By Lindsay Wilson, McCarthy Building Companies, Inc.
Three women including a former architect, interior designer and laboratory technician all have ample cause to celebrate Women in Construction Week. Despite the diversity in their backgrounds and career paths, Elizabeth Hancock, Taylor Patton, and Devon Murray-Mazany share something in common – the courage to switch professions, fueled by an inner spark that empowered them to overcome challenges and build new careers with McCarthy Building Companies, one of the largest construction companies in America.
Also known as GRIT, a term developed by the New York Times bestseller and pioneering psychologist Angela Duckworth, these qualities, which are not exclusive to women, include:
Growth: continually learning and adapting to the ever-evolving dynamics of the industry.
Resilience: overcoming challenges and persevering in the face of obstacles, demonstrating unwavering strength.
Integrity: consistently upholding principles, values and fostering a culture of trust and respect within the organization.
Tenacity: persisting despite encountering hurdles, underscoring a resolute and persistent approach to achieving success.
Elizabeth, Taylor and Devon’s unique career paths and diverse professional responsibilities illustrate the transformative power of the four key elements of GRIT, which they hope will inspire other women to pursue opportunities in traditionally male dominated industries.
Women With GRIT
Elizabeth Hancock (42) holds the position of design integration manager, where her primary focus is cultivating strong relationships with architects, owners, and preconstruction teams on design-build projects. Her strategic approach aims to minimize risk and enhance efficiency, creating cost savings. While based in Omaha, leveraging technology helps her foster collaborative work with teams nationwide.
With undergraduate and graduate degrees in architecture, Elizabeth’s career trajectory initially followed a path in architecture, shaped by the influence of her father’s successful and lengthy career in the same field. Looking for other opportunities to apply and broaden her skills, she transitioned into facility planning and construction project management for a local healthcare system. She joined McCarthy in 2019, initially as a project manager overseeing healthcare projects in the field and was subsequently promoted to her current role in June 2023.
Elizabeth acknowledges moments when she has felt tested, particularly when learning to navigate challenges like ensuring patient safety during construction on projects connected to existing active medical facilities or adjusting expectations and schedules to align with changing owner requirements and unforeseen conditions. During such times, her GRIT through willpower and perseverance comes to the forefront. She embraces continuous learning and growth by seeking advice and guidance from others, expressing her perspective with a profound respect for her colleagues’ expertise.
Who do you rely on during challenging times to give you the support your need to move forward?
Elizabeth Hancock expresses gratitude to her father, who enjoyed a lengthy and prosperous career in architecture, for being her primary coach and biggest supporter. His ability to relate to a wide range of situations has made him an invaluable source of advice and encouragement throughout her endeavors. Elizabeth joined McCarthy in 2019.
Taylor Patton (33) transitioned to the role of a project administrator two and a half years ago, following an unexpected pause in her career as a union laborer due to a torn Achilles tendon. Her unconventional career journey began by studying architecture for three years before earning her bachelor’s degree in fine arts. This led to working for several years in interior design before discovering her passion for construction, to which she has dedicated the last five years of her professional life.
In her role as a project administrator based in St. Louis, Taylor is responsible for overseeing accounting, insurance, and payroll management, as well as facilitating the onsite presence of sub-contractors and overseeing anywhere from one to a dozen projects at a time. She is also continuing to complete her apprenticeship as a laborer. Drawing from her experience as a union laborer, Taylor believes that she brings a unique perspective to the industry, fostering better understanding and connections with her colleagues.
Taylor describes her GRIT as her ability to navigate challenges to her resilience and determination, never being afraid to ask questions and learn from others, as well as her unique perspective as a former laborer. She believes her GRIT was the driving force behind turning a significant injury setback into an opportunity to align her career with her true calling.
Who do you rely on during challenging times to give you the support your need to move forward?
Taylor Patton acknowledges the uplifting influence of two of her uncles, both of whom have backgrounds in plumbing and electrical trades. They not only motivated her to explore her passion for construction but also played a pivotal role in her journey by assisting her in acquiring her initial set of tools. What sets them apart is their ongoing commitment to providing guidance and support whenever she faces challenges. Taylor joined McCarthy in 2021.
Devon Murray-Mazany (35) currently serves as a project manager, a role that reinforces her determination and resilience. Although she initially aspired to a career as a veterinarian, earned an undergraduate degree in animal sciences and worked for a short time as a lab technician, she went back to school eight years ago for an additional degree in construction management while working as a project administrator at McCarthy.
Her determination not only resulted in her successful attainment of the additional degree but also earned her a promotion to the role of project engineer within just two years. In addition to enjoying the hands-on field experience as a project engineer, she enjoyed collaborating with up to 250 craft professionals during peak periods and addressing challenges in real-time, underscoring her effectiveness and contributing to her professional growth.
Taking advantage of flexible opportunities in construction after the birth of her second child, she transitioned to her present position as one of six project managers overseeing a significant water treatment facility project. Working primarily onsite, she can leverage her experience to effectively manage project cost controls, design changes, scheduling, staffing and more.
Looking back, she is grateful that circumstances led her to explore construction and uncover her true professional passion. Her enduring GRIT continues to underpin her resolve to overcome obstacles and embrace new challenges with unwavering determination and resilience.
Who do you rely on during challenging times to give you the support you need to move forward?
Devon Murray-Mazany was fortunate to meet a male superintendent on her first day working onsite who has since been her constant source of support. She believes that his 20+ years of experience in construction and as a father of daughters has uniquely equipped him to understand and champion her within the male-dominated industry. Despite considerable strides for women in construction, Devon emphasizes the necessity of relying on one’s GRIT to thrive amidst challenges. Devon joined McCarthy in 2016
GRIT Unites Women in Construction
Women’s influence in construction continues to expand. A 2023 report highlighted a remarkable 53 percent surge in the number of women in the construction sector over the past decade. The close to 1.3 million women employed in the U.S. construction industry represents 10.9 percent of the total workforce and a 3.5 percent increase over the previous year.
While many factors contributed to this increase, women’s resilience and determination or GRIT may be one of the notable factors for this positive trend, which includes inspiring others and contributing to a more inclusive, diverse, and equitable construction industry landscape.
As an employee-owned company, McCarthy has long embraced the importance of cultivating a diverse workplace where every partner can grow and thrive. The company’s Partnership for Women is one example. Launched in 2016, the national employee resource group focuses on introducing women to construction careers and providing personal and professional development opportunities for women in every role within the company.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lindsay Wilson is Vice President Human Resources, McCarthy Building Companies-Central Region. McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. is the oldest privately held national construction company in the country – with more than 150 years spent collaborating with partners to solve complex building challenges on behalf of its clients. Repeatedly honored as a Best Place to Work and Healthiest Employer, McCarthy has approximately 7,000 salaried employees and craft professionals and is 100 percent employee owned. More information about the company is available online at mccarthy.com.
