Upstate Women Construction Forum Celebrates Five Years of Lifting Up Women in the Industry

The Women Construction Forum (WCF), a group of female construction professionals based in the Upstate region of South Carolina, recently marked its fifth anniversary with an after-work celebration at Bridgeway Brewing, one of the first tenants to open at the new multi-use development Bridgew ay Station in Mauldin, located off I-385 South in Greenville. This event was made possible by a generous donation from Marsh Bell Construction, a general contractor serving South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia. In fact, Marsh Bell is celebrating its 40^th anniversary this calendar year.

Women Construction Forum exists to “help build up women and their voices in the construction industry by empowering, engaging, and mentoring women entering the construction industry.” WCF was co-founded in 2019 by Angela Gardner, Business Development and Marketing Director for Hill Electric, and Rachel Veltri, owner and general contractor for Neves Construction and Carolina Custom Cottages.

According to Veltri, WCF has experienced tremendous membership growth over the past five years – more than tripling in size from their initial group. Members now reflect a wide variety of organizations, business types, roles/titles, and ages. “Our group is made up of women owned and operated construction companies, professional architects, engineers, project managers, Greenville Technical College and Clemson students, and many more professionals in the industry,” explained Veltri.

WCF has significantly expanded its community outreach efforts since its founding, always keeping its core mission at the forefront, to empower, engage, and mentor.

“Through our involvement speaking at colleges, universities, and local career centers, we are reaching young women to open their minds to the many rewarding careers in the construction industry. Many of our young members have come to us through our outreach efforts at Greenville Technical College, Anderson Districts I & II Career and Technology Center (ACTC), and Clemson University,” said Veltri.

Co-founder Angela Gardner added, “We have seen growth through the power of connections within our group. Others see what we are doing either through WCF members or on social. They see us supporting the next generation. We know we are making an impact when our male peers reach out to us to connect us with females in their organizations. They know our group will be a huge benefit.”

Spotlight on WCF Initiatives

Speaking Engagements – Members visit schools and colleges, hold events, and often work as educators to share stories and inspire women to become leaders in the construction industry, always expressing the importance of giving back to the community and finding a network of support in any career choice.
Monthly Open Networking Events – Members inspire, find community, and support each other.
Mentorships – Formal and informal.
Scholarships – More than 80% of membership fees go directly to students pursuing the construction field in our community.
Social Media – Most outreach efforts are through LinkedIn to connect with women in the Carolinas and beyond to educate them about workforce development and career building.
Connecting Talent – Helping each other find opportunities within the industry. To WCF, this is highly important and truly displays the POWER of CONNECTION and COMMUNITY.

To inquire about how to sponsor events or become a new WCF member, reach out to Rachel Veltri via LinkedIn.