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March 9, 2023
Black Women in Construction and the Booming Texas Construction Industry
“Some clients and vendors would often ask me to consult my husband, or they would request to speak to my male counterpart,” Tracy Green said, “I would politely offer to help with their request and tell them that if I was unable to do so we could cons...
“Some clients and vendors would often ask me to consult my husband, or they would request to speak to my male counterpart,” Tracy Green said, “I would politely offer to help with their request and tell them that if I was unable to do so we could consult my male counterpart.” Tracy is the President of TinMan Enterprises, a company that puts up fencing, does metal fabrication and welding repair, and is part of the larger male-dominated construction industry. Gender and minority discrimination are still rampant within the construction industry. Today, Tracy joins host D-Rich to talk about Black women in construction. Later, they are joined by Demetria Bivens of NAMC-DFW who shares her insight into the booming Texas construction industry and the incredible earning potentials available.
The construction industry is heavily male-dominated and there is still a lot of stigma around trade workers. However, there is a really good amount of money to be made in the trade and an experienced journeyman typically earns 60-80,000 a year. Texas has a booming construction industry and actually has some minority hiring initiatives that can be beneficial to take advantage of. There are many job opportunities within construction that do not require you to be out in the field. Women who do not wish to be in the field may thrive working as an appraiser, an administrator, or as a salesperson.
One way to get involved if you are interested in learning more about the construction industry is to seek out your local chapter of the NAMC, which is the National Association of Minority Contractors. There are 23 chapters nationwide, including the one Demetria works with in Dallas Fort Worth, and every minority is represented and welcomed.
Quotes
• “A lot of the municipalities have gone back and actually performed disparity studies that allow them to do preference or race-based initiatives.” (55:05-55:17 | Tracy)
• “Most times my minority status outweighs the women owned status because the women own businesses, if you look historically, they have grown and they have been able to get a larger percentage of the work, whereas minority owned firms are still getting single digits.” (55:41-56:00 | Tracy)
• “Being a black contractor, not all black contractors are supporting other black contractors.” (1:16:25-1:16:29 | Demetria)
• “If you want to get into this industry, it's wide open. Just be fearless and just go out there and just do it.” (1:27:08-1:27:15 | Demetria)
Connect with Tracy Green:
- Website: https://tin-man.net/about-our-president/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracy-green-813ab75/
Connect with Demetria Bivens:
- Website: https://consultantsdlb.com/services/
- Website: http://www.namcdfw.org/leadership.html
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Demetria Bivens
CEO
Demetria projects a level of entrepreneurial leadership that’s hard to find. With over 20+ years actively contributing to the development of some of the most respected architectural, engineering and construction businesses in Texas, she is deeply focused on helping companies realize and obtain their maximum potential. A multi-tiered strategy of market research, enhanced public image, increased market exposure and tactical marketing plan implementation gives her methodology standout appeal. With a concentration in proven systems that enhance MBE/WBE/DBE participation in programming, her belief is that diversity should be more than the heart of every project – it should be the backbone. Demetria graduated from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, where she excelled in their comprehensive Minority Executive and Advance program. Since then, she has gone on to expand her community involvement and membership in various organizations. A snapshot of her associations includes being the founder and board member of the National Association of Minority Contractors – DFW chapter, TxDOT Leadership Committee, DFW Minority Supplier Development Council and many more. She also carries an impressive list of certifications: NCTRCA, DBE, MBE, SBE and HUB, to name a few. Dynamic environments are Demetria’s forte – ask her, and she’ll tell you she’s never met a challenge she couldn’t overcome through polished communication and strategic thinking. Key Market: Dallas-Fort Worth
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