About Us
The National Association of Women in Construction
The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) began as Women in Construction of Fort Worth, founded on September 11, 1953 by Doris Efird and 15 other women who were looking for a support system. These women were all actively employed in the construction industry and had been doing business with each other for years when they decided to finally meet face to face. This progressive group of women had the foresight to create an atmosphere where they could network and support each other professionally as well as personally. When describing this group of women, Alice Ashley said, "We were women with electricity in our veins, cement dust on our shoes, sawdust on our minds … busy, busy, busy, filthy things."
In the first year of its existence, Women in Construction raised over $2,700 to donate to the Foundation for Visually Handicapped Children. They wanted to branch out beyond Fort Worth in search of other women to join the organization, but they discovered the charter was not adequate and did not have the powers to organize other chapters. Women in Construction of Fort Worth amended their charter to incorporate other chapters in Texas and throughout the nation. In doing so, on May 17, 1955, they became The National Association of Women in Construction.
Since its founding, NAWIC, an international non-profit organization, has grown to a membership of 5,500 women with more than 179 chapters. In its 51 years of service to its members, NAWIC has advanced the causes of all women in construction whose careers range from business ownership to the skilled trades. With almost 900,000 women working in construction today, the industry is becoming more accepting of their non-traditional roles. To learn more about the history of NAWIC, click here.
History of NAWIC Chapter # 19, San Francisco, CA
In 1958 an article appeared in the Daily Pacific Builder, our local construction newspaper, advising women who worked in the construction industry of the existence of the National Association of Women in Construction that had started a few years earlier in Fort Worth, Texas. One of the members of the Fort Worth Chapter, Irene Moats, had moved to the SF Bay Area and was interested in helping SF women start the first NAWIC chapter on the West Coast. Marie McDonald, an elevator contractor, read the article, contacted Irene and began to contact other women who might be interested in this effort. It took Marie and Helen McIntosh, a general contractor who knew many subs in the area, one year to bring together the 20 women required to start a Chapter.
Several members from the Fort Worth Chapter and the Dallas Chapter, including Martha Knowles, planned a trip to SF to attend the SF Chapter #19 chartering which was held in April 1959. Marie McDonald was the Charter President; Helen McIntosh was VP and became Chapter #19’s second President. Many of the employers in the construction industry supported the new Chapter and encouraged their women employees to participate.
Nine months after SF was chartered, the members who lived in the East Bay chartered a new Chapter, and the SF Chapter had to quickly recruit more members to bring their membership back up to the required 20.
As Chapter #19 grew, it became an important presence in the construction industry. It afforded contractors, sub-contractors, suppliers, architects and designers the ability to meet together on neutral grounds – that of employers of women working in the construction industry.
The SF Chapter initiated Round Table discussion meetings which were very successful.
Judges, attorneys, politicians, and other association officers were frequently found at Chapter #19 events. Bosses Night was initiated and was another very successful activity.
When Regions were established, Chapter #19 hosted one of the first forums – again a very successful event – held at what was then the Jack Tarr Hotel on Van Ness Ave.
During the years, Chapter #19 participated in various community service projects.
Renewal of the library at Laguna Honda Home was one of the activities that brought many contractors, subs, suppliers and NAWIC members together.
The SF Chapter of NAWIC has seen many of its members develop wonderful careers
within the construction industry. It has enriched the lives of many women in our area, as well as provided tools to help them grow and prosper. The members of Chapter #19 can be proud of their Chapter and its history.
|
