PBN BUSINESS WOMEN AWARDS 2020 WOMAN TO WATCH, TECHNICAL SERVICES: Jessica Spivey | Shawmut Design and Construction
IN HIGH SCHOOL, Jessica Spivey was bitten by the architecture bug after taking a computer-assisted design class.
After earning her architectural engineering degree from Boston’s Wentworth Institute of Technology, Spivey realized being indoors wasn’t for her.
“I started down the path of architecture and later realized I did not want to be limited to an office environment each day,” Spivey said.
Spivey, after completing her construction degree from Roger Williams University, joined Shawmut Design and Construction in 2008 and was placed into the company’s three-year construction-management skills training program. It enables trainees to gain firsthand knowledge through hands-on rotations in project management, site supervision and estimating while on the job.
Now a senior superintendent serving as a full-time site supervisor working alongside project managers and engineers, Spivey knows she made the right choice.
“Our people deliver the most complex projects for the world’s most elite brands and institutions,” Spivey said. “Everyone here takes pride in being part of a talent-driven and leading-edge organization focused on delivering excellent client service.”
Currently, Spivey is overseeing the construction of Brown University’s new 96,000-square-foot wellness center and residence hall, which will bring physical health services, mental and emotional health services, and wellness education and programming under one roof.
Spivey, part of Shawmut’s Diversity Leadership Council, trains both senior leadership and employees on various diversity and inclusion topics, as well as drives the firm’s diversity and inclusion strategy and efforts nationwide.
Shawmut Senior Regional Director Chris Maury said while Spivey’s capabilities on project sites are unmatched, it’s what she does off-site that showcases her as an emerging leader in the industry, particularly through her work on the diversity council.
“Her commitment to mentoring women doesn’t end at Shawmut’s council though,” Maury said. “In fact, Jessica has been part of Shawmut’s Women in Construction Week committee – helping to form a yearly program that brings together hundreds of women across the company for informational sessions, trainings and networking events.”
Spivey’s desire to give back also extends to the training program she benefitted from. As regional mentor leader of the Construction Management Skills Training program, she uses energy and passion to mentor Shawmut’s future professionals, particularly women.
