Reshaping the Construction Industry

Construction is an industry that has traditionally been dominated by men.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, women hold only 11% of construction jobs. While that is up from 2016, it is still only one woman for every 100 men in the field. With those staggering statistics, Dorene C. Dominguez, chairwoman and CEO of Vanir, decided to change the game.

She built a diverse workforce in her own company. “I’m incredibly proud that almost 60% of employees at Vanir are women and minorities and over 50% of my leadership team is diverse,” said Dominguez.

“Anyone who wants to grow their business must understand that diversity is key.”

“At Vanir, we want to hire the best and brightest and we have seen that diversity is part of the success component,” said Esmeralda Peña, Vanir executive vice president of human resources. A 2022 study from McKinsey & Company showed that gender diverse workplaces are 25% more likely to have higher than average profits. “We recently sponsored the annual conference for the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, and the talent in that room was off the charts!” Peña added.

Dominguez and her team also see the importance in reaching out to young women for construction jobs who often think of construction as only a “hands-on” job.

“We are changing the narrative and highlighting that this industry also requires critical skills like problem solving and relationship building,” said Avygail Sanchez, urban planner and Vanir’s EVP of sales and government relations. “Greater representation of women at all levels in construction will help feed the pipeline for the next generation and show young women that this is not just a job but a career,” she added.

Dominguez watched her father, H. Frank Dominguez, build a multimillion-dollar company while enhancing the community and championing diversity.

In 2024, Dominguez marks 20 years as Vanir’s head, which also turns 60 years old and features $29.3 billion in construction value, 700-plus clients and 22 offices nationwide. “Our journey has been intentional, focused and purpose driven, and I am proud to continue the legacy and vision that my father started back in 1964,” she said.

Dominguez also mentors young people, funding the Notre Dame Experience and having founded The Dominguez Dream, a nonprofit that creates and funds elementary school STEAM programs.

“I believe that our youth need to be exposed to the possibilities in STEAM and business,” she said. “They need to see people who look like them in roles that they may not have originally considered.”