Grace Steward, Project Engineer at C.E. Floyd Company, Inc.

How many years have you been in your current field? 5 years

Which project, deal, or transaction was the “game changer” in the advancement of your career during the last 10 years? Becoming the lead project engineer on The Residence at Summer Street in Stamford, CT was a game changer for me. My first project after college was a challenging one. I was very green and didn’t really know what I was doing. At the end of it, I was truly thinking of leaving the industry…until I was asked to be the lead PE on the Stamford project. Taking on this role increased my knowledge but more importantly my confidence. It’s been five years since that first project and I wouldn’t change a thing. 

What would you tell your daughter about entering this profession? It’s not always easy, but you are just as qualified as anyone else in this field. Work hard, ask questions, be professional, and you will gain the respect of everyone you encounter.

What are you planning to do differently in 2020 to have a positive impact on your career? I’m going to try to stop being such a perfectionist. Mistakes are inevitable. I will learn from them and won’t make the same ones twice. 

What was your favorite job and what did you learn from it? My favorite project is The Residence at Summer Street, a senior living community in Stamford, CT. I learned that every project experience and dynamic is different but working together as a team helps make everything go more smoothly. 

If your life were made into a movie, what actor would you want to portray you and why? Jennifer Aniston. She is respected by all who know and have worked with her. That is how I strive to be in the workplace.