What is the biggest misconception about the industry?
The biggest misconception about our industry is that it lacks high paying career opportunities. In fact, there are many high paying career opportunities and a significant number of them do not require a college degree. You can succeed in this industry with any education level so long as you are willing to work hard and take each day as an opportunity to learn.
What is your biggest current challenge at work?
Our current biggest challenge is finding and retaining both CDL drivers and diesel mechanics. As an industry we need to be better about reaching out to those kids not attending universities and introduce them to trade schools.
What keeps you up at night?
What keeps me up at night is the notion that there might be something right in front of me that I'm not seeing that could make this company, this industry and this community a better place.
What project is your company most proud of?
It's hard to pick just one project to be most proud of. We started this company with the Blue Plains Tunnel, which we received an Award of Excellence for, and we are currently supplying the concrete for the New Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge, which is the largest public infrastructure construction project in the District's history.
How does your ABC membership help your company?
As a new member, I anticipate this membership will help Monumental Concrete become further integrated into the DC business community. We are looking to build solid relationships with the companies that are building and maintaining the infrastructure of the Nation's Capital.
What do you look forward to each day?
Every day I look forward to seeing the faces of my team and embracing the challenges of delivering a perishable product to infrastructure projects all over the city. I will never get tired of working hard to put a plan together, executing it, and then seeing a tangible result for that work.
What are you like to work for?
Monumental Concrete is a great place to work because we put our people and safety first. I like to work with a calm, driving persistence and I think that sets the tone for how we operate.
Who would you trade places with for a day?
I don't think much about stuff like this, but if I had to choose, I'd probably switch places with the First Lady for a day. The access to the White House, the insight to what the President shoulders every day - all of that would be fascinating. Wouldn't mind the chef, the wardrobe or the plane either. Just saying.
What is your favorite metro Washington hangout/restaurant?
There are so many great hangouts and restaurants in DC - I love any spot with a great view of the Capitol or the downtown area. We are only a couple of miles from National Harbor, so that's definitely a favorite..
What is your favorite movie or TV show?
My favorite movies include Braveheart, The Patriot, The Pirates of the Caribbean series, Stepbrothers.
What do you do for fun?
I like to spend as much time as I can with my kids whether it's attending their sports activities, camping, boating or just hanging out. There's five of them so it's like a party every week at my house.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
As a kid, I wanted to own my own bakery when I grew up. Now, instead of mixing cake batter, I'm mixing concrete.
Tell us something no one in the industry knows about you.
No one in the industry would probably know this, but I am a competitive cake artist. I had the opportunity to compete on tv for 'Wedding Cake Wars', and I've competed in live decorating challenges at cake shows in MD, VA and Ohio. My most coveted award was "Most Artistic" and 2nd Place overall in the Art of the Cake Show.
What business/career advice do you wish you had when you began?
I've had great mentors and a lot of advice since the beginning of my career, but I was not always ready to fully receive it. I have always been told 'when in command - command'. Most mistakes can be corrected and all can be learned from. I wish I had embraced that more fully from the beginning.
What was your first job?
Legal Secretary at a Law Firm in Waldorf, MD.