2022 Women in Construction: Bianca Carlson Development Associate The Procopio Companies

What was your greatest professional achievement or most notable project in the last 12 months? Over the past year, I’ve moved into a more centralized role at Procopio, helping our projects’ day-to-day operations. I was able to play a crucial role in developing and selling the national, multi-award-winning property, Caldwell, located in Lynn, MA. I had my hands on every part of the process: branding, overseeing construction, and monitoring the full cycle of the project while simultaneously following the end of the construction phase into leasing. Selling Caldwell to The Green Cities Company was a great achievement for the team and I’m proud to have played a central role.

Starting out in the construction business, who or what empowered you? My ability to think outside of the box and provide a new perspective empowers me. At my previous job, many of the assets required renovation. This gave me the space to take charge, thinking creatively to redesign an already built space. Additionally, being one of the few women on a construction site or in the development world empowers me. There’s no reason we have to leave it all to the men…women can get involved and should!

Within your firm, who has helped you succeed within the industry? How have they helped you? Our CEO, Mike Procopio has been crucial to my success within the industry. Mike has allowed me to take on every part of a project from construction management and investor relations, to branding and vendor management. Having a role in each aspect has helped me to be successful as Procopio continues to grow. I understand our business holistically, which is crucial to success. Additionally, Mike has created a welcoming and collaborative environment. I can walk into his office and ask any question at any time. That judgment-free space has helped me to grow and succeed.

What tips or advice would you offer to other women who are considering entering the construction industry? One piece of advice I would give to other women entering the construction and development industry is to not be afraid of taking on jobs that might intimidate you. There is no job out there too big for you! Take a task and run with it. And don’t be scared to be the only woman on a job site. Let that empower you to show up and do a great job.