CEO and interior designer at Summit Wood Creations

Reyna Badillo’s appreciation for interior design and furnishings began early in her life with a very special gift.

“When I was a little girl, my grandmother bestowed upon me a handmade dresser with a mirror that belonged to my mother. It was a piece of rustic furniture that had been with my family for four generations. It was indeed a priceless gift, and I loved it! I knew it would always have a special place in my heart. And, so it began my love affair with furniture and architectural woodwork,” she said.

Summit Wood Creations started as one of Portland’s first rustic furniture manufacturers with a showroom in the Sellwood area. It has since evolved into a commercial construction company that provides custom wood furniture, casework and millwork for commercial and residential owners, primes, architects and interior designers throughout the Pacific Northwest.

A member of the Professional Business Development Group, Badillo graduated from the Port of Portland’s Small Business Mentor-Protégé Program in 2020. She has completed projects for Nike, TCore PDX and Meyer Memorial Trust.

Vicqui Guevara, PBDG board member and president of Valley Growers Nursery & Landscape, is a mentor for Badillo and helped her learn various facets of business operations. She noted that Badillo has worn many hats during her 20 years in the construction industry.

“She has taken steps to grow slowly and has demonstrated her capability and capacity to manage and perform bigger projects for successful commercial and public works over $1 million annually,” Guevara said.

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Associate at Soderstrom Architects

Meagan Baker has an integral role in some of Soderstrom’s largest education projects, including the new Meadow Ridge Elementary School for Greater Albany Public Schools, and the expansion and renovation at St. Helens High School.

Her portfolio also includes projects for the Woodburn School District, Portland Public Schools and McMinnville School District. In 2018, she was promoted to associate in recognition of her leadership skills and outstanding contributions.

“Meagan has done everything from a small health center renovation in an existing high school to an entirely new elementary school from the ground up, and she has excelled in every role,” said President Marlene Gillis. “Currently running the entire team for the high school addition and renovation for St. Helens, her organization and communication skills really shine.

“She does an amazing job keeping the client informed and updated, as well as supporting our up-and-coming staff with mentoring and guidance. She shares her knowledge generously,” Gillis stated.

Baker’s community service includes Architects in Schools, Rebuilding Together and Growing Gardens. She has done job shadows with high school students interested in architecture. She has also supported the firm’s efforts with the Sabin-Schellenberg Center’s architecture program, volunteering as a guest judge for student critiques.

As a member of Soderstrom’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, Baker has spearheaded several initiatives to engage employees and provide professional education and mentoring. In addition, she has organized “ladies lunches” for women in the office to have a safe space for mentoring and support.

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Preconstruction executive and co-leader at Truebeck Construction

During more than a decade with Truebeck Construction, Betsy Bice has become an integral leader in its executive team. Her strong estimating and preconstruction skill set have helped the firm win large-scale projects with clients across the corporate, education, interiors, health care and life science markets.

Bice has been instrumental in growing the business and helping with expansion efforts, including leading the opening of its Portland office. She said the most rewarding aspect of her work is the people with whom she collaborates.

“Different people from various backgrounds with unique ideas all coming together to solve problems means every day I’m learning something new. My team and trade partners are all remarkably talented and they make the work exciting and memorable,” she said. “I’m fortunate to return home to Portland, the place where I grew up. I’m so proud of this city and excited to help shape and continue to positively impact its growth.”

Bice shares her knowledge and expertise with a hands-on approach. She has served as a panelist within AEC industry events, as well as being an integral team member at Truebeck, where she is a seasoned mentor that interns, project engineers, project managers and executives can turn to as a resource or for advice.

“Mentoring youth through different community organizations is important to me because there are so many career paths within construction. Whether you love engineering, science, math or working with your hands, there is an opportunity for everyone,” she said.

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Founder and president of Friends of Frog Ferry

Susan Bladholm is a transportation enthusiast who learned to work with multiple jurisdictions as a co-founder and first executive director of Cycle Oregon. She has staffed five governors, served the Oregon Economic Development Department for 10 years, and spent a decade as the Port of Portland’s director of corporate marketing. She also served as the senior director of marketing and strategy for a global aviation services company.

Her latest venture is Frog Ferry, a public passenger ferry service under development for the Willamette River. The nonprofit Friends of Frog Ferry’s mission is to create a safe and sustainable ferry service to better connect people to the river and help alleviate traffic congestion in the Portland-Vancouver metro area.

In addition, Frog Ferry is intended to build resiliency and emergency response, enhance community livability, provide a low-cost means of connecting marginalized populations with jobs and services and educate people about river habitats and more than 300 years of the history of Indigenous people.
Bladholm said a two-year ferry operation pilot project will begin in the summer and fall of 2022 and continue through fall 2024. The 25-minute, 6.5-nautical-mile project is taking place between the Cathedral Park and RiverPlace docks. The intention is to build a seven-vessel, nine-stop ferry service by 2032.

“Her leadership has harnessed a board of impressive leadership that has helped secure hundreds of thousands of dollars for research and design of the project that is now launching pilot docks,” said Alisa Pyszka, president of Bridge Economic Development.

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Marketing manager at Otak Inc.

When Tanya Boyer joined Otak in 2018, she brought more than 20 years of experience developing and managing marketing and communications programs and driving strategic initiatives for AEC firms in the Pacific Northwest. She realized that winning more project work for Otak would require a standardized, firmwide approach.

During her tenure, Boyer has overseen the development and implementation of WinMap, a detailed approach to marketing and business development, in the Portland and Vancouver offices. Firm leaders also credit Boyer with being nimble in adapting the marketing department to ever-changing conditions caused by COVID-19. One was the lack of industry networking events, particularly for smaller subconsultants that have limited visibility to partner with larger companies due to the pandemic.

Boyer spearheaded a virtual subconsultant event with companies that identify as minority- and women-owned and small businesses. While it was a networking event for the subcontractors, it also was beneficial for Otak department leaders to hear a more complete picture of the obstacles these smaller firms encounter.

Millicent Williams, Otak’s regional director for Oregon and Southwest Washington, said this about Boyer’s leadership: “Tanya is a tremendous asset to Otak and the enthusiasm she has about her work ripples throughout the organization. Her solutions orientation causes people to think methodically and strategically about how to foster strong relationships that will support our future growth and success.

“I am very fortunate to have her as a colleague, and Otak is fortunate to have her as a member of the team,” she added.

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Statewide tolling manager at the Oregon Department of Transportation

Lucinda Broussard is working in collaboration with consultants and within ODOT to develop a statewide tolling system in Oregon. She has established and implemented an Equity and Mobility Advisory Committee made up of 15 community members and stakeholders with lived or work experience in equity.

She also has established and implemented a Transit Multi-Modal Committee made up of more than 15 members who are transit operators and other mobility advocates and talk about opportunities for transit where there is a toll road.

“These committees are critical to the establishment of the statewide tolling program. She is blazing new trails with this approach to setting up a statewide program for ODOT,” said colleague Shelli Romero.

Despite joining ODOT just before the pandemic, Broussard’s ability to establish the two committees are examples of how she worked to actively and intentionally engage the community in conversations regarding the statewide tolling program. The committees will focus on how tolls can impact economically disadvantaged people, transit users, racially diverse communities, people with disabilities and others.

Broussard previously developed and implemented a statewide tolling program in Washington. She also has contributed to the transportation systems in Georgia, Texas, California, New Jersey, Florida and Washington, D.C.

“She has applied an equity and mobility lens to this work that is important in how we consider policy implications to program development and implementation. Despite the fact that transportation has traditionally been a white male-dominated field, Lucinda has been a trailblazer in the industry,” Romero said.

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Surety account manager at Anchor Insurance & Surety Inc.

Gloria Bruning has underwritten and issued thousands of contract bonds over the course of her 30-year career. She’s been a stalwart of the local/regional surety community, helping hundreds of commercial and civil contractors achieve success.

“There’s always something new to learn in surety it seems. I especially enjoy day-to-day interaction with customers, underwriters and co-workers,” she said. “My family will tell you I cannot drive by a construction site without looking to see who’s project it is and wondering if maybe I’ve been involved in the bond process. I’ve had many memorable bosses along the way and developed lifelong friendships that I will forever treasure.”

Bruning recently celebrated her 25th anniversary with the National Association of Women in Construction, and has served the Portland chapter’s board in all officer positions. She also is a longtime member of the Surety Association of Oregon.

“Gloria is a passionate advocate of the construction industry. She has been a champion of younger women seeking careers in the insurance and bonding profession, taking time to pass on an often-overlooked but necessary skill set,” said her colleague, Drew Roddan.

Bruning noted she would not have succeeded without the benefit of mentorship.

“My early days in the industry were spent learning the business of surety under the guidance of a couple ladies who had been in the business many years. As I near the last few years of my career, I’ve discovered it is rewarding to share my knowledge and experiences with newer employees.”

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Area sales manager at Boral Stone Division

Maddie Carde’s success at Boral Stone Division is evidenced by her inclusion in Boral’s President’s Club and, most recently, her award as Boral’s 2020 Top Performer.

As part of her work, she often presents continuing education programs such as a January 2020 session hosted by the American Institute of Architects’ Eugene chapter on design guidelines for sustainable manufactured stone veneer buildings.

“I have attended multiple continuing education programs led by Maddie, and I can attest to her extensive knowledge, expertise and passion for the products and companies she represents,” said Triple Play Studio’s John Maternoski. “Further, I have worked with Maddie in my role as an architect where she has been one of the most enthusiastic reps I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with.”

Cherise Lakeside has been a specifications writer for architectural firms for more than 30 years and said she appreciates Carde’s candor and honesty.
“She knows how to balance the need to make a sale with the value of long-term relationships.”

Carde serves on the board of the Construction Specifications Institute’s Portland chapter, co-chairs its Emerging Professionals Committee and is on its Programs Committee. Through these roles, she has been involved with, or led, countless programs for the community.

These have included diversity and inclusion events, community garbage cleanups, tours and virtual tours, member appreciation gatherings and career advancement events. Carde is currently leading the charge for a new Portland CSI quarterly lecture series, kicking off later this fall.

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Senior project manager for David Evans and Associates (DEA) Inc.

With 27 years of experience in the industry, Suzanne Carey’s accomplishments and exceptional project delivery skills have been recognized within David Evans and Associates through her selection as a senior associate and officer of the firm.

She also was named a group leader and member of the Design Studio Leadership Team for DEA’s Land Development Business Unit, and selected as a project manager for some of the most significant transportation efforts in Oregon.

Among them, when Multnomah County chose DEA as its owner’s representative for the Earthquake Ready Burnside Bridge project, the firm designated Carey as deputy project manager to help the county select the design team and contractors. With completion slated by 2029, the project is designed to strengthen the bridge to withstand seismic events and serve first responders.

“When projects are in construction, Suzanne strives to create success for women and minority contractors through mentoring and on-the-job training on processes, forms and other project requirements when working on large public projects,” said colleague Valerie Evans. “Whatever the ‘hurdle,’ Suzanne has the energy and vision to help people and teams achieve resolution and success.”

Carey’s volunteer work includes the Oregon Food Bank, Portland Parks & Recreation annual clean-ups and, most recently, at COVID-19 vaccination sites. She also volunteered at several senior centers, providing horticulture activities with residents. Project manager for the Sellwood Bridge Replacement Project, Carey brought that project into third-grade classrooms to introduce children to the world of design and engineering.

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Director of marketing and business development at Lorentz Bruun Construction

Angie Cole’s colleagues agree that she has racked up an impressive roster of accomplishments during her three years with Lorentz Bruun Construction. Among them, she led a brand update that included a new website and marketing materials, and updated proposal templates that helped increase the company’s project win rate from 38 percent to 74 percent. She also has played an integral role in promoting the firm’s 75th anniversary this year.

As LBC established its Coronavirus Task Force, Cole initiated a system that required a social distancing officer on each of its jobsites, among other safety measures. Her strategy and implementation were recognized with a 91��Ƶ Hard Hat Safety Award and a 2020 Society for Marketing Professional Services Marketing Excellence Award.

Since moving to Oregon in 2014, Cole has been actively involved with SMPS’s Oregon chapter on several levels, including serving as its president in 2020 and overseeing the creation of the national organization’s first Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion committee.

Cole values the lessons and knowledge that have been shared with her from industry peers, and passes along what she has learned through her work as a member of the SMPS Mentorship Committee and the ACE Mentor Program of Oregon’s Board of Directors.

“Angie says that when her career is all said and done, she believes that she will be able to point to the successful careers of those she’s mentored as being her greatest achievements,” said Brandon Gammie, a colleague on LBC’s marketing team.

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