The Viking sagas tell of Gudrid Thorbjarnardóttir, a 10th century Icelandic woman who traveled across Europe, venturing to Rome, Greenland and even precolonial North America.
In the 18th century, Jeanne Baret, a botanical assistant, became the first woman to circumnavigate the globe.
Within our own lifetimes, we’ve seen women blaze new trails in science, politics, business, entertainment … and construction. There are now enough female-owned construction companies in Hawai‘i to warrant their own “top ten” search category on Yelp — but this wasn’t always the case. It’s easy to take for granted something so innocuous as showing up in an online search, but that search is only possible today due to years of women breaking barriers.
For Building Industry Hawaii’s 2024 “Women in Construction” issue, we converse with five women who are helping shape Hawai‘i’s construction landscape. They aren’t ranked in order of prestige, accomplishment or pedigree; their appearance in this issue is not the result of any sort of competition or popularity contest.
With that said, each of these women are, in their own ways, among the best and the brightest our industry has to offer. They come from a diverse range of backgrounds and represent several different disciplines.
During our interviews, however, several commonalities become apparent.
There’s a shared love of the challenges the industry presents these women, and they all exude focused determination and the ability and willingness to confront and overcome whatever challenges come their way.
There are repeated callbacks to the concept of accountability, of owning your actions and taking stock of your own abilities.
Lastly, these ladies understand the concept of “we” — of supporting others, being part of a team and making connections that elevate the greater whole. This notion comes up in every set of responses we received.
In any environment where voices are too easily drowned out or dismissed, there’s an unmistakable power in solidarity, in connecting with individuals who can understand where you’ve been and in sharing stories of your experiences.
Congratulations to this year’s featured Women in construction, and we hope their stories serve as an inspiration for both current and future generations of industry professionals.
Mia Checkley
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER,
LAYTON CONSTRUCTION CO. LLC
Mia Checkley, business development manager at Layton Construction Co. LLC, has two key pieces of advice that she’s learned.
“The first is to be confident in your abilities,” she says. “Studies indicate that women often underestimate their abilities and struggle with feelings of unworthiness — things I have personally struggled with in the past. However, these same studies evidence that most women are clearly competent if not overqualified.”
Her second piece of advice was given to her by Darcy Gray, a facilitator at Layton Construction’s Leadership Academy and Layton’s first female construction manager. She “emphasized the importance of owning your stuff and not making excuses,” according to Checkley.
In a different world, Checkley might not have heard Gray speak at that Layton program. That’s because Checkley almost ended up on an entirely different career path. Sixteen years ago, a misplaced resumé led to her being interviewed for the wrong job.
“A few minutes into the interview, I figured this out, stopped the interview and addressed it,” she says. “When they told me the job I had applied for had already been filled, I decided to wing it. Despite having zero experience in construction, they hired me!”
Her quick thinking and ability to adapt on-the-spot helped her get the job, traits which she attributes in large part to her history with the military.
“After serving 10 years in the U.S. Air Force, I went on to be a military spouse for over 20 years,” says Checkley. “This presented its own unique challenges in terms of career progression. Each move felt like I took two steps forward and three steps back. I had to frequently pivot and reinvent myself with each move adapting to a new state, country or job market.”
Checkley’s other main strength is in making “genuine connections,” which has led to her success in her current role. In fact, it’s connecting with others that she feels is key for women to advance in this industry.
She recommends “women in construction lean into connecting with other women in the industry” and says serving on the board of the Hawai‘i chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) helped her own professional growth.
“Spending time with like-minded women who uplift and empower one another has been a gratifying experience,” she says.
Besides NAWIC, Checkley is also involved with a number of other industry-related groups that gather regularly for luncheons, pau hana and other events. She also serves on the board of directors of the Kaua‘i Chamber of Commerce, making for a full plate that would be overwhelming to many.
“To meet and balance the demands of my professional life, I’ve had to become very organized and efficient with my time,” she says. “I am an early riser and like to get a jump on the day, so I typically start working before I arrive to the office. This allows me time to do some advance planning for the day, allocating myself the necessary time to accomplish each task.”
Clarice Cornett
PRESIDENT,
WAHINE BUILDERS AND ELECTRIC INC.
In her own words, Clarice Cornett, president of Wahine Builders and Electric Inc., is a hands-on person who enjoys envisioning a project in her mind and then building it.
“I just love building,” she says. “My first job — at 10 — was helping a carpenter in my home village of Pt. Barrow, Alaska.”
But when Cornett aimed to get her start in the industry, “women in construction” was still a fairly radical concept. Upon graduating from the University of Hawai‘i, she found that there were no opportunities for a woman who was skilled in carpentry.
So she started her own: Wahine Builders Inc. Founded in 1986, Cornett initially hired a crew of about five or six people, and one of their first projects was for Baldwin Sanders Piano, then located at 1500 South King St.
“The idea was to make a few practice rooms. When we were finished, they called it the ‘Baldwin Conservatory of Music!’ ”
Since its start, the main objective of Wahine Builders has been to provide opportunities for women in construction.
“Wahine Builders has always been about empowering women and the craft of construction,” says Cornett. “We have employed some great craftsmen over the years, but providing opportunities for women has always been the goal.”
“I celebrate the changes that I see in the local carpenters’ union, but when I started — or tried to start — they simply weren’t open to women,” Cornett recalls. “When I finally did get in the union all the correspondence was, ‘Dear Sir and Brother!’ And anyone who has been on construction sites knows it got far worse than that.”
Cornett was championing causes like diversity long before they became buzzwords. Coupled with her love of construction and design, she became a force for positive change. Cornett and Wahine Builders spearheaded a program called “Building Women,” open to all women interested in entering the field, including those in welfare-to-work programs or reentering life following incarceration.
By Cornett’s best estimates, her efforts have helped to employ, mentor or otherwise introduce hundreds of women to the construction industry.
“One thing that has struck me over the years is the emails or conversations where a woman shares reading an article or hearing about Wahine Builders and how it changed their life,” she says. “The empowerment from the visibility of simply seeing women do this work has opened minds, doors and career paths.”
Since 2020, Wahine Builders has been working on building their design of Feather and Fur Veterinary Hospital in Kailua, converting the old Aikahi Theatres to a state-of-the-art veterinary facility. COVID hampered its progress — at times bringing a 10-person crew down to its current level of just three — but Cornett is hopeful the three-floor project will be completed this year.
“When we started our current Feather and Fur project — before the havoc of COVID — I had vowed to sub out more work and manage more. COVID put a kibosh on that — and even though I would have loved to finish sooner — being hands-on, involved in everything from micro piles to HVAC, had been a beloved adventure to me,” she says. “Getting to build a 400 AMP service with a whole hospital 150 KvA generator is an electrician’s dream. Building the stairs and the railings and installing the custom Khaya doors is a carpenter’s happy place.”
Clarice Cornett founded Wahine Builders in 1986. PHOTO COURTESY WAHINE BUILDERS
Cornett was championing causes like diversity long before they became buzzwords. Coupled with her love of construction and design, she became a force for positive change. Cornett and Wahine Builders spearheaded a program called “Building Women,” open to all women interested in entering the field, including those in welfare-to-work programs or reentering life following incarceration.
By Cornett’s best estimates, her efforts have helped to employ, mentor or otherwise introduce hundreds of women to the construction industry.
“One thing that has struck me over the years is the emails or conversations where a woman shares reading an article or hearing about Wahine Builders and how it changed their life,” she says. “The empowerment from the visibility of simply seeing women do this work has opened minds, doors and career paths.”
Edean Kitamura Rivera
COST ENGINEER,
HAWAIIAN DREDGING CONSTRUCTION COMPANY INC.
When Edean Kitamura Rivera was in high school, her drafting/design teacher once told her, “there are a million ways to skin a cat.”
She jokes that she still wonders why anyone would want to skin a cat, but the real meaning wasn’t lost on her.
“He was teaching us that there are a million ways to solve a problem, and I believe that’s why I have an optimistic outlook and persevering attitude,” she says.
While her teacher may have advocated for a million different paths, if Rivera’s trajectory is any indication, sometimes the best way can be pretty direct. While in middle school, an aptitude test indicated engineering was an ideal career.
At ‘Aiea High School, she was able to sign up for classes in drafting, architectural drawing, mechanical drawing and engineering design. She later attended the University of Hawai‘i’s College of Engineering before interning at a mechanical engineering firm.
“[I] enjoyed site visits with the project engineer to various construction sites and knew that construction is where I wanted to be,” she says. “Hawaiian Dredging was hiring at the time of my graduation and it’s been enjoyable and fulfilling since day one.”
During her 34 years in the industry — all of them at Hawaiian Dredging — Rivera has worked on a wide variety of projects, but she finds the ones she enjoys most are large, multi-year efforts.
The first 15 years of Rivera’s career were dedicated to working on the H-3 Freeway and related projects. Since then, she’s also found enjoyment working on projects as diverse as the Kahekili Highway widening, HECO Generating Station in Campbell Industrial Park and HART’s Farrington Highway Rail Station Group. Currently, her work finds her around Ward Avenue and Auahi Street, as well as on the H-1 widening project from Ola Lane to Likelike Highway.
“I enjoy working with the people at Hawaiian Dredging, and the variety of projects I’ve worked on so far,” says Rivera. “Projects have been interesting and challenging in positive ways, helping to develop me into the person I am today. Everyone on my jobsite team works together to get the project done in the best way possible and there has never been a dull moment.”
As a cost engineer, a typical day will see Rivera reviewing and cost-coding timesheets, approving invoices, maintaining cost-tracking logs, reviewing cost reports, updating cost-forecast projects, coding estimates to create budgets for newly awarded projects and resolving any other issues that may come her way. It’s fortunate that her self-described “superpowers” are her organized thought process, attention to detail and optimistic thinking.
“Life is short, and Hawai‘i is a small community,” Rivera says. “Work to understand people instead of wanting to be understood.
“The Serenity Prayer works: ask God to grant you the serenity to accept the things you cannot change, the courage to change the things you can and the wisdom to know the difference.”
Karen Seddon
REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT,
EAH HOUSING
“There is no typical day in the work life of a contractor or developer,” Karen Seddon says.
“Each day brings a unique set of challenges, demanding multitasking to address a wide range of issues essential to the success of housing projects.”
There’s a popular quote that she references to drive home her point about the many hats she needs to wear in her role: “Jack of all trades, master of none, though oftentimes better than master of one.”
Seddon is regional vice president for EAH Housing, a nonprofit development and housing management company with offices in Hawai‘i and California. Karen’s primary goal is to grow the available inventory of affordable housing in Hawai‘i.
“The ultimate satisfaction lies in the end result,” she explains. “Handing over the door key to a home symbolizes the culmination of years of effort by the development team and marks the beginning of opportunities for a family’s economic, education and health outcomes.”
Seddon graduated from Oregon State University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Construction Engineering Management and also earned a Master’s of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. Over the years, she worked at the Hawaii Housing and Finance Development Corporation and The Michaels Organization, in addition to other companies in the development and construction sector. Seddon made her way to EAH two years ago, where she was able to merge her past professional experiences with her educational background.
“Navigating a historically male-dominated construction and development industry has been a significant challenge,” she says when asked about her professional journey. She advises women who may wish to follow a similar professional path to prepare themselves for “a predominantly male workplace culture where women encounter discriminatory behaviors.”
“While progress is being made, more work is needed to create an equitable environment,” she says. “Collectively, resilience and determination will pave the way for future generations.”
Seddon points to the underrepresentation of women as an impediment to new opportunities. She advocates for more visible female role models and educational outreach across the industry.
“Initiatives promoting diversity and mentorship programs can help to bridge the gender gap and enhance opportunities for women in construction and development,” she says.
Seddon’s upward trajectory in the industry demonstrates that she is up to whatever challenges come her way, though.
“Grit and perseverance define my strengths. Working in the construction industry required me to quickly deploy communication, adaptation and strategic problem-solving skills,” Seddon says. “I persistently aim for continuous improvement in all areas.”
Dana Shaffer
PRESIDENT,
HAWAII WORKSITE SERVICES &
SUPPLIES LLC
“I love a challenge,” says Dana Shaffer, president and founder of Hawaii Worksite Services & Supplies (HWSS). “It’s all-hands-on-deck and you can build and develop a team to set the process, goals, all that.
“During that process you can see people develop and dig into themselves, be vulnerable and contribute individually. In the end the satisfaction of the team collectively succeeding is rewarding for me and the team. Win-win.”
It’s this love of a challenge along with the desire for a collective win that fuels her push to grow HWSS, which she founded in 2022.
“We are in the building stage of the business. And I’m excited to create a diverse workspace/place now and beyond 2024 with the team that can sustain and adapt to the fast-changing landscape of business today,” she says.
Shaffer is used to bold approaches that pay off. After accepting an entry-level position in her early 20s as a purchasing clerk for Safety Systems Hawaii, she says she “didn’t know traffic safety was a thing.”
About five months in, while being reprimanded for something beyond her control, Shaffer told the owner of the company, “‘if you’re going to scold me, then put me in charge.’ I wasn’t serious, just mad and young (with) lots of moxie,” she jokes.
A week later, Shaffer was promoted to purchasing agent.
Starting more than 20 years ago, SSH ownership changed hands multiple times over the years, a sequence of events that set the stage for Shaffer toward opening her own business.
“I had fostered strong relationships with vendors, customers and associates over the years, and was fortunate to find the perfect business partner who shared the same passions; we both filled parts of what you need in this industry to be successful.”
In 2012 the pair established Road Safety Services and Design LLC, a move Shaffer says was made out of “necessity and love for the industry.”
Despite her moxie, Shaffer still faces her share of challenges within the male-dominated construction industry. Speaking directly about entering these predominantly male spaces when she was starting out, Shaffer says she used to “make a point of focusing on her skills and what she brought to the table.”
“I left my gender at the door,” she continues. “I acknowledge that gender inequality still exists, I just refused to let them dictate my actions or responses in the workplace or meeting. … I tried to engage in each situation with confidence and grace; I felt by doing so, I set a positive example for others.”
Despite the challenges, Shaffer’s love for construction remains.
“The enjoyment is in working with the crews and support staff, customers and vendors, through the day-to-day successes and challenges — it’s the connections and relationships, collaborating to consistently teach, learn and improve; the joy of seeing the growth and sense of community in the company,” she says.
NAWIC HAWAII PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
BY AMANDA CANADA
2023- 2024 NAWIC HAWAII CHAPTER 114 PRESIDENT
Amanda Canada
According to the National Association of Women in Construction’s (NAWIC) mission statement, NAWIC provides “education, community and advocacy for women” and is “committed to championing women to impact the direction of the construction industry.”
NAWIC Hawaii has emerged as a fierce, dynamic force shaping the future of our industry — a shining example of what can be achieved when women come together with a shared purpose.
As 2023-2024 NAWIC Hawaii president, I’m honored to lead our chapter during this exciting time as we execute our 2024 Girl G.O.A.L.S.— growth, opportunity, advancement, leadership and service.
GROWTH
We’re committed to fostering personal and professional growth through mentorship, training and support. NAWIC Hawaii has grown to 130 members, and increased the number of corporate sponsors that support our members in achieving their goals and growth to 14 — a testament to our impact throughout the industry.
OPPORTUNITY
NAWIC is a platform for providing connections and opportunities that encourage our members to excel in their careers through select networks, aligned partnerships and access to exciting projects.
ADVANCEMENT
To elevate our members’ professional success, we’re creating opportunities for members to coach industry colleagues, publicly advance our platform and potentially achieve high visibility in Hawai‘i’s construction industry, thereby creating lifelong mentorships, relationships and support groups.
LEADERSHIP
NAWIC members are natural leaders. Through mentorship, training and skill-building, we amplify and advance leadership roles within our association, our careers and our communities. Recently, NAWIC Regional chose our chapter to host this year’s Pacific Northwest and Pacific Southwest Join Forum, May 8-10, where our members are shaping this pivotal conference as large-event planners, facilitators and speakers.
SERVICE
By informing young women in middle and high school, NAWIC Hawaii is advancing construction as a superior career goal.
A local chapter since 1965, NAWIC Hawaii’s mission continues to propel our wahine onward and upward. Through their energy, intelligence and commitment, our Girl G.O.A.L.S. are unstoppable!
