Join us in celebrating the 25th Annual Women in Construction Week
(March 5-11) with a blog series highlighting the value and ingenuity women bring to our member businesses. We’ll also feature careers and opportunities available to women interested in a rewarding, full-time job and being a part of the precast, prestressed concrete industry’s bright future.
PCI-MA: How do you describe your job to people?
Sarah: As the Advertising Manager for Midland Advertising & Design, I provide advertising, photography, graphic design and public relations services for Smith-Midland Corporation, Concrete Safety Systems, and the multiple Easi-Set Worldwide-licensed Building and SlenderWall producers throughout the world.
PCI-MA: How did your career journey lead you to your company?
Sarah: My background is in design, and I started my career at a newspaper in Western New York working in the graphics department, then moved to the advertising department for the Wegmans Corporation as a designer. The marketing side of my career took shape when I became the Graphic Designer in the Marketing & Public Information Department at a community college in Arizona, and I gradually became more involved in event planning, campaigns and advertising, as well as teaching online. It was an incredible experience and I learned so much from that tenure. Moving back to the East Coast brought marketing and design opportunities with the Fauquier County Parks and Recreation Department as well as the private industry in marketing and sales, and when I was fortunate to be offered the position here at Smith-Midland Corporation, I found a place where I could use my skills and continue to expand them.
PCI-MA: What is one of the greatest challenges you’ve faced and how have you overcome it?
Sarah: Learning to find my voice and to be heard. I think it is an issue for many women in general. I went through a lot of challenges that showed me just how much I had to offer, I just had to find my confidence. I’ve been a part of Toastmasters for a while to help find my speaking voice and that has helped a lot, along with support from the right people. Once you have that, you find you can do anything.
PCI-MA: What do you enjoy most about your job?
Sarah: I get to be creative and work with really talented and fun people. I’m able to use my skillset to help show the world all the great work that Smith-Midland and all of our licensees do with the Easi-Set products. I enjoy being able to photograph and be on-site for installations and learn about precast concrete manufacturing.
PCI-MA: Do you have a mentor or role model? If so, how does this person support you in your personal and professional growth?
Sarah: I don’t know that I have a specific mentor, but I have found that I have people in my life who give me that extra push when needed, and plenty of support and encouragement. Even if I don’t always seem like I do, I’m always listening and processing.
PCI-MA: What are your career and life aspirations and goals?
Sarah: I want to continue to learn and grow within this field and also find ways to cultivate my creative side with my photography, which includes the dream of publishing a book of my landscape photographs one day.
PCI-MA: What advice would you give a young woman entering the construction industry?
Sarah: I would tell any young women entering any industry to stay true to yourself. Learn as much as you can, work hard and find something you truly enjoy as a career.
About Smith-Midland Corporation
Smith-Midland develops, manufactures, licenses, rents, and sells a broad array of precast concrete products and systems for use primarily in the construction, transportation, and utility industries. Management and the Board own approximately 17.5 percent of SMID stock, aligning with shareholder values.
Smith-Midland Corporation has three manufacturing facilities located in Midland, VA, Reidsville, NC, and Columbia, SC, and a J-J Hooks Safety Barrier rental firm, Concrete Safety Systems. Easi-Set Worldwide, a wholly owned subsidiary of Smith-Midland Corporation, licenses the production and sale of Easi-Set products, including J-J Hooks and SlenderWall, and provides diversification opportunities to the precast industry worldwide. For more information, please call (540) 439-3266 or visit www.smithmidland.com.
