PWC CT awards four professionals for outstanding contributions to A/E/C industry

Rocky Hill, CT On Tuesday, March 5^th, the Professional Women in Construction Connecticut Chapter (PWC CT) held their first event of the new year, where they awarded four recipients with professional achievement awards for their outstanding contributions to the A/E/C industry. The 2024 PWC CT program “Becoming the CEO of Your Own Career” drew a large crowd of attendees from all facets of the industry, hearing from some acclaimed panelists, who spoke on taking full ownership of your career path. 

Jenna McClure, AIA, LEED AP, principal at Amenta Emma Architects, was honored with the Women of Achievement Award. McClure has more than 20 years of experience in the industry, and has been with Amenta Emma since 2008, overseeing some of the firm’s most complex and notable projects. She is also the recipient of Hartford Business Journal 40 Under 40 award and has served as a mentor to young college women pursuing degrees in the A/E/C fields through PWC CT. 

Samantha Santos, engineer at Turner Construction, proudly accepted the Rising Star Award. Santos has worked at Turner for the past seven years, in a variety of roles. She is always looking to improve both herself and her processes; she is an asset to her team. This year, Santos launched the Professionals of Tomorrow group, hosting events every other month for the young professionals in the industry. The Rising Star Award honors exceptional women who are recognized by their colleagues, mentors, and peers as future leaders in the A/E/C Industry.

The Excellence in Mentoring Award was given to Emily Ruggeri for her work and dedication to mentoring young people within the A/E/C industry. Ruggeri  started her career with Turner Construction in 2014, and quickly jumped into ACE mentoring program in 2016. As a former ACE student herself, she became instrumental in the program not just as a mentor, but a leader. She is now on the ACE board and serves as a leader in the Bridgeport Chapter. She is also a resource for interns and new hires at Turner with her knowledge and skillset. The Excellence in Mentoring award honors exceptional women or men who are recognized as positive role models in the A/E/C industry, have sustained a career commitment to mentoring and have had a positive effect on mentees.

Holly Linder, senior engineer at BL Companies, was honored as Volunteer of the Year for her volunteerism and support of the CT Chapter. Linder has demonstrated her commitment to our organization through her active involvement on both the mentorship and scholarship committees for the past 3 years. Holly understands the importance of these initiatives and has dedicated her time to giving back and making PWC CT successful. Volunteer of the Year award recognizes women or men volunteers for their valuable dedication and contributions to the success of this chapter and the industry.

Chartered in 2005, the Professional Women in Construction Connecticut Chapter (PWC CT) has been providing programming that presents the very latest in current industry topics, as well as providing exceptional networking and business development opportunities for our guests. Members of the Connecticut Chapter of PWC represent all major disciplines within our industry, and are drawn from Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. Please visit the PWC CT website for more information.