Influential Businesswoman Awards 2024, Acquisition International | 57 Company: Curam Construction Concepts LLC Name: Julia Bennett Email: [email protected] Address:360 West 31st Street 6th Floor New York, NY 10001 Telephone:212-213-6217 Most Influential Construction Businesswoman 2024 (NYC): Julia Bennett Curam Construction Concepts is a family company through and through, with over 50 years of experience in cultivating a strong, resilient, and robust reputation. Julia has worked alongside her father, N. Patrick Bennett since 2005, and endeavoured to grow the company name in turn, from strength to strength. As owner, Julia oversees all aspects of the business, including its diverse range of clients, from private residentials, to building management firms and direct landlord buildouts for commercial building owners. Patrick helped build Curam Construction Concepts’ reputation, as Julia begins by explaining. “Patrick’s insight into interesting projects and collaborating on difficult projects with engineers and architects brought him a lot of respect from the design professionals that he worked with.” This respect has been nurtured by Julia to help stabilise Curam Construction Concepts during particularly tumultuous storms, not least the 2008 financial crisis and, more recently, COVID-19. “They were particularly trying for all businesses, but the construction industry was drastically impacted, our ability to navigate those trails and remain true to our efforts of reliability and ethics is my personal biggest achievement.” But let’s go back to that one crucial fact: that women still make up a tiny percentage of the greater construction market. Julia is keen to emphasise that she has witnessed a dramatic shift over the last two decades. Times are changing. “I have seen more and more women within the industry during my time here. It began with the design aspect in the integration of more women involved in project management and engineering/architecture. Now we see more women within the bootson-the-ground trades.” This change is now gaining momentum across the entire sector, with many businesses realising that diversity can be a crucial differentiator between them and their competitors. “I believe the industry as a whole has changed considerably so for many different clients. They embrace the opportunity to work with women; it changed the dynamics of what can be a brash and aggressive industry. I believe that maintaining a level personality and openness to interact with all stages and levels of trades and personnel with respect and a positive attitude has served me very well in the industry.” Diversity and embracing change are the pillars of the future of Curam Construction Concepts, with Julia eager to pursue new projects to expand the company’s portfolio. Like her father, Julia has embraced the concept of mutual respect in the pursuit of solidifying an already burgeoning reputation, as she concludes. “I like to approach projects that are new and interesting, to work with clients such as schools and LGBTQ+ organisations to provide them with support and a personal advocate for their organisations’ construction needs while honouring their mission statements.” It’s no secret that the construction industry is heavily dominated by men. But, the tides are turning, with the gender balance moving closer towards equilibrium – though, admittedly, that is some time off yet. Julia Bennett, owner of Curam Construction Concepts LLC, is one such woman who is looking to break the mold and pave the way for others to follow in her footsteps.
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