“I’ve been around the construction industry now for most of my life, and it’s no secret that there are not a lot of women — especially higher up in organizations — although I do see that changing. The difference with Topcon is that there are so many advocates for women. I get treated the same way regardless of my gender. They respect the fact that I know my job, and know the industry. That’s the difference at Topcon — people just want you to be good at your job, and want you to believe in the company and the technology. This is something I really commend Ray O’Connor for. Cultivating that kind of culture at an ever-growing company isn’t easy, and when I look at other male-dominated industries, I can tell that’s not the case everywhere. Although, I’d like to think it is getting better.”
“Diversity is a beautiful thing. And while every person has their own experiences and journey to get to where they are, there are some things that are just unique for women. Our experiences shape us, even if we don’t realize it. Because of this, the construction industry — which, let’s face it, has been about 90% men for the past 600 years — has grown leaps and bounds by doing nothing more than just being more inclusive. This drives everyone to be better, to look at things in a different perspective. To not be stuck on ideas and practices because ‘that’s the way it’s always been.’ Technology on its own is a disrupter, but bringing different ideals changes industries — and quickly. Women are no longer just sitting in job trailers working on filing, we’re controlling machines, building technology, designing complex plans, marketing for construction technology companies, and running billion-dollar construction projects across the globe — and the industry is better because of it.”