Becky Bell

Project Manager

Power & Industrial Division
Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina
Years in the Industry: 37

Becky Bell, Project Manager, considers herself a pioneer in the construction industry and it’s easy to see why. “I didn’t want to take home economics in high school so I studied drafting for four years. My dad was a chemical engineer and I always wanted to be an engineer.”

However, Becky realized college wasn’t for her so at age 18, she dropped out and started working as a draftsman.

“I was the only woman working in the engineering office in a technical role. When I started working in the field there was no ladies room in the field. I would go to the men’s room and leave my hardhat outside the door so nobody would walk in on me.”

“I probably didn’t see women come into the field to work until the early 1990’s. When I went to work there were virtually no women in a non-secretarial role.”

Throughout her 37 year career, Becky broke barriers. “Starting out it was hard to earn the respect of clients since I was a girl and a kid.” But things changed the longer she stayed in the construction industry. “I have people who gave me a chance to prove what I could do.”

During her stint at a paper mill, she was the first woman Maintenance Supervisor ever hired in a union facility.  Since then, she’s worked on numerous assignments helping startups but credits her best work to team building among the workers to give everyone input in completing a project.

At Robins & Morton, Becky was brought onboard to work with ceramics and paper clients. “I’m working to grow the group and make sure everybody has an equal voice.”

Becky says she never imagined she’d be where she is today…”I’ve worked hard to be here and I’m pretty pleased that I got here with just a high school education.”