Carter Machinery Celebrates Women In Construction Week
March 3-9 was Women In Construction Week to celebrate and recognize the important role that women play in today’s construction industry and their contributions that help shape construction’s future. Women at Carter Machinery work in diverse roles throughout the company – from marketing to machine service, rebuilds, and repairs, to the fluid analysis lab – and more join the company every year. To salute these women, Carter created a specially designed thank you card containing an Amazon gift card that was distributed to every one of our female employees. At the same time, the company also highlighted on social media throughout the week the 12 women below who shared their thoughts on working at Carter, advice to other women, and industry experiences.
Harlee Ellifritz is a Shop Technician at our Edgewood, Md., location and works on all types of machines performing everything from routine service to full machine rebuilds. “I enjoy it a lot because I love working with my hands, diagnosing problems and fixing them.” Her advice for women considering a career in the industry is to “go for it – because if you don’t, you’ll never know, and because you can do it.”
Roxann Easterday is a truck driver working out of our Myersville, Md., location who delivers parts to our drop boxes, helps pull parts for customer orders, and also works in receiving. She says it’s the best job she’s ever had, and encourages other women to consider a construction career. “A lot of women think that construction is mainly a job for men, and that may have been true years ago, but today you have every opportunity to get in and be a part of it. Just keep applying until you get it.”
Delfina Garland is the Store Manager for Carter’s Waldorf and Elkridge, Md., stores. She says there are so many different opportunities for women in today’s construction industry. “The sky’s the limit, as long as you’re willing to work hard and put in the effort. The industry is different today as women are respected more than what people may think.”
Michelle Thrift is a Product Service Representative with Carter’s Power Systems Division in Chesapeake, Va., where she serves as the liaison between customers and the service department and provides solutions for customers’ power distribution systems. Her advice to other women considering a career in construction is to “absolutely go for it. You can do anything a man can do, so don’t let it scare you. There are plenty of great men in our field who aren’t intimidated by us at all, and want to help us excel.”
Raquel Eades is a Used Parts Representative working out of our Salem, Va., location. Raquel primarily helps our parts customers who are looking for a lower price point with their search for used or discontinued parts and components. She says she loves working in customer service, and 100% encourages women to consider a career in the construction industry because of the opportunities. “There are so many avenues you can take within this industry, whether it’s teaching, working in sales like me, in service, parts, or finance.”
Jenna Peckman is a Marketing Program Manager at our Salem, Va., location who helps the company hit growth targets by building and executing marketing campaigns. Her advice to other women considering a career in the industry is to “go for it! The construction industry has a wealth of opportunities to advance yourself and your career. For women about to finish school, getting out into the ‘real world’ and especially a perceived ‘man’s world’ can be intimidating, but there is nothing more exciting than taking a chance and proving to yourself and others that you can do it!”
Katie Guevera is a Rental Sales Representative at our Winchester, Va., store and says that her work today – which includes everything from helping a customer locate a specific machine to arranging service for rental equipment – is truly a match made in heaven, and that she couldn’t be happier in her role. Her advice for women considering a career in construction or with Carter Rental is to “do it. Come in full force. Be who you are. Follow your moral compass that makes you, you. Carter has all the information and training you need, and what they actually need is you.”
Heather Tucker is a Logistics Supervisor at our Richmond, Va., location whose daily work includes overseeing Carter Rental’s logistics haulers to ensure safety is always their first priority and that they’re satisfying our customers with delivery service that meets Carter Rental’s high standards “I haven’t had one second thought about working with Carter or in the construction industry because it’s been an amazing experience being treated as an equal and moving my career forward. I’ve never thought ‘I can’t get there,’ and neither should other women because there are so many opportunities for growth.”
Jordan Spiering is a District Operations Manager for Carter Rental working out of our Felton, Del., location and says, “No two days are the same in Rental, but we do our best to make sure everyone has what they need, whether it’s our people or our customers.” Her advice to other women considering a career in construction or with Carter Rental is to know that both are very welcoming and accommodating to women, and that any concerns she had about not knowing the equipment quickly vanished. “You can easily learn that sort of stuff, so never be scared to jump into something you don’t know much about or are unsure of. Everybody will help you learn.”
Lisa Harper is a Rental Fleet Analyst at our Salem, Va., location and is responsible for maintaining preventive maintenance records, enrolling our rental fleet machines in warranty programs, and assisting the rental team in setting up machine rentals that aren’t available in the Carter fleet but are sourced from other vendors. Lisa’s advice to women who want to be in the construction business is to, “explore and learn all aspects of the business, set goals, be ambitious, don’t be afraid to ask questions, and develop and maintain a good work ethic. These qualities will help you achieve your goals.”
Maggie Dufresne is the Rental Store Manager for Carter Rental’s brand-new Suffolk, Va., location. She’s new to this role, but says she knows that communication will be key to the store running successfully. “Everyone here makes everything so easy for you and you always have someone to go to for help. You’re never truly by yourself because everyone is always so willing to work with you.” She encourages other women considering a similar career to pursue their dreams and not be intimidated as there are a wide range of opportunities in the field.
Sandy Platt is a Rental Store Manager and manages our Annapolis Junction and Elkridge, Md., rental stores. She spends her days working one on one with Rental Coordinators, alongside Carter’s Shop Technicians, and hands-on with customers. Her advice to women considering a similar career is to “take the leap and do it! It’s the best career choice I have ever made. I truly believe Carter cares about each and every employee and makes me feel I am a part of something spectacular.“ She adds that the construction industry is no longer considered a “man’s world,” and that while there are more women in the industry, more are needed for future growth.
