2022 Women in Construction: Nancy Martin, VP, Director of Human Resources at Erland Construction, Inc.

When you’re not busy, what is your go to book or podcast to help you unwind? I have been reading a series of books by Stephen Puleo about Boston’s history. He wrote the Dark Tide, The Boston Italians and A City so Grand. Reading about the hard times the city and its people endured adds such a different perspective to a visit into Boston. Understanding the Italian immigration into this country in the late 1800s and early 1900s is a story that brings an appreciation for anyone that has assimilated to this country. As the city continues to build, I hope it will always preserve those older buildings that represent that past.

Within your firm, who has helped you succeed within the industry? How have they helped you? My management group encouraged everyone to expand their knowledge with every new challenge and project. Working for Erland was my first exposure to the construction industry. I was hooked. Seeing the buildings come out of the ground and the pride that the field teams had in the work brought such satisfaction to the job. I was recruited onto the Safety Committee and made regular visits to the job sites. I still love to learn about the technical aspects of building from those site visits.

What tips or advice would you offer to other women who are considering entering the construction industry? If you love building, stay with it. Don’t be afraid to bring a different approach to the work. Take the time to learn the technical aspects of how the building goes together. At Erland, we have so many diligent women pursuing project management, who bring a different spin to the execution of a project but are seeing success.