Today we are featuring Marissa Pomeroy! Marissa is an integral part of the Civil Division at Sunland!  Please take the time to learn about her construction industry journey and the advice she gives young women looking towards a career in construction.

I began working in construction about 4 years ago for Roger Eischen as he was starting up the Civil Division at Sunland. New to Arizona and with no construction experience, he took a chance and hired me as Civil’s Contracts Administrator. Today I am Civil’s Business Support Manager and oversee the Division’s daily operations. Roger has taught me everything I know about this industry and I would not be the woman in construction I am today without his leadership and guidance.

Every day and every week brings new opportunities and I am continuously growing and learning. The most impactful moments of my career have come from the challenges I have faced with my team. Since joining Civil, our team has achieved monumental milestones: building Sunland’s first bridge over the I-10, being selected for our first CMAR and doubling the size of our Division. These are not small accomplishments and being on the ground level of something this big is an amazing journey. I am proud and honored to have a key role in these achievements.

It can be intimidating to work in an industry that is historically predominantly male. However, working alongside men has allowed me to gain confidence in myself and to speak my opinion. I have earned the respect of my coworkers by being consistently honest and vocal. I also work with some truly inspiring women at Sunland and in the Civil Division. Patricia Martinez is a carpenter in our Structures Department and anyone will tell you that she is the hardest worker Sunland has. She motivates, pushes and encourages her team to be the best each and every day. She will go far in this industry and I am honored to work with her. Yanira Espana is a Field Engineer and is currently on our Bob Stump Memorial Parkway (303L) project. Yanira has so many talents and is modest about each one of them. Suffice to say that without this woman, Civil would not be the Division it is today.

If you are a woman considering a career in construction, take the chance. There are so many opportunities available. Whether you choose to work in the field or in the office, there is a career path for you. There is nothing quite as rewarding as driving around your city, your state, and saying, “We built that”. When I took the leap to join Sunland, I took it out of necessity. I never thought I would be able to say I love my job but here I am four years later looking forward to new challenges, helping build a strong, flourishing Division and loving my career in construction.

Photos of the projects mentioned above: