Jennifer Lauritzen

Project Executive

What is your educational background?

B.S. in Construction Management from Colorado State University

How long have you been in the construction industry?

4 years in school with internships, plus 25 years post-graduate.

What has been the most memorable moment in your career?

It’s been a long career with many memorable moments. I would have to say the most memorable moment was when I walked onto the jobsite of my first full-time project assignment. Even though I had several internships through school, it was different now. I lived in a new state, working for a new company and had all these responsibilities as the only PE on the project. I had no idea what I was doing, and the PM would come by once a week to check in on me. I was so grateful to the Sr. Superintendent who took me under his wing and taught me and helped me, even with change orders. I will forever remember how patient and kind he was, but also a rough and gruff, traditional Superintendent. How he helped me set a tone for my career and I am passionate about helping others learn, advance their careers, and have fun at work, in my way of paying it forward.

What are your future career plans — your short-term and long-term goals?

This is a challenging question for me, my number one priority is to be in a position where I can continue to have meaningful relationships with my team and help them learn and grow. I am not driven by ego or money to become CEO, or join the C-Suite, rather I am driven by the desire to make a meaningful difference in the industry, to help my company and the industry advance, innovate and diversify.

What led you down the path to the construction industry?

I had three career ideas when I graduated high school; first was Aerospace Engineering, I love outer space and the idea of being a part of the team that sends people to the moon and mars.

I was lucky enough to be in the Ranger Program at NASA in high school, but alas the advanced math was not my thing. But through the Ranger Program I was introduced to design and took some design classes and learned to design in CAD.

I enjoyed design and thought I could take that in a different direction such as Architecture. Then in my Senior year I was introduced to Economics and enjoyed playing in the stock market, yes in a high school class. I went to Economics camp where I learned about Investment Banking and off, I went to college enrolled as a Finance Major. Once I was in college, a friend I made in the Finance dept. told me about the Construction Management program, where her dad, Dr. Parnell was the Dept. Head. She introduced me to him, and he convinced me that Construction management was the perfect fit for me with my passion for design and engineering, but also how much I liked finance and investment banking. Each project is an investment with all the risk and reward that goes with it.

When did you know that construction was the industry you wanted to be in?

Funny thing is that all my years growing up, I knew my Mom was an Accountant, I never gave much thought to the company that she worked for or what their business was, I just knew my Mom was an Accountant. Turns out she worked for a General Contractor. I never really considered construction as a career option when I was young because I didn’t understand the industry, Once Dr. Parnell introduced me to it, I knew it was the perfect fit.

Do you have a favorite project you worked on? What obstacles did you go through to complete the project?

A specific team and project stand out, from 2007 when I was a Sr. PM, because it was early on in the Lean Construction movement and the client wanted a highly collaborative team willing to try the Lean principles and tools. The Owner drove the process and all team members were on board, the project ended up being a lot of fun to work on, we finished on time, made a good profit and the project received a lot of recognition for our team work. I am still friends with the designers and trade partners from that project, because through that collaboration we built trust, respect, and appreciation for one another which developed into friendships.

Now that you have been in the construction industry X amount of years, do you have any regrets? Would you change anything about your journey?

I would not change a thing, I had some missteps and challenges along the way, but I tried new things and stepped out of my comfort zone. Every experience was a learning opportunity and each one has helped to shape me into the person I am today. I am quite happy with my journey and where I ended up, so far, but my journey isn’t over yet.

The number of women in the construction industry is continually growing. What do you think are some of the advantages of being a woman in the construction industry?

Every industry can benefit from diversity and differing perspectives, as women we bring a different point of view to the conversation. Women tend to lean more towards teamwork and collaboration, building strong alliances with clients and trade partners to the benefit of the project.

There are some challenges that come with working as a woman in construction. What challenges do you face as a woman in construction?

The challenges as a woman in the construction industry are in alignment with the challenges women face in other male dominated industries. There is gender bias, the perception that you can’t understand the technical side, or people with a “you don’t belong here” attitude. In my younger years there were also some inappropriate behaviors such as being asked out on dates by people way too old for me and some inappropriate slaps on the butt and men trying to rub my shoulders while I was at my desk. Ick. I would say that ended when I was a bit older and had a more confident presence.

I also haven’t observed that type of behavior towards our younger female employees, so I think that kind of occurrence is less common now days.

How has the construction industry changed with regard to women?

The change that I think has made the biggest difference is the growth of the industry wide Women in Construction networking groups and conferences such as NAWIC, WiOPS, WIC Week. This has allowed women a safe place to come together to share their experiences, learn from one another and build a supportive network focused on changing the industry in a positive way that is not only inclusive for women, but an inviting and comfortable place to be.

What advice would you give a woman entering the industry now? How would you encourage women to join the construction industry? How can construction attract more female candidates?

I would advise young women joining the industry to show up as your authentic self, but also you will need to prove yourself more than your male peers in the beginning, so work hard, know your stuff and soon enough you will surpass that male peers and be seen for the true value you bring. I would recommend young women interested getting into the industry, if you can find the opportunity, get into the field and work as a craft person. You will learn so much from this hands-on experience and you will develop an appreciation for the talents of our craft workers. I had the opportunity to work as a laborer and carpenter while I was attending college and it made a huge difference in my career.

The construction industry will attract more women through the various groups and programs that introduce construction to middle school and high school kids and with women construction leaders being involved in those programs.

What does diversity and inclusion mean to you?

Every person is valued and appreciated for the different perspectives and life experiences they bring to the team. The best teams have a good mix of race, gender, age and life experiences where people are open to listening and considering different points of view.

Are you in the industry you always pictured yourself in?

No. I was going to be an astronaut. 😊

What is your favorite quote that inspired you during your career?

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” — Walt Disney