Isha Bright joined Allan Myers in June 2023 as a Tack Truck Driver in Chesapeake, Va. She was previously a CDL driver, and her goal was to get off the road and be home every day with her family. Allan Myers gave her that opportunity while teaching her about the tack truck. Along the way, she fell in love with the construction industry and the company.

Why did you want to go into the construction industry?
Honestly construction wasn’t my goal, getting off the road as an over-the-road driver was. I knew absolutely nothing about construction, paving or milling. Allan Myers took a chance on me. With the proper training, a crew that I love and opportunity for advancement, it’s an industry that I now see being the end all for me. It’s exciting, it’s a challenge and I can thrive. What more could I ask for?

What are you most proud of professionally?
I’m in a field that affects my life and everyone around me. This career plays a major part in our safety and our community’s safety when driving on the road. With that being said, I take much pride in making sure the role I play in paving, and sometimes milling, is done to the best of my ability every day that I work. 

What advice would you give other women wanting to go into construction?
Don’t be afraid to jump out there and do things that society thinks we shouldn’t be doing. This isn’t a ‘man’s’ world. I can’t speak for any other construction company but here at Allan Myers, it’s for everyone! 

In just the one year Patricia Davis has worked with Allan Myers, she has already advanced from Dispatch Assistant to Dispatch Manager in Fallston, Md.  

Patricia coordinates and schedules getting the trucks on the road between Maryland and Delaware to different projects and job sites. She juggles the drivers while getting the bigger equipment moved from one location to another.

“Our job is more than getting trucks on the road. We are doing big things and improving the quality of life daily for people driving on these roads,” Patricia said.

Why did you want to go into the construction industry?
I have been in the transportation industry since 2011 and was able to bring that experience into my role in dispatch. I love working on the truck management side of it. I love working with the drivers and with the people in this field. It has been really fulfilling. 

What are you most proud of professionally?
I’m most proud of being acknowledged and considered for the manager position. It was very humbling, and I really respect the company for working with people already here and helping me develop the skills I need.

What advice would you give other women wanting to go into construction?
Try it and give it some time. Change is always difficult especially if you are coming into a new industry but allow yourself to give it an honest try. Once you get here, it can be really rewarding.

Isabela Noury wanted to work for a construction company that held the same family values that she did. When she moved from Florida more than three years ago, she found that with Allan Myers.

Now she is a Project Engineer closing out the last of the I-66 Outside the Beltway project and will soon be at the IAD 350 data center project in Stafford County, Va. Daily she monitors the operations of the subcontractors, ensures consistent and safe production for all crews, and creates and executes project schedules.

Why did you want to go into the construction industry?
I grew up going to work with my dad and getting to ride the dozer and excavator. Seeing these big yellow monsters eat away at the dirt and change so much in one day was fascinating to me. It only made sense when going to college that I was going to study construction.

What are you most proud of professionally?
What I am most proud of professionally is the opportunity to say I love my job and I love what I do. Not a lot of people get to do what they’ve always wanted in life, and I am proud to say I do.

What advice would you give other women wanting to go into construction?
My advice for women wanting to be in construction is to keep going even if the going gets tough. You can you can push through and show your greatness!

Kelly Scott started her career at Allan Myers in 2005 after graduating from Clarkson University. Over the years, she gained field experience by working on various crews including survey, excavation, pipe, and concrete. Later she broadened her experience by working on heavy civil projects and made another transition into the Finance Department to focus on cost accounting and controls. She became the first Project Controls Manager in Pennsylvania when the role was introduced in 2017 and then promoted to Project Manager in 2023.

What are you most proud of professionally?
Professionally, I am most proud of all the areas within the company I have been able to experience. I have gained a lot of experience in many different roles, and I attribute that to where I am today. I am also very proud of myself for completing the 18-month Allan Myers Leadership Intensive program last December.

What projects are you working on now?
Currently, I am working on building a commercial site with a new Wawa. I am wrapping up a residential high-rise site in Pennsylvania and starting a new commercial job, which will include Giant, and other retailers.

How does it feel to be a woman in a leadership role in this company? Do you feel supported?
I feel very supported in my role here.  I am honored to be a part of our group of female leaders at the company.

What advice would you give other women wanting to go into construction?
I would tell them to go for it. Females in the industry have so much to offer and the opportunities are endless. We are just as tough, maybe tougher, than our male counterparts.

Dottie Lynch came to Allan Myers in 1992 with her CDL to be a driver. She always wanted to follow in the footsteps of many in her family who were also drivers. She became a driver in 1992 and has since experienced even more.

Currently, Dottie is working at the Mountain Materials location in Fallston, Md., as a Field Manager. She writes tickets for materials and scale weights for materials leaving the site. She also works with contractors on supplying materials to various job sites and projects.

What are you most proud of professionally?
When I started, I was a driver making deliveries to the jobs. It gave me the chance to get to know the ins and outs of the industry. I drove for five years and then I had the opportunity to move into the role of running small tools for two years.

Then I was asked to be a dispatcher, one of the greatest and scariest positions. I just wanted to do the best I could, and I did it for15 years.

What advice would you give other women wanting to go into construction?
Do not think you cannot do something. Challenge yourself and you can go far.

Joyce Olive never planned to go into the construction industry after earning a degree in business. But a friend advised her of an opportunity with Allan Myers that did not need previous construction experience. She was hired in Maryland as an escort and escorted unbadged construction personnel, including truck drivers and workers, through secured areas of a construction site. Joyce was responsible for getting construction traffic through various phases of the project.

Now 10 years later, she is working on the Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI) projects as the Security Coordinator and an Authorized Signer.

What are some of your current responsibilities?
I schedule gate access with airport security, making sure that everyone gets to various jobsites using secured gates. I also communicate with the air traffic controller to request permission for workers crossing taxiways, when needed.

What are you most proud of professionally?
I am most proud of being able to build ongoing relationships and to adapt positively to the different work environments at Allan Myers.

What advice would you give other women wanting to go into construction?
Build a strong knowledge base and technical skills. Networking and seeking mentorship, challenging gender stereotypes, and promoting diversity are key strategies to navigate and succeed in this traditionally male-dominated field. Confidence, commitment to safety, and a supportive network will further break barriers and making contributions to the construction industry.