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Marilyn Grabowski successfully grew a multimillion-dollar, woman-owned and -run business in the once-unfamiliar, male-dominated industry of construction.

In fact, Atlantic Infra in Wall Township has grown more than two and a half times over the last five years, to become a more than $30 million company.

But now, after a recent reduction in her workforce by more than half, Grabowski is refocusing the innovative pothole repair and paving company to prepare for even more rapid growth.

“We’ll see growth from the onset, as this refocus will allow us to become a stronger union contractor,” Grabowski, president of Atlantic Infra, said. “We should be able to not only march, but run forward.”

Grabowski spent her entire career preparing herself for such entrepreneurial challenges.

After working for more than 15 years in pharmaceutical sales and training on medical devices, Grabowski was affected by a companywide layoff in 2000.

“I had just given birth to my second child and was working a reduced schedule,” she said.

Undeterred and ready to get her boots back on the ground, Grabowski said she was inspired by her grandmother, Florence DeRosa, who had started her own contracting firm to build residences in Bergen County at age 40.

Then Grabowski met her husband, Tom Grabowski, who was working for a construction company.

“And, when I saw they had no marketing strategy, I saw opportunity in marketing the infrared technology,” she said. “(My) job (had been) to manage territories as though it were our own business, so I already knew how to be an entrepreneur.”

Grabowski had the business, marketing and sales skills necessary to make this happen, a STEM degree from Franklin & Marshall College in chemistry — and $100,000 in severance pay.

So, she purchased the first piece of equipment and started Atlantic InfraRed from a walk-in closet in 2002.

No job was too small and no town was too far, Grabowski said, as she focused on building relationships and opportunities.

“I went out three days a week to rally up customers, including engineers interested in infrared technology,” she said. “Plus, I made a major play at the New Jersey League of Municipalities to get close to decision makers, who would then request that utilities use the technology so that their roads would look better and last longer.”

Her strategy worked. Grabowski grew the business into three separate entities, moved them all into a trailer in 2012, and moved again to its current space in Wall Township in 2016 before joining the union.

“It (has always been) about educating people on why they would prefer the method that we use, (because) when they believe in it, they utilize it,” she said.

Atlantic Infra continues to work with a majority of the major utilities and municipalities in the state.

“They both want to leave the asphalt in better condition than when they started repairs,” Grabowski said.

Since 2002, Atlantic InfraRed has used infrared technology to provide a quicker, permanent and seamless solution for potholes that takes less labor to achieve positive results.

“The only barrier is tradition,” Grabowski said. “It’s difficult to get people to change their ways.”

Atlantic Infra now has the largest infrared fleet in the world, serving customers such as the largest gas utility in northern New Jersey.

Then, there is Atlantic InfraStructure, which since 2009 has provided large-scale milling and paving services, especially in safety-sensitive areas.

But the company is currently in the process of disbanding Atlantic InfraTrac, which since 2011 has performed accurate locates for underground utility services.

The team had 70 dedicated employees.

“We had a huge footprint in the state of New Jersey,” Grabowski said. “But, when the state increased the minimum wage and passed legislation regarding paid time off, that truly impacted the pool of employees for us to hire.”

Then, Atlantic InfraTrac lost its major contract with a large telecommunications company entirely based on price, she added.

“Now that segment of the marketplace was going to be too challenging,” Grabowski said.

Despite the difficult loss, Grabowski said it was a successful learning experience.

“Running this business taught us how to better scale, how to manage human resources, and how to create and follow processes,” she said. “We’re now just going to stick with what we’re really good at, which is paving.

“That’s what we’re looking forward to.”

While it employed nearly 120 last summer, Atlantic Infra will now employ about 45 at the start of the season in March.

Grabowski said this team will be laser-focused on returning to the company’s roots.

“New Jersey infrastructure is extremely busy right now, and we look forward to being a bigger and stronger part of those improvements in the near future,” she said.

The goal, Grabowski added, is to double in size over the next five years.

“And to be the premiere diverse choice in the utility environment,” she said.

Next-gen negotiations

Marilyn Grabowski is a skilled and passionate negotiator, which was readily apparent as she navigated a deal worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

“Never be the first to speak,” she said, before requesting a thorough reasoning of numbers from a vendor and taking her time to craft an appropriate response.

Tough, but fair, Grabowski knows her numbers, her business — and the right deal for her. If it’s not? She’s unafraid to look elsewhere.

“Do your research, and keep your cool,” she said.

After heavily investing in operations staff nearly two years ago, Grabowski said she’s no longer beholden to a to-do list or never-ending emails.

“Now, it’s really all about strategy and helping our people to grow,” she said.

That means teaching the next generation of employees how to negotiate, too.

Currently, Grabowski mentors several women, including staff members, a utility employee, several members of the Women Presidents’ Organization and a fellow alum from Franklin & Marshall College.

“I spend time talking with women, especially, about conflict in the workforce and how to deliver their message in the right way,” Grabowski said. “The way you communicate makes a difference — it’s not always what you say, but also how you present it.”

Diverse recruitment

Finding talent and labor is still a struggle in a state with a high cost of living, Marilyn Grabowski said.

“But we are extremely proud to be a diverse company located in New Jersey,” she said.

As a current member of the Women Presidents’ Organization and advisory board member of the Wall Business and Finance Academy at Wall High School, as well as a past member and board president of the Board of Public Utilities Supplier Diversity Development Council of New Jersey, diverse recruitment and continued growth and training is always top of mind for Grabowski.

Last year, Atlantic Infra hosted seven interns — three from the Construction Industry Advancement Program of New Jersey, one from WBFA, one from Franklin & Marshall College and two referrals from both WPO and the Atlantic Infra board.

“For example, our project manager, Nicole Federico, joined us through CIAP as an intern from New Jersey Institute of Technology,” Grabowski said. “She received her degree in construction management, began working full-time with us and is now pursuing her master’s in industrial engineering.”

Love, the ‘Lady in Red’

Everything at Atlantic Infra, from the office to the vehicles to the company uniforms, is an iconic shade of red.

It’s also Marilyn Grabowski’s signature color at events, as conversations turn into contracts.

“When customers see red as they pull up to construction sites, there is no question in their mind that these are the folks who want to do it right and provide quality service,” Grabowski said.

Grabowski also learned to stand out by sending valentines to current and potential customers instead of holiday cards.

“Christmas cards simply get thrown into a pile,” she said. “But our valentines are a huge part of our marketing and the highlight of our year because Valentine’s Day is also our business anniversary.”

Conversation Starter

Connect with Marilyn Grabowski at: contactus@atlanticinfra.com or 732-899-8994.

Source

ROI New Jersey

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Birmingham, Alabama ( Sept. 21,  2019 ) — Construction Business Owner (CBO), the leading business magazine for contractors, is pleased to announce 20 finalists for its Outstanding Women in Construction (OWIC) 2019 honor.

OWIC was designed to recognize industry-leading females and their skills, achievements and contributions to the construction industry. The 20 finalists selected for OWIC 2019 are:

• Jessica Adame, National Outreach Manager, McCarthy Building Co.
• Rita Brown, President, Brown Construction Collective [BCC+]
• Denise Carnahan, Human Resources Coordinator, T&K Roofing & Sheet Metal Company Inc.
• Blue Coble, Journeyman Ironworker/Quality Control Manager, Local 75 Ironworkers/Derr & Gruenewald Construction
• Mary Patricia Geppert, President, Geppert Bros., Inc.
• Marilyn Grabowski, President, Atlantic Infra
• Emily Herndon, Marketing Director, CT Wilson Construction Company Inc.
• Isha Kassen, Vice Chair for Construction Leadership Council Steering Committee/Project Manager, U.S. Engineering
• Mandi Kime, Director of Safety, Associated General Contractors of Washington
• Tiffany LaBruno, Director of Professional Services, Gafcon
• Sandra Lawson, Director of Operations, Venture Construction Group, Inc., Venture Construction Group of Florida, Inc., VCG International, Inc.
• Kabri Lehrman-Schmid, Project Superintendent, Hensel Phelps Construction Co.
• Peggy Hogan Marker, President, Marker Construction Group
• Christine M. McAnney, Vice President, General Counsel, Balfour Beatty US Civils
• Vicki O’Leary, General Organizer, Ironworkers International
• Guiomar Obregon, CEO, Precision 2000, Inc. (P2K)
• Debbie Rodriguez, President/Owner, Competitive Edge Partners & Consulting LLC
• Julie Schafer, Project Manager, Aurora Builders Inc.
• Elizabeth Vereen Sisson, Owner/Operator, Grand Strand Builders LLC
• Jamie Vanek, Vice President, Valor Construction Group, a TST Company

These finalists will be recognized in a special section in CBO’s November 2019 print edition and on constructionbusinessowner.com throughout the months of November and December, and will also receive prizes from participating OWIC sponsors, including a WD-40 Prize Pack and Keen Utility Boots from a new line of specially designed work boots for women.

OWIC 2019 received nearly 200 nominations from the bosses, colleagues, coworkers, friends and spouses of outstanding women in every corner of the construction industry. “We are humbled by the response to CBO’s OWIC. As a team of three female editors working in the construction industry, we are grateful to be able to celebrate so many smart, innovative women, and to have the chance to recognize and support them in CBO and share it with our readers,” said Kathy Wells, editor of CBO.

Nominations for OWIC 2019 opened July 26 and closed Sept. 3., and had no age limitations, but required that nominees must:

• Be female
• Work in construction (general contracting, subcontracting, specialty trades and others allied to the field) in the United States
• Be respected by industry peers, leaders and clients
• Show outstanding skills, leadership, management and/or innovation
• Make outstanding contributions to their company, industry and/or community

“The list of contenders was long, and their stories were remarkable, so the finalists who made the cut are certainly deserving of the honor,” said Wells.

Nominations for Outstanding Women in Construction 2020 will open July 1, 2020. Visit constructionbusinessowner.com/owic for more information.

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National 811 Day, celebrated on August 11, is a federally mandated campaign to encourage excavators and homeowners to call 811 in order to have underground utility lines marked to avoid potential damages to New Jersey’s infrastructure.

The owners celebrated and recognized their employees’ hard work and dedication, while also promoting the importance of calling 811 before you dig.

Remember, before you dig:  Call 811 to Prevent 911!

POINT PLEASANT PATCH

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After this winter freeze passes, we will have a total of 10 InfraRed trucks ready to roll.

Our mechanics are working hard to make sure the largest InfraRed fleet in the country is serviced and fully prepared to repair New Jersey’s roads.

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I usually lead with, “Because it took a woman to perfect filling a pothole,” but the real answer is that I saw a huge business opportunity. After nearly 16 years in this business, I’m used to being one of – if not the only – woman in the room at industry events. I have learned a lot of valuable lessons from this experience that I hope will help other women who are building businesses in male dominated fields survive and thrive:

Embrace your unique points of difference – both as a woman leader and as a business.

Red is Atlantic Infra’s brand color. Our trucks are red, our team is known as “The Red Team” and I wear a red dress anytime I go out to represent our business. My rationale is that, when you’re in sea of blue suits at, say, an Asphalt Association meeting, you can either blend in or get noticed. Getting noticed gets you into conversations that let you make your pitch of why your company is better than – and different from – the rest. I’m known as “The Lady in Red” throughout my market, and that’s OK with me. It’s a strategy that works.

Our connection to the color red isn’t an accident – Atlantic Infra was founded On February 14th – and it’s something we love to embrace. Clients, vendors and partners look forward to an annual Valentine’s Day gift ranging from hot sauce to customized chocolates as a thank you for their support and to celebrate The Red Team.

Show them, don’t tell them.

Striking the right balance between running your business at the office and getting out there to pound the pavement is critical. When people see you out in the field, they recognize that you have hands-on expertise and know your process from start to finish. In construction, my visibility on the job site went a long way towards building my credibility in the field.

When my business was new, people would call and ask for an estimate. I’d say, “Sure, I can help you.” They’d say, “No. I need an expert.” “Yes. I can help.” “No. I need someone to come out and look at the project.” “OK.” So, I’d go out and look at the project and discuss the details with them, demonstrating the depth of my knowledge in the field. Finally they understood.

Seek out strategic partners.

In male-dominated fields, partnering is particularly important for women business leaders. As an “outsider,” you’re not invited to the table as often as your male counterparts – particularly when your company is small. Marjorie Perry, president and CEO of MZM Construction & Management Company in Newark, NJ, has grown her firm into a multimillion-dollar enterprise. Her biggest lesson, and one that she shared with me is, “You’re never going to get bigger if you don’t partner.”

I took Marjorie’s advice to heart, building strategic relationships with two established construction businesses. As a result, my business has since grown tenfold; in fact, these partnerships have allowed me to build two sister companies as a result: Atlantic InfraStructure and Atlantic InfraTRAC, in addition to my original firm, Atlantic InfraRed.

Support other women in the field.

If we want to move closer to gender parity in construction and other male-dominated industries, we need to be proactive champions of and for other women. Consider joining a diversity council – or starting a diversity council. Become a mentor and role model for less experienced entrepreneurs. Seek out opportunities to speak to college, high-school or middle-school students. I like to support young women entering STEM careers through mentoring and an organization called WISE (Women in Sustainable Employment), a program designed to introduce women to the utility construction arena.

In London, Roni Savage, the British Black Business Awards’ 2018 Businessperson of the Year, commits to “making some noise” about construction careers by regularly sharing information about engineering and other career choices with schoolchildren. This is exactly what we need to be doing to shine a light on the opportunities for women to shine in careers they may not have otherwise considered.

In industries like construction, where female representation hovers at less than 10 percent, there’s tremendous potential for growth. These are just a few of the lessons I’ve learned that have helped my business grow, and that I hope will make a difference for both those women currently growing businesses in these fields and the next generation of women in construction and beyond.

As early as 2008, New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners (NJAWBO) recognized Marilyn Grabowski as a Top 30 Women in Business. The first company, a paving business called Atlantic InfraRed was founded in 2002 and works to restore potholes for major utilities. Atlantic Infrastructure was established in 2009 to mill and pave and Atlantic Infratrac was founded in 2011 to provide services to support Call before You Dig (811). Infratrac places flags and paint marks for the largest utility in NJ.

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Marilyn Grabowski

Owner and President, Atlantic Infra

My grandmother was one of those extraordinary entrepreneurs who blazed a trail for generations of women to come, simply by following her passion. In 1973, when the 400-member Building Contractors Association of New Jersey had exactly zero women, Florence DeRosa told her local newspaper that she just didn’t understand why so few women had chosen to get into construction, as she herself had two decades earlier, in the early 1950s.

“Good building isn’t done with a hammer and saw; it’s done with the head,” DeRosa proclaimed. “There should be more women builders.”

Forty-five years later, having built my own successful construction business, Atlantic Infra, I’m making that same argument. According to the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), women today make up only 9.1 percent of the construction industry, and while I’d like to say it’s far more welcoming of women business leaders than in my grandmother’s day, the reality is that we face many of the same obstacles she and her peers did.

That means we need to think strategically at every turn as we navigate our way to success. Here are some secrets I’ve learned over my 17 years in the male-dominated world of construction that might strengthen your career as well.

1. Don’t be afraid to stand out. Be “the lady in red.”

Regardless of the industry, women bring qualities to a project that men may not possess. For example, I inherited my grandmother’s keen attention to detail. For her, “detail” had her designing rooms with built-in vacuum cleaners, walls covered in velvet wallpaper and meticulous landscaping.

For me, “detail” has centered on issues like perfecting the repair of potholes by leveraging technology — an infrared process known as “hot mill and pave” — which enables us to restore asphalt surfaces seamlessly and permanently.

The question is, How do you get in the door to tell a potential customer about the unique value you deliver? The answer is, you stand out. Since red is Atlantic Infra’s brand color, our trucks are red, our team is known as “The Red Team”; and I wear a red dress any time I go out to represent our business.

My rationale is that when you’re in a room of 150 people at, say, an Asphalt Association meeting, you can either blend in with the sea of navy suits or stand out and get noticed. Getting noticed gets you into conversations that let you make your pitch for why your company is better than the rest. I’m known as “The Lady in Red” throughout my market, and that’s OK with me. It’s a strategy that works.

2. Partner strategically.

When Marjorie Perry became president and CEO of MZM Construction & Management Company in Newark, N.J., she knew no bounds. She has grown that firm into a multimillion-dollar enterprise that has taken on prestigious projects, including MetLife Stadium, the New Jersey Performing Arts Center and Newark International Airport. I remember how Perry gave me some of the best business advice of my career: “You’re never going to get bigger if you don’t partner.”

In male-dominated fields, partnering is particularly important for women business leaders. As an “outsider,” you’re not invited to the table as often as your male counterparts — particularly when your company is small. I took Perry’s advice to heart, building partnerships with two established construction businesses. My business has since grown tenfold; in fact, I have built two sister companies as a result.

3. Be the boots on the ground to help establish credibility.

Striking the right balance between running your business from an office and getting out there to pound the pavement is critical. When clients and prospects see you in the field, they recognize your hands-on experience and expertise. This credibility, complemented by the knowledge base you bring to every meeting, makes you a force to be reckoned with.

Robyn Zlotkin, president of Arbill Industries, Inc., which manufactures and distributes industrial safety products, services and programs, told me that one of the biggest challenges she encountered in our male-dominated industry was establishing client trust.

“Early on in my career, I would take the extra time to study and understand the product line better than my audience so my credibility would be established quickly,” Zlotkin shared with me, on how she gained the confidence of her client base. “Remaining visible, keeping up with your male counterparts and working harder to prove your capabilities will help establish this trust,” Zlotkin said.

In the eyes of Zlotkin’s prospects, for many years only men wore harnesses, fall protection and gloves. So it was easy for those prospects to dismiss her before they even knew her capabilities or those of her company. Not anymore.

4. Be confident that you will shake things up.

It’s easy to become insecure when you’re the only woman at the table, but you’ve made it this far for a reason. Having women in leadership roles traditionally held by men can shake up a well-established company and industry. Lucia Furman, president of Mercantile Development, Inc. (MDI), a manufacturer of nonwoven wipers used for cleaning in industrial environments, this “shaking up” occurs because women frequently bring a different perspective to the table.

Of course, this doesn’t happen overnight, she told me. “Disrupting cultural mindsets is a journey. In traditionally male-dominated industries it takes time to gain respect from customers, suppliers and colleagues,” Furman said. “Don’t be afraid to question the status quo, present your well-thought-out ideas with confidence, champion the process and stand by your decisions. Over time, your success will speak for itself.”

5. Keep your eye on the scoreboard.

There are winners and losers in every segment of business. To be in the former group requires making smart business decisions and quantifying your results. We use key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure our success, and we diligently monitor safety issues, customer complaints, payroll-to-sales ratios and other metrics.

I often use sports analogies to get my team revved up about results. It’s more fun for them to keep track of the numbers when you characterize them as a game they might win or lose; in fact, that “game” goes much further than the raw numbers. For example, when managers focus as strongly on their “pregame preparation” and “postgame follow-up” as they do on their behaviors “during the game,” they perform at a much higher level.

The bottom line is that if we want to win, we can never lose sight of the reason we’re in business: to make money. My grandmother expressed this well. “I like creating,” said this general contractor who built hundreds of beautiful homes over the course of her career. “Besides,” she added, “it’s very lucrative.”

6. Don’t take things too personally.

As a woman working in a male-dominated field, you will encounter comments and questions that will grate on your nerves. The most important thing is to not allow these comments to change who we are as leaders and colleagues and to ultimately alter what we are trying to accomplish. “Don’t be overly sensitive to people’s comments,” advised Tracy Gliori, president of TMI Coatings, a painting and restoration contractor.

Earlier in Gliori’s career, when she scheduled appointments, she would often be reminded not to wear heels or skirts while visiting clients’ plants. Though it was common sense that no one would visit an industrial plant and attempt to climb ladders or view the work wearing such impractical attire, Gliori graciously accepted the reminder and ignored the fact that the customer was stating the obvious.

Never did she voice the reaction she was hearing in her head.

7. Encourage other women to take the leap.

To move the needle on construction and other male-dominated industries, we need to be proactive champions of and for other women. To do this, consider joining a diversity council — or starting a diversity council. Become a mentor and role model for less experienced entrepreneurs. Seek out opportunities to speak to college, high-school or middle-school students.

In London, Roni Savage, the British Black Business Awards’ 2018 Businessperson of the Year, has said she committed to “making some noise” about construction careers by regularly sharing information with schoolchildren information about engineering and other career choices in traditionally male-dominated industries like construction. This is exactly what we need to be doing to shine a light on the opportunities women have to shine in careers they might not otherwise have considered.

In fact, there’s already been movement in this direction: According to a recent American Express report, construction was one of the five U.S. industries which between 2007 and 2018 saw the greatest growth of women-owned companies. For construction, that spike was an impressive 94 percent. That bodes well for seeing even more women-owned construction companies in the future.

Above are just a few of the lessons that have helped my own business grow, and that I hope will make a difference for the next generation of women leading the way in construction and other long-time “male” industries.

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We raised a total of $630! We loved seeing everyone’s family and friends wearing their red.

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Thank you to the sponsors: PNC Wealth Management, Tiffany & Co. and Foss, San Filippo & Milne, LLC.

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