Blog written by Findorff's Project Engineer Carolyn Reno
This week we celebrate National Women in Construction Week. I believe this is such an opportune time to raise awareness, as well as increase the support of and encourage women in the construction industry. It’s a field I love!
After completing graduate school at the Harrington Institute of Design, I was fortunate enough to work for several extraordinary interior design firms. I honed my AutoCAD and Revit skills while also spending a great deal of time at Chicago’s iconic Merchandise Mart. I took these opportunities to soak in as much industry knowledge as possible.
Before long, I pursued a career in Milwaukee working as a design consultant for a million-dollar-plus home builder. As my career progressed, I later worked as an interior designer for an architectural firm. I continued to build my skillset helping with construction documents, code review, and compliance.
After a move to Madison, I worked as a project manager for a European design company and later became the lead designer for a design/build firm where I managed various projects. My interest and experience clearly became interior design, construction processes, and architectural documentation. Eventually, I decided to make the leap into the construction field full time and have been working for J.H. Findorff & Son Inc. (Findorff) for the last six years.
At Findorff, I have had the chance to work on projects of various sizes and scopes. One of the most exciting opportunities pertains to my current responsibilities as a Project Engineer. Because of my unique background, I was offered an opportunity to help manage interior construction efforts at the Epic Storybook Campus. This project is one of Findorff’s latest corporate campus endeavors and truly is a dream job for a woman in construction. I get to work closely with other designers and Epic staff to help make their visions come to life. The pace is challenging and I often find myself researching innovative concepts to support the project’s storybook theme such as giant gum-drop installations, rabbit hole slides, and teapot chandeliers. My favorite part is seeing a project come together after months of research, design, and procurement. Working on the Epic Storybook Campus is a once-in-a-lifetime project and I’m fortunate to do work on such creative undertakings every day!
