, Lorig Charkoudian and Maryland Occupational Safety and Health (MOSH) in establishing guidelines for House Bill 722 before it is adopted.

A Lifelong Learner and Admired Advocate

Inquisitive by nature, Dimelina Mora enjoys learning from the different perspectives and backgrounds of her colleagues and industry peers, gaining what she calls “an ever-growing catalogue of knowledge.” By proactively seeking to learn from others, Dimelina has grown personally and professionally while making an impact on those around her. She values the diversity of �۽�ֱ�� employees and the unique backgrounds they bring to the table, including how our people influence the clients and partners with which we interact and the influential dialogue we lead within our company and industry. 

Dimelina didn’t always have her sights set on a career in construction. During her sophomore year of college, Dimelina was searching for an internship to gain experience and exposure to the workforce, primarily setting her sights on the design industry. It was by happenstance that an opportunity with �۽�ֱ�� emerged. 

As a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, an organization in which Dimelina still participates today, she was coordinating a career fair for her peers. �۽�ֱ�� recognized her talent in managing the event and requested her resume—and the rest is history! Beginning as an intern, Dimelina has built her nine-year career exclusively with �۽�ֱ��.

Dimelina’s first internship included working on a Special Projects Group (SPG) interior renovation for Georgia Tech’s School of Civil Engineering, more formally known as the Mason Building. Although she was originally hesitant to pursue general contracting due to a lack of exposure about the field, she credits her internship with �۽�ֱ�� as instrumental in changing her outlook on the trajectory of her career and discovering her passions in the industry. 

She describes her internship experience as both rewarding and collaborative: “From trade partners to clients, everyone was eager and willing to share their wisdom, best practices and experiences with me. It was a wonderful learning environment.”

Today, Dimelina is a project manager with �۽�ֱ��’s SPG team based out of Atlanta, Georgia, and she has made it her mission to raise awareness regarding opportunities in the construction industry. Specifically, she focuses on educating K-12 students—especially students with diverse backgrounds—on opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields and occupations.

Frank Fotia, project executive with �۽�ֱ��’s SPG in Georgia, praises, “Dimelina is a key member of our Atlanta SPG team and displays the type of positivity, teamwork and collaboration we want on all our project teams. She’s made her home here at �۽�ֱ�� and continues to grow our client base and make us better. Her passion for our industry and the many types of people who surround her is infectious.”

Dimelina believes �۽�ֱ��’s foundation for success is rooted in the company’s advancement of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) initiatives. With this core belief as a guiding principle, Dimelina has served on both the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) board as well as the American Society of Civil Engineers Younger Members (ASCE YM) board. She also actively participates in workshops with non-profits such as Goodwill and hands-on service and training programs led by organizations such as West Side Works, a program for individuals with diverse backgrounds.

“The more perspectives we have, the more well-rounded individuals and organizations we become,” she asserts. 

Dimelina is also a passionate advocate for increasing women’s representation in construction. She advises women in the construction trades to be “vivacious,” and to “do one thing every day that makes us proud and one thing that plants a positive seed for the future.” 

Although Dimelina may not have originally dreamed of pursuing a construction career, she has not only seized every opportunity in her path but also expanded her sphere of influence within �۽�ֱ��, her industry and community—growing exponentially as a builder and leader.

Taking the Healthcare Industry by Storm

If it is a man’s world, then someone (with apologies to James Brown) surely forgot to tell Deanna Skipper. Deanna and women like her have completely flipped the script, challenging convention one square foot at a time.

And speaking of square feet, Deanna’s built thousands of them, primarily in the healthcare market. But her story almost had an entirely different ending. After graduating from Coastal Carolina University with a degree in business, Deanna quickly found herself daydreaming about a career that wouldn’t confine her to claustrophobia-inducing cubicles. 

Fortunately, Deanna didn’t have to look far to discover an opportunity that would offer the adventure and variety she was seeking. Her younger and older brothers had since graduated from Clemson University’s construction management program, and it wasn’t long before Deanna dove headfirst in their footsteps. Undaunted by the prospect of attending lectures alongside wide-eyed freshmen several years her junior, Deanna was equally fearless about entering a male-dominated workforce.

“I knew I’d be a minority,” recalls Deanna, “but I can’t say I ever gave it much thought or felt like I’d be at a disadvantage.” Then again, talent tends to beget the kind of confidence that can shatter any glass ceiling. 

David Stanton, vice president of operations and healthcare business unit leader for �۽�ֱ�� in Charlotte, recognized the “it factor” in Deanna immediately. Since the first day of her internship at Greer Memorial Hospital, Deanna has learned the ropes of healthcare construction from David, and she’s quick to credit him for guiding her to become the accomplished project manager she is today. 

“What haven’t I learned from David?” says Deanna. “He’s a supervisor who pushes me, but he’s also a friend who encourages me.” 

It helps to have experts like David just a phone call away when you’re renovating critical facilities with standards such as infection control that aren’t part of typical construction vernacular. But Deanna has become a healthcare construction expert in her rite, becoming others’ first call when best-laid plans go awry. 

She led, for example, a 12,000-square-foot addition to Seacoast Hospital’s Emergency Department (ED) in Little River, SC. Several weeks before the project’s scheduled completion, Deanna received a design change that might have thwarted a less experienced builder. �۽�ֱ�� was tasked with converting two rooms into psychiatric holding areas, which possess unique requirements like overhead cooling doors and in-wall security consoles to eliminate the potential for patient self-injury. 

The project team faced uphill challenges, beginning with the fact that most of the rooms’ complex systems were also long lead items, requiring nearly the same amount of time to deliver as �۽�ֱ�� had to complete construction. Having built a similar psych hold room for Roper Mt. Pleasant Hospital just a few years before, Deanna led a successful sprint to the finish, even obtaining a separate certificate of occupancy for the ED while the team finished out the remaining rooms. 

Over the years, Deanna has developed a reputation as a project manager who’d much rather step back into the shadows and shine the spotlight on her team. She’s far from reticent, however, when it comes to discussing the technical aspects of her job from cooling towers and central energy plants to generators and medical gases. 

Her biggest point of pride? The people she’s served, from families welcoming dreams come true in state-of-the-art delivery rooms to nurses ministering more efficiently to little boys with broken arms or women waiting tensely for mammogram results in tranquil consultation rooms. 

Deanna may not have come in on the first wave of women breaking ground in construction, but make no mistake, she has played a role in the evolution of her industry, both by epitomizing operational excellence and refusing to accept any barriers to it. In doing so, Deanna defines the very essence of leadership. 

What an indelible mark for a woman to make.

An Industry Pioneer

To this day, people sometimes express surprise when they find out Preconstruction Director Annie Hughes works in construction. The surprise usually gives way to the assumption that she performs an administrative role. Little do they know, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

Annie isn’t one to boast about her significant accomplishments, but - as anyone who knows her will tell you - she should be. With over 36 years of experience, Annie is a well-known industry pioneer who continues to inspire and mentor others.

Before her career had even begun, Annie was forging a path that would challenge the status quo and lead the way for other young women. Blessed with a natural ability in math and science, Annie was encouraged by her brother-in-law, Eluster Fields (a civil engineer) to consider a career in engineering. After asking herself “why not?” she went on to become the second African American female to graduate from the prestigious University of Cincinnati’s civil engineering program – a success that she considers as one of her proudest achievements. Note: if you visit the school today you will still see Annie’s graduation  picture from 1982 gracing the hall.

Annie’s initial interest was in engineering but she quickly fell in love with construction after realizing that sitting in an office staring at plans all day was not for her. Her first job out of college took her through a rigorous training program that allowed her to touch every aspect of the construction process. This experience served as the basis of her well-rounded career that began in the cost department, progressed to the field and eventually led to her main specialization: preconstruction.

Today, Annie is a trusted expert responsible for our Charlotte team’s estimating and preconstruction efforts. She is described by her teammates as a natural leader who’s never afraid to take on a challenge or speak her mind. These traits have served her well over the years, but Annie admits they have sometimes been tested, particularly in her first years after college: “starting out in a male-dominated industry, nobody was ever mean to me, but there was a sense that they were questioning why I was there.” 

For Annie, the answer was obvious, she was there to learn and build iconic work, just like everybody else. Annie stayed true to pursuing these goals by seeking lessons to be learned from everyone she worked with. Ultimately, her willingness to learn and ask questions allowed her to build solid connections with her teammates and an enviable bank of knowledge that she in turn, continues to share with her teammates today. 

Annie now commands significant industry respect, but she is conscious that for many women, the construction industry can still be a challenging environment. From her own experience, she’s seen that forging a strong support network is key, so she makes herself available to other women as a guiding influence to answer questions and share advice when needed. 

Annie’s readiness to help and encourage other women is also evident in her personal life. In her own family, her niece, Candance Campbell was inspired to pursue a career in engineering, just like her aunt. And, in addition to her fast-paced career and commitment to her beloved family, she finds time to support a women’s ministry and volunteer for Girl Talk, a local non-profit initiative that empowers teenage girls. 

The advice Annie offers to the women and young girls in her life applies to anyone who’s game to follow their dreams and shatter assumptions: “you’ve got to be strong enough to know what you’re talking about and find people who will back you up.” But, she warns: “none of that will help if you haven’t done your homework first.”

Those who know or have worked with Annie will know that this isn’t just casual advice, it’s a lesson she took the liberty of discovering firsthand and continues to demonstrate to this day. And if you consider the heights Annie has scaled – you’ll appreciate just how valuable a lesson it is. 

A woman’s decision to pursue a career in construction may still come as a surprise to some. But as more and more women follow Annie’s lead and find their voice we will reach the stage where there’s no more surprises or false assumptions. Just iconic work by brilliant builders like Annie.