Elizabeth Bigler, a project engineer at McCarthy Building Companies, Inc., was recently awarded TEXO’s (The Construction Industry Association) 2016 Magnolia Award. The Magnolia Award annually recognizes outstanding women in construction who demonstrate excellence in job performance, commitment to education, and demonstrate leadership in promoting a positive image for the construction industry. Recipients of the Magnolia Award act as role models for both the industry and their local community.
“Elizabeth is the epitome of what our industry needs in our female leaders – someone who is willing to jump into the industry and help push it forward in all areas,” said TEXO President and CEO Meloni McDaniel.
Bigler said she has always been interested in buildings and the way they come together but didn’t realize a degree in construction was an option until a few years into architecture school. After completing her architecture degree, she decided to pursue a Masters in Construction Management to ensure a career in the construction field.
Bigler began her career at McCarthy in 2015. Her first project was the UT Dallas Campus Enhancement and she is currently working as a project engineer at Children’s Health Plano’s Specialty Center II. In just a short time, Bigler has become a tremendous representative of McCarthy for her professional leadership.
“It is an honor to receive such a significant award that recognizes women in the construction industry,” said Bigler. “I am still in the beginning stages of my career but I love inspiring other women through speaking to Women in Engineering and Women in Construction student groups. Just because construction is a male dominated field does not mean there isn’t a place for women to contribute and to establish a great career.”
In addition to participating in TEXO’s Technology and Women’s Committees and the Young Constructors Council, Bigler is also active in McCarthy’s Heart Hats community involvement program that supports the mission of the American Heart Association through various programs throughout the year as well as community-based organizations such as Mi Escuelita and Thirst No More.
“We are proud of Elizabeth winning the Magnolia Award and the awesome career that she is building at McCarthy,” said Ray Sedey, McCarthy’s Texas region president. “Elizabeth is setting the pace for her peers and elevates the people around her; her talent is an asset to our teams and we’re pleased she has received such esteemed recognition in the community.”
Bigler graduated from The University of Texas at Arlington with a Bachelor of Science degree in architecture. She continued her education at Texas A&M University receiving a Master of Science degree in construction management. Bigler has also been acknowledged with other prestigious awards, such as the Betty & Grady Stripling ’60 Endowed Scholarship at A&M University, Honorable Mention for the Shelter International Student Architectural Design Competition in Tokyo, Japan, and the Leadership Award for Who’s Who among Students at UT Arlington.
About McCarthy
McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. is the oldest privately held national construction company in the country – with more than 150 years spent collaborating with partners to solve complex building challenges on behalf of its clients. With an unrelenting focus on safety and a comprehensive quality program that span all phases of every project, McCarthy utilizes industry-leading design phase and construction techniques combined with value-add technology to maximize outcomes. Repeatedly honored as a Best Place to Work and Healthiest Employer, McCarthy is ranked the 16th largest domestic general contractor (Engineering News-Record, May 2016). With approximately 1,700 salaried employees and offices in Dallas, Houston; St. Louis, Atlanta; Collinsville, Ill.; Portage, Ind.; Kansas City, Kan.; Phoenix; Las Vegas; Denver; Albuquerque; and San Diego, Newport Beach, San Francisco, San Jose and Sacramento, Calif. McCarthy is 100 percent employee owned. More information about the company is available online at www.mccarthy.com or by following the company on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Google+.
