Construction Business Owner Magazine Announces 10 Finalists for Outstanding Women in Construction Honor

Birmingham, Ala. (Oct. 16, 2020)—Construction Business Owner (CBO), the leading business magazine for contractors, is pleased to announce the 10 finalists of its Outstanding Women in Construction (OWIC) 2020 honor.

OWIC was designed to recognize industry-leading females and their skills, achievements and contributions to the construction industry. The 10 finalists selected for OWIC 2020 are:

  • Jean Bjork, Owner/CEO, Bjork Construction Company Inc.
  • Maggie Estes, Project Manager, Baldwin & Shell Construction Company
  • Deborah Hampton, Risk & Safety Director, Current Builders
  • Heather Kurtenbach, Business Agent/Political Director, Iron Workers Local 86
  • Lori Moes, CFO, DJM Design CAD & Coordination Services Inc.
  • Julie Nader, Sector Director – Water and Wastewater, The Great Lakes Construction Co.
  • Sheila Ohrenberg, President, Sorella Group
  • Melissa Samuel, Executive Vice President of Corporate Administration, Bernhard LLC
  • Jennifer Todd, President/CEO, LMS General Contractors Inc.
  • Michelle Walker, VP Finance & Administration, SCC Underground

These finalists will be recognized in a special section in CBO’s November 2020 print edition and on constructionbusinessowner.com throughout the months of November and December. 

OWIC 2020 received nearly 300 nominations from the colleagues, coworkers, friends and spouses of outstanding women in every corner of the construction industry. “Our team was blown away by the response we received with the launch of OWIC in 2019, so we couldn’t wait to bring it back in 2020. This year’s overwhelming response and nominations have brought even more amazing women into the spotlight,” said Kathy Wells, editor of CBO. “It’s impressive to see the industry offer up such great respect and support for these women, and we’re proud to share with our readers this celebration of their resilience, ingenuity and spirit.”

Nominations for OWIC 2020 opened July 6 and closed Sept. 4., and had no age limitations, but required that nominees must:
●    Be female
●    Work in construction (general contracting, subcontracting, specialty trades and others allied to the field) in the United States
●    Be respected by industry peers, leaders and clients
●    Show outstanding leadership and management skills
●    Make outstanding contributions to their company, industry and/or community

“Every OWIC nominee is her own remarkable example of strength and integrity, which makes this year’s finalists the pinnacle of excellence and so well-deserving of the honor,” said Wells.

Nominations for Outstanding Women in Construction 2020 will open July 5, 2021. Visit constructionbusinessowner.com/owic2021 for more information. 

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