Kristine Young, the chief executive officer of Des Moines, Iowa-based Miller the Driller, became the first-ever woman to lead the U.S. construction industry. Young, who was sworn in as president of the Associated General Contractors of America, will oversee the trade group’s work on behalf of the commercial construction industry.

“I’m humbled that this association has always treated me as a fellow contractor that happens to be a woman, instead of a woman that happens to be a contractor,” said Young. “Being the first is never about being alone, it took the time energy and encouragement of many people to get me here today.”

As president, Young will oversee the association’s efforts to advocate for measures to boost demand for construction activity by enacting pro-growth tax and trade policies and making much-needed investments to the nation’s aging infrastructure. She will also work to overturn a new measure that forces governments at all levels to withhold 3 percent of the value of all major construction contracts beginning next year, something she notes will add to an unemployment rate for the industry that already is over 20 percent.

In addition to Young, the association also inaugurated three other top leaders. Joseph Jarboe, senior vice president of Clark Construction Group, Bethesda, Md., became the association’s senior vice president. Paul Diederich, president of Industrial Builders Inc., West Fargo, N.D., became the association’s vice president. And Howard Pebley, president of McAllen Construction Inc., McAllen, Texas, became the association’s treasurer. The three contractors will support Young in leading the trade group during their year-long tenure in office.

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