Celebrating Women’s History Month

In honor of Women’s History Month, KA’s EEO Compliance Coordinator Rachel Kennedy, pictured above, celebrates the history of women in construction, architecture, engineering and real estate.

“The question isn’t who’s going to let me; it’s who’s going to stop me?”
— Ayn Rand

Celebrating Trailblazing Women

The U.S. has a long, proud history of Women in Architecture, Construction, and Engineering & Real Estate (ACER).

1881: Louise Blanchard Bethune was the first American woman acknowledged to have worked as a professional architect.

1883: Emily Roebling became the “first woman field engineer,” seeing to the completion of, and being the first to cross over, the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City.

1926: Lillian Gilbreth was accepted into the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and was the first honorary member of the Society of Women Engineers.

1941-45: An estimated six million women joined the civilian work force during World War II in both white- and blue-collar jobs, such as construction workers, welders and riveters, and munitions workers.

1979: Barbara Res was placed in charge of the construction of Trump Tower, making her the first female hard-hat boss ever to oversee an American skyscraper from start to finish.

Courageous women have been paving the way for years in non-female-dominated industries. Today, approximately 9% of the national construction workforce is made up of women. More than ever, women are drawn to the love and challenge of their profession, including seeking the economic security of high-paying jobs.

Kraus-Anderson’s Commitment to Diversity

Kraus-Anderson is proud to support Women in ACE careers in multiple ways. KA has made Inclusion and Diversity a strategic priority across the entire family of companies.  Our people are our biggest asset. Our ability to succeed and grow as a company necessitates the creation of a workplace that values diversity and offers a supportive environment that effectively appreciates and rewards a variety of unique perspectives.

KA also has proud partnerships with the following organizations working to empower and support women in ACE careers.

Hard Hatted Woman – KA is pleased to support this cutting-edge documentary film; a Minneapolis film showing for KA employees is tentatively planned for 2020.

Association of Women Contractors (AWC) – KA has a decades-long relationship with the AWC, forging strong partnerships with women-owned businesses and subcontractors.

Minnesota Commercial Real Estate Women (MN CREW) – KA supports MN CREW in their goal of advancing women in commercial real estate and achieving gender equity and diversity in the industry.

National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) – KA is collaborating to host WIC Week 2019 opportunities in the Twin Cities, encouraging Women to advance their careers in the professions and trades.