Some people have preconceived notions about what it is like to work in stone. It is almost as though they expect every quarry, processing facility and building site to be staffed by only the burliest macho men around. The truth is: there are many kinds of jobs at Buechel that could be a fit for a man or a woman. But it’s also important to note that those physical jobs that require folks to get dusty and work up a sweat? Women are doing those, too.
We have seen phenomenal growth—not only in the number of women on our staff but also in the variety of positions they hold—since I began working at Buechel over ten years ago. At the time, I think I could have counted on one hand the number of women working in production. Today, we have many more women throughout the company— from handling the heavy machinery to taking on leadership roles. But we didn’t set some sort of quota or hire less qualified people to prove a point. We believed that if we were open to the possibility of women filling those positions, the right ones would show up and show us they were a fit. And they did.
Of course, physical work is only a part of the many tasks involved in sourcing and delivering the best stone for our customers. Much of the work benefits from an artistic eye—watching out for consistency of color and design throughout the process. We also value employees who excel at communication and organization, ensuring people have great experiences working with us, from considering designs through delivery and installation. These are skills on which men surely have no monopoly.
Plus, so many people are just waiting to surprise you by showing off talents you might not assume they have. One of my favorite memories is the day that I got in one of our biggest loaders and worked production. I may have gotten some surprised looks from colleagues, but the team cheered me for taking a chance.
That’s one of the reasons why we were so glad to take the time recently to have a photographer visit and take pictures of employees that some people might be surprised to see behind the scenes at our company— in roles from the manual to the managerial. Mindy Richards has been with us through multiple promotions—never held back by the fact that some of the contractors and masons with whom she interacts may consider what they do “men’s work.” Kim Meredith regularly shows the Buechel team that she can talk to anyone in our industry—not only making the sales but also making lasting connections. There’s Stephanie Brocker, who makes sure our workflow is optimized and ensures quality throughout our production area. And then there are people like Erika Ortega, who tells us she loves that her job is physical and gives her the chance to move and dance throughout the day. And she sure can rock a construction helmet.
One of the reasons success has been achievable for women at Buechel is the mindset of our owners, who have been opening the doors of opportunity for decades. They shaped an environment where women’s opinions are heard and respected, where no woman in leadership sits back and waits for a man to second-guess her decision. And, yes, in some cases it meant trusting some of the people in these pictures to regularly heft loads of 30 to 40 pounds to get their jobs done.
It’s funny that people can be pretty quick to understand how a woman can “build a home” in traditional ways, like cooking meals and raising children. But because of old attitudes, it doesn’t occur to them that many women may have been involved in the literal crafting of their homes. So the next time you find yourself stopping to admire some beautiful stonework as you pass a home, don’t make any assumptions about the kind of people who helped put it there. Some of them could be very much like you.
April Dowland (right) is the COO of Buechel Stone.
