North Branch Construction celebrates Jean Meisner and all women in construction, not only during the National Association for Women In Construction (NAWIC)'s 'Women in Construction Week', but every day!
Jean Meisner heads the Accounts Payable/Payroll Department at North Branch Construction. She has worked in the construction industry for 16 years. Jean is responsible for processing all of North Branch’s sub-contractor and vendor invoices, as well as weekly employee payroll. Payroll processing is an incredibly important job, and Jean strives to keep North Branch’s internal customers (our employees!) happy. What Jean enjoys most about her career in construction is being a part of the bigger picture; seeing the buildings North Branch constructs and knowing her contribution had a hand in helping to build it.
Jean was led towards a job in construction by responding to an ad for an Accounts Payable/Payroll position in the newspaper. Having never worked in the industry previously, she had a lot to learn about jobs, cost codes, change orders, and sub-contracts!
Through the years, Jean has witnessed great strides that have been made by women in the construction industry. Though she admits to still seeing evidence of the “good ol’ boys’ network” on occasion, and knows there is still a ways to go before women are treated equally in construction. If she were to give one piece of advice to girls and young women interested in pursuing a career in the construction industry, she would say, “Work hard and learn everything you can, because there is no reason a girl can’t be a carpenter, superintendent, project manager, or even an excavator operator if she wants to – as long as it is a job she enjoys!”
The focus of Women in Construction Week, taking place from March 3-9, 2019, is to highlight women as a visible component of construction, while raising awareness of the opportunities available and emphasizing the growing role of women in the industry.
