Heather Compton

I really attribute my success to listening and learning, while trying to understand the people around me. I try to listen more than I speak, and I try to ensure everybody's on the same page before we move forward. I believe that if you respect those around you, it goes a long way - when people want to talk about something, listen and be present. Early in my career, I had mentors who taught me important lessons that shaped how I work. One taught me that if there's a problem, always present a solution. Another mentor, taught me to trust but verify. And my favorite mentor taught me never to assume and always ask questions. The advise from these mentors has stuck with me throughout my career.

Everyone puts their pants on the same way, one leg at a time - so never be scared in a room, ask questions, take the lead if no one else will, and always stay humble and a team player.

My advice to young women entering construction is that you don't have to be the smartest person in the room. Do a lot of listening and learning, and ask questions. Believe it or not, a lot of people out there are willing to help you and show you things. At the end of the day, just always remember it's a team effort. You may get rubbed the wrong way once or twice by some people who see you as a woman first, but let those one or twosies go. There are many more people who are willing to help you and want to see you succeed. Focus on those relationships and don't let a few negative experiences discourage you from this rewarding career.

One of the biggest challenges I see in construction right now is the workforce gap. We're dealing with a situation where the skilled tradespeople who had all that experience are aging out and retiring, and then there's this gap in the middle where you're like, where did everybody go? We have a lot of younger people, thank goodness, who are going into the trades and starting to learn, but we really struggle with that gap. As general contractors and project managers, we have to know a lot more than we previously did because the experts we hire as subcontract trades don't always have the best of the best with the latest understanding and knowledge. But this challenge also presents a huge opportunity. Organizations like GCBX- Gulf Coast Builders Exchange are doing great work partnering with high schools and hosting events where high school seniors can come talk to these trades about trade school and apprenticeship programs.

In my work life, I value being a big team player and making sure that we finish what we start. I've won internal awards for exhibiting our company's core values and philosophies, and I'm passionate about creating positive culture - that's why I started the Bandes Culture Crew to break down the wall between the field and the office and make sure everybody feels connected. I also created the Innovation and Technology team to stay on top of our tech industry and create efficiency for our office and field. Safety is also incredibly important to me - I've co-chaired safety committees and help to make sure everyone goes home safe every day. I believe in listening more than speaking, understanding the people around me, and building respect through collaboration.

In my personal life, family is everything. Outside of work, I enjoy boating, gardening and being crafty, whether is crocheting, painting, or a new home DIY. Both of my girls keep me busy with competition dance and cross-country, as well as my son who plays both fall and spring football, which means I'm at practices 4 days a week and games every single weekend, not to mention the out of town competitions. We do have a pretty busy schedule with all of these things, but this is what matters most to me.