Her Story
About Mercedes
I'm originally from California, where my family came from my great-great-grandparents to create a better life. About 20 years ago, I moved to upstate New York to get my education. I have my paralegal degree and bachelor's in business with a minor in psychology. I started working as a paralegal for a couple attorneys, but realized I was too much of a people person and cared too much - I didn't agree with how things were handled in the background. I then moved into real estate, working as an apartment manager for HUD Housing managing about 300 apartments. In roughly 2014, I moved to Florida to get out of the cold and started as a leasing agent. I applied to a job site assistant position in the paper, and that's where my construction background started in Jacksonville. I'd never done construction in my life - I'd always done admin roles, HR, real estate. I got an opportunity to do party patios at the Jags Stadium, and that's when I really got familiar with construction. I did multiple jobs - hospitals, Jaguar Stadium, garages - traveling around Florida with the same company for about 8-9 years. I worked my way up from admin to assistant project engineer, then assistant project manager, then project manager. I was helping build a hotel at Universal when I responded to an ad and came to Columbus about 4-5 years ago to change from project management to field engineer. That's where I really got my experience in-field actually building. After about a year, I became a quality manager for a large LG project that was about 2.2 million square feet, where I learned to cross-trade in CSA - Civil Structural and Architectural Mechanical. I did that for about two and a half years. Then I came to where I'm at now, working on data centers at Google hubs, building micro-kitchens for those data centers. My main area of expertise is concrete - as much as everybody hates it, I love it. But as a project superintendent, I'm cross-trained in every aspect of the builds. Day to day, I manage operations, coordinate trade partners, quality control and safety. I wear many hats. I'm out in the field with the trades, taking notes, reviewing plans, doing quality checks, coordinating with teams and bringing everybody together. I also have my construction management degree, associates, and would like to get my civil degree if I can afford it. I'm a member of the Columbus chapter for NAWIC - National Association for Women in Construction - for about 4 years. What took most individuals 20-30 years to achieve, it took me 10-12 years, and that's one of my biggest accomplishments. It proves that you can put your mind to anything and make anything happen for yourself, no matter what anyone says. I plan on becoming a general superintendent in the next 5 years.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Mercedes
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my family. If I really had time to get into the deep about everything that we sacrificed to get me here, you would be amazed. So, to sum it up, it's my family - by my side, my inspiration, my backup, my support, everything from the beginning. That's who I owe a big thanks to - my husband and my two kids. My family's been my biggest supporter, and it means a lot. They've been there through all the struggles and pressure that come with being a woman in construction, helping me push through and making sure I don't go anywhere. I'm here to stay, and I couldn't have done it without them.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I ever received was from my male superintendent, Mike Roach, who was very military and very by the books. Besides my husband, I have to give him credit. One day when I didn't know how to read drawings - I was a secretary, I was admin, I knew paperwork - he looked at me and said, look at those drawings. He told me he was gonna teach me how to read drawings, and don't let anyone tell you that you need anything special, as long as you understand that. He told me he can't wait till I become a superintendent, and do not let anything at all ever stop me from progressing to that point. I know it's not all deep and stuff, and it makes me want to cry, but at that very moment when you're at that why and you're like, I don't know which direction to go, and you have someone like that that isn't family, that doesn't know you, encourage you so much and tell you no matter what, keep going - and then I'm here talking to you. That memory and that right there means so much, and I have so much respect for him. There was a lot against me. I did not know construction, I was green, I didn't know anything, and he took that moment and those times over 3 years working on the same project and helped me better myself. That right there, that moment - don't let anybody stop you. Ever. That's it. And I haven't.
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