Q1 2021 Q2|| 2021
NEI General Contracting Prepares to Launch WORC2 WORC2 is designed to engage local communitybased businesses and workers in the construction industry, particularly those underrepresented in the market.
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QUARTERLY
In honor of Women in Construction Week, we’ve put the spotlight on six wonderful women of NEI
NEI General Contracting Prepares to Launch WORC2 Work center to provide resources and technical support to small businesses in construction industry NEI General Contracting, in conjunction with local community partners, has been working diligently over the last year to launch the Workforce Opportunity Resource Center (WORC2 or WORC Lab). Designed to engage local community-based businesses and workers in the construction industry, particularly those underrepresented in the market, WORC2 will offer “one-stop shopping” resources and technical support to promote worker development, business capacity building, and growth in the local construction community. Through education and information sharing, WORC2 will also endeavor to remove the systemic barriers workers face when trying to access the industry. The permanent home for
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WORC2 will be located at the Bartlett Place development, 2505 Washington Street in Roxbury, Massachusetts when it opens in Fall 2022. Until then, a temporary space will open at 2103 Washington Street in Roxbury, Massachusetts in June. As part of the construction of the space, NEI partnered with the Madison Park Technical Vocational School to provide opportunities for students to use their training in a real-world setting. All the materials and equipment required were provided by NEI. The only technical vocational high school located within the City of Boston, Madison Park is a part of the Boston Public Schools and offers a comprehensive academic program and training in 18 technical-vocational programs. The WORC Lab will be home to an extensive curriculum of professional and industry-specific training sessions, seminars, webinars, and mentorships. Offering a variety of learning opportunities for subcontractors and workers as well as structured business development paths, courses will focus on developing and expanding the project management, back office, and accounting capabilities of contractors. All information will be presented in multiple languages to better engage the local community.
André Barbour, NEI’s Diversity and Inclusion Director, will oversee WORC2 and be the liaison with Madison Park students and instructors. André has a solid foundation in community engagement and workforce development through his experience working in various neighborhoods in Boston. With 12 years of experience, André’s efforts allow NEI to participate more fully in the community and economic development interests of the company’s clients and the communities where it does business. He serves on the Program Advisory Committee for Facilities Maintenance at Madison Park Technical Vocational High School. “WORC2 will offer a range of courses, including accounting, risk management, and estimating, all essential skills for contractors,” said Josef Rettman, president of NEI. “The key is to provide flexibility in the delivery of this information to fit into workers’ schedules. Some classes will be offered quarterly and others on a monthly basis. The NEI staff has been hard at work developing the curriculum and we all appreciate the opportunity to give back to our community.” PAGE 3
COVER STORY
In honor of Women in Construction Week, we’ve put the spotlight on six wonderful women of NEI!
Jaclyn Teixeira DIRECTOR OF RISK MANAGEMENT | NEI Office: MA & FL
How did you develop an interest in the construction industry? My father was a bit of an entrepreneur in my youth and construction was one of his staple trades. He knows how to fix just about anything and I’ve always admired this about him. My grandfather was an engineer, and he built the very house my father grew up in, which always intrigued me from a young age. Although my father was my greatest influence, this exposure to residential construction led me to an interest in architecture, so I started my undergraduate education in architecture at Northeastern University. But then I was placed with a large general contracting firm for my first co-op experience, and the rest is history! What career accomplishment are you most proud of and why? If you had asked me a year ago I would have provided a very different answer, but now I am most proud of how I was able to pivot to help create and implement the company’s COVID-19 Risk Mitigation Plan. While feeling the pressure of this new, uncharted challenge, I still had to maintain the many responsibilities of my existing role. Resilience and drive was key to my success and I am grateful for the many lessons learned along the way. What advice would you give to a girl or a woman considering a career in construction? As the mother of a strong independent little girl, my advice is to be yourself and follow your passions. All of the energy that could be spent worrying about stereotypes and what others might think of you, bottle that up and use it to your advantage. PAGE 4
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Carolyn Sicard CHIEF ESTIMATING OFFICER | NEI Office: MA
How did you develop an interest in the construction industry? My dad was an Associate Professor at Wentworth Institute of Technology and on weekends he would bring me to the Plainville campus when he was teaching a class, where I would wander around the property. My dad was my rock and he pushed me to go to Wentworth, since I did not know what I wanted to study. Wentworth has a co-op program, and one of my early co-op jobs was in the Estimating department where I met my first mentor, who took me under his wing and gave me the opportunity to estimate trades. We worked on all competitive bid projects together and I realized early on I am a very competitive person in general and loved winning! What career accomplishment are you most proud of and why? I was the first woman Estimator at four previous companies before joining NEI, and I have estimated and won over 2 billion dollars of work since starting in this field. I feel it is my responsibility to make lasting relationships with our subcontractors. I am happy to help them out and watch them grow over the years into successful businesses. What advice would you give to a girl or a woman considering a career in construction? Go for it! The adrenaline rush when bidding a project and the competitive nature of estimating always keeps me busy. I have NEVER been bored and always have a purpose. Stay focused on what makes you happy and anything is possible! PAGE 5
Marisa Somers SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER | NEI Office: MA
How did you develop an interest in the construction industry? Growing up I always loved drawing. In my art classes in high school we studied perspective and buildings, which really developed my interest in architecture. I did a full year at Wentworth studying Architecture. After that year, I interned at a general contracting company and it was during that time I knew I wanted to be hands-on in construction, and not isolated to architecture or being an architect. After that I never looked back. I changed my major and pursued construction management. What career accomplishment are you most proud of and why? One of the most satisfying parts of being in the construction industry is building something that people can use and enjoy for years to come. Some of my favorite projects include the Boston Public Market (at Haymarket) and an Armed Forces Reserve Center in Rutland Vermont. We finished the job just in time for the VT Army Reserves to open the doors to local residents who lost their homes due to devastation from Hurricane Irene. What advice would you give to a girl or a woman considering a career in construction? My advice would be to always be yourself, be confident in what you can accomplish, never stop learning, and stand up for who you are and what you believe in!
Erica Jarvis PROJECT MANAGER | NEI Office: MA
How did you develop an interest in the construction industry? Early on I was interested in building – taking the family encyclopedias and stacking them in different forms. My high school art teacher taught me about positive and negative space, showing me how to arrange things on blank paper to experiment with composition. As I loved to draw, I took an elective drafting course in high school to learn about art on a technical level. My experiences in these two courses were the impetus for attending Wentworth Institute of Technology to study architecture. What career accomplishment are you most proud of and why? Developing an understanding of the sequence of construction and scheduling. It’s an interesting challenge, like putting together a puzzle. What advice would you give to a girl/woman considering a career in construction? Believe in yourself! Evaluate your strengths and make them work for you; recognize your weaknesses and try to improve. It’s a balance every day, but if you challenge and believe in yourself – you will be successful.
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Shannon Terriaca PROJECT MANAGER | NEI Office: MA
How did you develop an interest in the construction industry? My mother was a Construction Coordinator for McDonald’s and later, she managed the construction of the New Basketball Hall of Fame. Seeing her walk around a building as the walls came up around her was more inspiring than I realized at the time. I started working as a janitor and painter for her company on summer breaks. My first “real” job out of college was as a Property Manager – my favorite part was planning the large scale renovations, so I continued to pursue it. What career accomplishment are you most proud of and why? In my 20’s I was an Assistant Project Manager, but I wanted to be in the field learning about the ACTUAL construction. I pushed to transition to an Assistant Superintendent role and was met with resistance. So, I went out and earned my Unrestricted Construction Supervisors License, which is something not even all the Supers at the company had at that point. After that, they had a hard time refusing me! I was the first woman in that company to work in the field. What advice would you give to a girl or a woman considering a career in construction? Do it! The best piece of advice I ever received was from a Super who became sort of a mentor to me. He always reminded me: “Don’t Rent Space.” Meaning, don’t give room in your thoughts for other people’s assumptions about you. One can’t argue with results – if anyone underestimates you, show them why they’re wrong!
Ashley George ASSISTANT PROJECT MANAGER | NEI Office: FL
How did you develop an interest in the construction industry? Honestly,
through working with NEI! My role in the construction industry was an amazing opportunity presented to me while I was working in another industry, and I knew I had to jump at it. When I dove right in, completely green to construction, I loved the opportunity to solve problems, work with people from different trades and experience levels, but also the reward of seeing a tangible product at the end. What career accomplishment are you most proud of and why? There are so
many, but the one that stands out to me most is my first project at Tampa Lakes. Compiling the required documentation for building inspection is a huge undertaking, which was a responsibility of mine. I am so proud to have been a part of that team! What advice would you give to a girl/woman considering a career in construction? Don’t be afraid to ask questions, whether
it is for your own knowledge or respectfully calling out something that doesn’t look right. Chances are, most people are more than happy to explain the answer to you.
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