NAWIC Installs New National President, Board Members

FORT WORTH, Texas — The National Association of Women in Construction has installed Cindy Johnsen, CBT, CDS, CIT, as its 58th national president during NAWIC's Annual Meeting and Convention. Johnsen, an office administrator III for Granite Construction Company, has been a member of NAWIC's San Bernardino-Riverside, Calif. Chapter since 1997.

Johnsen has exciting plans for her term as NAWIC president. She said, “My vision is to start the development of professional development programs in NAWIC that can be published and utilized throughout the industry to develop strong leaders/mentors and great employees.”

Asked about her top priority while in office, Johnsen said, “To revitalize our association. Now is the time for NAWIC! What better time to go after new members—we are in a revitalization mode so no idea is off the table. We need to hear every idea and determine if it is a fit for NAWIC. This includes the implementation of a professional development committee that assists with the groundwork for our new strategic plan goal to "develop and implement a Professional Development Program with multiple tracks by 2017."”

Johnsen also plans to:

• Re-release the NAWIC Builds brand and logo to local chapters so they can utilize it locally and increase the brand's visibility.
• Roll out NAWIC's new strategic plan and encourage members to buy in.
• Increase NAWIC's member retention rate.

NAWIC also installed officers President-Elect Yasmine A. Branden, CCA, Portland, Ore. Chapter; Vice President Sandy K. Field, CBT, CIT, Houston, Texas Chapter; Treasurer Connie M. Leipard, CIT, Central Missouri Chapter; Secretary Dove Sifers-Putman, Charlotte, N.C. Chapter and Immediate Past President Judy DeWeese, CBT, CIT, San Antonio, Texas Chapter.

In addition to the officers, the NAWIC board is comprised of a national director from each of the association's 14 regions. Each director serves a two-year term and is elected by her peers to bring the wishes and needs of the chapters to the attention of the association. New directors installed include :

• Region 2 Director Stephanie K. Crane, CIT, Greater Birmingham, Ala. Chapter
• Region 4 Director Mardi K. Gauer, Akron, Ohio Chapter
• Region 6 Director Beverly J. Sauerwein, CIT, Greater Wichita, Kan. Chapter
• Region 8 Director Karen Edmonston, El Paso, Texas Chapter
• Region 10 Director Donnalyn Revis, CIT, Santa Clara, Calif. Chapter
• Region 12 Director Keri S. Hawkins, CBT, Las Vegas, Nev. Chapter
• Region 14 Director Carol O"Donnell, CIT, No. 1 of Rhode Island Chapter

NAWIC region directors serving the second year of their term include :

• Region 1 Director Maura C. Hesdon, LEED AP, Philadelphia, Pa. Chapter
• Region 3 Director Jean L. Cox, CBT, Greater Orlando, Fla. Chapter
• Region 5 Director Phyllis F. Haynes, Jackson, Miss. Chapter
• Region 7 Director Gracie Narey, CIT, Fort Worth, Texas Chapter
• Region 9 Director Dalene Schafer Bloom, Portland, Ore. Chapter
• Region 11 Director Deborah L. Knight, CDS, CIT, Greater Tidewater, Va. Chapter
• Region 13 Director Amy Berg, CBT, CIT, Fargo-Moorhead, N.D.