Melissa Koehler’s first job in the construction industry was in
the accounting department of American Tennis Courts Inc.
She found her first mentor there. “I didn’t realize at the time
how groundbreaking it was to be working for a female CEO
who was successfully running a construction company,” she
said. “As I look back, I realize it never dawned on me that it
wouldn’t be possible. I always wanted to grow and improve, to
take on more responsibility and to learn the business.”
Koehler joined B. Frank Joy in 1996 as accounting manager
and was quickly promoted to controller, then CFO and other
positions of increasing responsibility. Company president and
owner Ken Joy encouraged that growth.
“Ken involvedme in all of the key decisions, andwas constantly
pulling me up another level,” Koehler said. “He really stretched
me and gave me lots of opportunities to learn.” Joy chose
Koehler to be his successor in 2006. She was the first woman
and the first non-family member to run the company. She
later became CEO as well.
Koehler is active in the Vistage professional development
organization and is a mentor to ABC of Metro Washington’s
Leadership Development Program. She now serves on the
association’s Board of Directors. “I really believe in what ABC
stands for and what it is doing for the industry. ABC is very
focused on what their membership needs, and is very relevant
to our business.”
Koehler believes that women bring a different and important
perspective to the industry but face different obstacles, such
as staying in the workforce while raising a family. She relies on
other women in construction management and leadership
roles as her support system. Although she mentors both men
and women, Koehler is especially encouraged to see more
women coming into the construction workforce. “It’s exciting
to see that women are beginning to realize there are excellent
opportunities in construction,” she said.
Melissa Koehler
President & CEO
B. Frank Joy, LLC
Michelle Wittig
Vice President
Mechanical Engineering &
Construction Corp. (MEC
2
)
As a five-year member and recent chair of the Women’s
Committee of the ABC Baltimore Metro Chapter (WABC),
Michelle Wittig is passionate about bringing young women
into the industry. She participates inWABC’s $4,000 scholarship
program for female high school students pursuing a career in
architecture, engineering or construction management and in
the committee’s two signature events.
The Women’s Empowerment Day provides assistance to
women re-entering the workforce. Last year, Witting invited
JumpStart to attend, exposing participants to multiple trades
and preparing them to enter ABC’s apprenticeship program.
That makes them marketable to member firms.
“Professional Career Day opens up a member firm’s active job
site to high school females considering construction careers,”
Wittig said. “The day includes a site tour coupled with female
speakers from architecture, engineering, general contracting,
mechanical and electrical firms.”
Wittig’s interest in mentoring young women stems in part from
her experience when she entered the industry in 2003 as a
business consultant to a construction firm. Two years later, she
joined start-upmember firmMEC
2
and over 11 years has helped
grow it from a small, 38-person company to one that employs
125 people and produces $30 million in annual revenue.
Wittig actively encourages young students of both sexes to
consider Career and Technical Education (CTE) leading to jobs
in the building trades. Through her involvement atWABC, MEC
2
has employed a female engineering intern, the 2013 scholarship
recipient. Currently,Wittig is seeking to place the 2014 recipient,
an architecture student at the University of Maryland.
Wittig believes in creating a workplace that people never want
to leave, and credits her parents with instilling in her the values
of integrity and respect for others.
“MEC
2
has won multiple ABC awards for excellence in
construction and is one of only a handful of Maryland member
firms to hold ABC’s Accredited Quality Contractor (AQC)
distinction. We are about quality and bringing our people
along for the journey,” she said.
18 Building Washington
