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Wilson Lumber, a Huntsville, Alabama-based lumber company, recently celebrated Women in Construction week, a week dedicated to honoring the role of women in the construction industry.
The company celebrated in March with a themed luncheon entitled “Together We Rise.” Wilson Lumber employees and customers enjoyed a meal and heard a keynote address from Sara Beth Wilcox of Brasfield and Gorrie, an Alabama-based construction company.
“Hosting this event each year holds a lot of meaning for me,” says Sallie Keene Denton, marketing specialist at Wilson Lumber Company. “It’s a privilege to be able to create space for women to gather and learn together. One of our core values at Wilson Lumber is ‘Challenge Yourself to Grow’. We want to challenge not only our employees but women in our industry to grow in their roles, to grow in the industry and to help make continued strides.”
Women support Wilson Lumber Company in a multitude of ways. 27% of employees at Wilson Lumber are women and many work in the production of vertical products like windows, doors, trim and trusses and hold administrative, operations and leadership positions
“This event reinforced my belief that women in construction play a vital role in driving industry growth,” says Aveyron Gooch Vroonland, account analyst at Wilson Lumber. “The diverse range of positions represented by attendees highlighted the limitless opportunities available to us. Women in construction not only understand and respect each other’s challenges but also actively support and celebrate one another’s success.”
The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) established Women in Construction week with the first celebration in 1998. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that women made up 11.5% of the U.S. construction workforce in 2024.
“Working in a male-dominated profession can be both challenging and intimidating,” says Joane Lopez-Delgado, Wilson Lumber HR administrative assistant. “As women, we often feel the pressure to act, speak and present ourselves in a way that transcends our gender, thinking that we must be seen as something other than women to be taken seriously. In doing so, we sometimes lose a part of our identity. However, Sara’s example was a powerful reminder of what can be achieved through courage, ambition and hard work, regardless of gender. As women, we should never underestimate our capabilities, whether in our careers or our personal lives. We are hard-working, nurturing, skilled and resilient—we are the future, and we have the strength to succeed on our own terms.”
