A new networking organization for women in the concrete industry was announced at World of Concrete in February.

The Women in Concrete Alliance (WICA) debuted at the annual Women in Concrete breakfast and forum. The objective of the WICA is to supply information, opportunities, and mentoring to women working in the concrete construction industry.

The Alliance is an online networking group designed to empower women in the concrete construction industry. WICA consists of a Web page, a Facebook fan page, twitter, and a LinkedIn group. An advisory board directs the momentum of the efforts, keeping the mission centered on positive information that will help women network and be successful, according to the alliance.

The idea for an ongoing network began with Hanley Wood’s Women in Concrete (WIC) event at World of Concrete. The spirit of Women in Concrete was kept alive through the year by profiles of readers that appeared in a regular column in The Concrete Producer and Concrete Construction magazines. Requests for a more continuous connection sparked the idea for the alliance. WICA strives to go beyond these initial efforts and reach women on a continuous basis to create an industry alliance that serves the needs of all women in concrete.

The Women in Concrete Alliance was started by co-founders Kari Moosmann, former managing editor of Concrete Construction magazine, and Kimberly Kayler, president of Constructive Communication Inc. Kayler had a decade of high-level experience serving engineering, architecture, and construction firms as a corporate marketing executive and began her own public relations firm in 2001 to serve the needs of technical and professional service firms. She also is the author of Leading with Marketing — a handbook for marketing and business professionals and her firm currently serves a long list of organizations in the concrete industry.

“We have heard from women throughout the industry how much they enjoy networking and sharing with other women,” said Kayler. “The WICA provides such a forum, as well as mentoring opportunities.”

Moosmann has worked in the concrete industry for more than 20 years on the staff on The Concrete Producer and Concrete Construction magazines and started the Women in Concrete events at World of Concrete. She continues to write the Women in Concrete columns for the magazines.

“This is long overdue,” said Moosmann. “Women have been requesting an ongoing method to keep in momentum going from the forums at World of Concrete. Finally we are giving them a way to continuously communicate, share, and learn.”

The advisory board that directs the focus of the Women in Concrete Alliance consists of Diana Sanicki, marketing manager, Doka USA Ltd.; Janet Ong, marketing director, CTS Cement Manufacturing Corporation; Jenne Imholte-Decker, paving sales manager, Simplex Construction Supplies Inc.; Patti Flesher, media relations manager, Portland Cement Association; Kitty Hoyle, president, Wellington Hamrick Inc.; Anne Ellis, vice president, AECOM; and Shelby Mitchell, associate editor, The Concrete Producer magazine.

For more information, visit www.womeninconcrete.org.

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