Herbert Construction Company – Celebrating “Women in Construction” Week
Interview with Amanda Morris – V.P. of Operations
After being in business for over 40 years, Herbert Construction Co. has watched the construction industry change, grow, and embrace women. Barry Herbert started HCC in 1978 knowing he wanted to provide a legacy for his three children Mike, Doug and Amanda. Although it was expected that his sons would follow in his footsteps, to his surprise, his daughter fell in love with the construction industry as well.
After college, when Amanda came to work for the company full-time, she and her mother Linda were the only women for many years. As the company grew, more women were hired as office and financial staff. Herbert Construction Co. never had an aversion to working with women, but women rarely applied for positions in the company. It wasn’t until they moved into the Atlanta market in the early 2000s, that they had the opportunity to hire a female account manager. This was the first woman they had working in the field.
Amanda Herbert, now Amanda Morris has spent her entire career working in the construction industry, and holds the position of V.P. of Operations at Herbert Construction. Her industry knowledge and experience are invaluable. She has paved a way for Herbert Construction Co. to be diversified in a very male dominated industry.
We asked Amanda to share her thoughts about the construction industry from a women’s perspective, to celebrate “Women In Construction” week. She graciously accepted the opportunity to share her experience as a woman in construction.
When did you realize you wanted to work in construction?
I grew up in construction and knew at a young age that I wanted to be involved. As a child, I enjoyed drawing and building things. When I was in 9th grade I took drafting and loved it, so I pursued a career in architecture. I have a BS in Architecture from Lawrence Tech University (Southfield, Michigan). I continued my education at Michigan State University with a focus on Civil Engineering. I have now been working in the construction industry for over 25 years.
What has been the most surprising part of being a woman working in construction?
The most surprising part of being a woman and working in construction is that it works best for me to be feminine. When I first started in construction, I thought I needed to be as gruff as the men. I quickly found out that honey does indeed attract more flies than vinegar. Men don’t want to deal with a woman who is acting like a man, they want to work with a woman who acts like herself. They deal with gruff men all day and it’s a nice change to have someone be pleasant to them.
What is the biggest change you have seen in the field since you started?
There are many more women in construction now than 25 years ago. When I first started working, it was rare to talk to another woman. Now, it’s often I will talk with another woman on the phone or in a meeting. I just had a meeting with the purchasing manager of a large building company and, the three of us in the meeting were women.
What does an average day look like for you right now?
Every day in construction is different, and I like the variety. I have daily duties that include scheduling the upcoming jobs, manpower, concrete and pumps. In addition to the day to day, I also handle contract negotiations, research of special projects, strategic planning, meeting with clients, and manage the flow of information through the IT. Above all, it is critical that each day I show direction, support, and motivation to staff.
What (work related thing) keeps you up at night?
Making sure that we have enough work for our crews/laborers. We have a great group of people working for us, and they depend on us for their livelihood and that of their families. With the ebb and flow of construction, along with the unpredictability of weather interruptions, we have the occasional slow period. This bothers me deeply because I know that it affects them.
What’s the best career advice you ever received?
My dad always says, “Anyone can help get you a job, but it’s up to you to keep it.” I think this rings true. As soon as you step through that door on your first day, nobody cares who recommended you. It’s up to you to work hard and prove that you earned the job you were given.
What trends are you watching in the construction industry?
I am very interested in 3D concrete printing–entire houses are being built using a 3D concrete printer. I see that becoming a bigger part of construction in the future, especially as laborers becomes harder and harder to hire.
Why should a person consider a career in construction?
The jobs are available—almost every industry within construction is looking for hard workers in the field and in the office. The money is good and it’s a satisfying job. You build things that people depend on, and you can see what you’ve created for years to come. When you pass by one of your buildings, you can say, “I worked on that building.”
What advice would you give someone starting out?
As with any job, work hard. Be yourself and have confidence in your abilities. To the majority of people, it doesn’t matter if you are a man or a woman, what matters is if you can do the job.