Miller Paneling Specialties’ Women In Construction

Copy of Stainless Steel with Miller Paneling (2)

Whether they are framing a new house, creating stone structures, or creating the most cutting edge design, women have always left their mark on the construction industry. While it has traditionally been male-dominated, the presence of women in the field is steadily increasing and cannot be overlooked.

Women in Construction Throughout History

While the headlines about women in the industry today may be surrounding the immense growth in numbers, there is still a long history of women in construction. In Medieval Times, women worked in the field doing tasks such as carrying water, digging ditches, and mixing mortar. There were also some who were able to learn masonry, carpentry, or other crafts from their fathers or husbands. In these times it was considered socially unacceptable to record construction work by women as “wage-earning work,” so it was not uncommon for them to be left off official records. This does make it difficult to know the exact numbers, but it is apparent that there was a female presence in the industry.

After the Industrial Revolution, the demand for labor increased in the construction industry, and women were able to gain work without as much social condemnation. By the late 19th century, the first women engineers and architects began to emerge such as Emily Warren Roebling who directed construction of the Brooklyn Bridge. One of the most important times for women in construction was World War II. While men fought on the front lines, women were employed in areas that were previously considered unsuitable for them. They filled positions such as welders, crane operators, and electrical engineers. Unfortunately, when men returned from the war, women were removed from these positions. This played a major part in sparking the feminist movements of the 1960s. It wasn’t until midway through the ‘60s that the first law was passed to protect women in the workforce. Years later in 1979, Barbara Res was appointed as the first foreman to oversee a major American construction project from groundbreaking to completion.

The Women of MPS

With March being Women’s History Month, we wanted to take some time to put a spotlight on the fantastic women we have here at Miller Paneling Specialties.

Stephanie Miller – Owner and Business Development

Stephanie would like to improve the industry with the best practices and ensure the highest degree of professionalism on and off the field, with supreme products at Miller Paneling Specialties. Her biggest achievement is doing the Pioneer Epic Race in New Zealand in 2017! Some of Stephanie’s hobbies are cooking, reading, art, and mountain biking. Her personal philosophy is, “Do what is right even if no one is watching.”

Maribel Carlyle – Owner, Accounting

Maribel has worked in a number of industries including advertising, media, manufacturing, the service sector and now in construction. She focuses on accounts receivable and lien rights protection, with a few other administrative duties thrown in. Her motto is … life is an adventure, enjoy the journey!

Christine Alicea – Business Development – Northeast Region

Christine has successfully worked with clients such as Range Rover and companies such as Prada and Tiffany & Co. She is readily available to offer solution-based services & alternatives for projects in the Healthcare & Education markets.

Kayla Broughton – Miller Paneling Specialties – Project Engineer

Kayla is a recent Sacramento State Graduate, go Hornets, with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications. She has been in management for over 8 years now and is loving the construction industry!