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2002 NAWIC Outstanding Woman in Construction

Elaine Martin Elaine Martin's bio  Elaine Martin: Her Story

 

Elaine Martin ,is the majority owner of two companies based in Nampa, Idaho: MarCon, Inc. specializes in the installation of steel guardrail on highways in Idaho, Oregon, Nevada, and Utah and the placement of precast concrete highway barriers in Idaho. MarCon Precast, Inc., manufactures and markets precast concrete highway barriers. Martin is a member of AGC and NAWIC in Idaho.

1. Achieved a position of significance and authority enabling nominee to influence decisions beneficial to women in the construction industry work force.

• Delivered the closing statement at press briefing in Washington, D.C., in 1997 for the Council of Presidents, composed of 100 women's organizations from around the nation. The briefing specifically dealt with women in construction and how they faced challenges in the construction field.

• One of four women nationally invited to testify before the U.S. Senate in 1997 about problems that women face in order to become successful. She was the only woman in construction.

• At the invitation of U.S. Secretary of Transportation Rodney Slater, addressed a national press conference in 1997 on the hardships encountered on the way to becoming a successful woman highway contractor.

• One of only a few contractors invited to witness DOT Secretary Rodney Slater and SBA Secretary Aieda Alverez sign historic memorandum of understanding between Federal DOT and SBA to streamline future certification process for women and minorities. Nov, 1999.

• National Association of Women in Construction Crystal Vision winner in 2000.

• Member of National Construction Image Steering Committee starting 2001. The thirty-one members of this committee are made up of representatives from all the major construction organizations and the largest contractors in the United States. They are working with the National Center for Construction Education and Research to improve the image of construction across the nation.

• April 2001. As a Trustee of Women First Legislative Committee, Martin was one of four women to meet with Department of Transportation Director, Norm Mineta, to help strengthen the position of women in the Transportation rules.

• Encourage and empower women in construction through enacting legislation or initiating organizational structure. Also lead and assist specialty contractors regardless of sex or ethnicity

• National Association of Women In Construction - One of six women who organized and set up structure of the first national Owner's Council of NAWIC in 1993 to mentor and network with women who are owners or would-be owners of construction firms; acted as temporary chair 1993-1994 and elected executive chair of council 1994-95.

• Women First Legislative Committee - Board trustee since 1994 of this national group that works with the U.S. Congress and federal agencies to support women owners of construction businesses. Active in prior lobby efforts for women construction owners in 1991 as part of Women Business Owners Association.

• Joint Committee on Minority and Women Business Enterprise Issue 94 -98 - Committee, formed in 1994 and composed of general contractors and women and minority construction associations, improved relations among its members. The committee's recommendations aided the U.S. Department of Transportation with its implementation in 1998 of new rules and regulations for women and minorities.

• Member of Executive Committee of AGC of America Specialty Contract Council. First woman to hold a position on this executive committee. 2000-Present

• Chairman of the national Guardrail Committee of the American Traffic Safety Services Association, ATTSA. 2002

3. Actively promoted the inclusion and/or advancement of women in construction. 

• Recognized in 1998 by the Idaho Transportation Department for promoting the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program for women and minority contractors and employees.

• Honored by the Idaho Transportation Department in 1996 for providing increased employment opportunities for women and minorities. Recognized also for outstanding performance in the highway construction industry.

4. Shown leadership in taking initiatives or risks on behalf of women in construction.

• Unpopular positions and financial risks - Martin accepts hard challenges when she stands up for women in construction. She always knows that she may lose work in the future for her present position. Most of her early opponents to expanding horizons for women now see her as the steady voice and mediator she is.

• Idaho Construction Coalition - Served as organizational chair in 1999 for this coalition of the nine Idaho construction associations. The group works to improve relations among general contractors and subcontractors, pursue legislation, opportunities for women and minorities and improve the image of the construction industry. Before Martin put these nine Associations around the same table, they took pride in killing each other's legislation and weakened the image of all contractors, men and women.

5. Successfully broken barriers with a “first” for women in construction.

• Named Idaho's Small Business Person of the Year for 2002. In the 38 year history of this U. S. Small Business Administration award, this is the first time an Idaho woman has won the award standing on her own merit without a husband as her partner.

• Entrepreneur Magazine, July 2002, featured Martin along with a Wyoming woman as examples of what women were accomplishing in the United States in the area of female ownership growth. Idaho and Wyoming have the largest percentage of growth.

• Named Idaho's Woman Entrepreneur of the Year for 1999, the first year of the award, by the Women's Network for Entrepreneurial Training and the Idaho Business Review.

• Idaho Associated General Contractors - President for 2000; vice president for 1999; member since 1987; first woman President; first woman to serve on the Idaho AGC board of directors and only woman to serve on the executive committee; chaired Idaho AGC Legislative Committee 1998-99; chaired Legislative PAC 1995-97; founded and chaired Image Committee that won a 1998 Telly Award for a video recruiting high school students into construction careers.

• Winner of the AGC of Idaho President's Cup Award in 1999. The first woman and the fourth person to receive the award since its inception almost ten years ago. The award recognizes outstanding effort by an individual with AGC chapter wide benefits within a two-year period.

6. Other.

• A farmer's wife in 1976, she successfully lobbied congress, at the age of 29, to change Bureau of Land Management guidelines that unfairly prevented a married woman who lived with her husband from developing Idaho farm land under federal Carey Act law.