ABC Idol

Taylor Messinger

Tell us about your involvement with ABC/CMEF?
I have been a member on the LOGIC committee since its foundation in early 2019, and acted as co-chair of the college outreach sub-committee. My colleague and I planned an event on the University of Houston campus which brought together over 70 students and industry professionals for a night of bowling and networking. Our goals were to provide encouragement and connections to younger women while giving them the opportunity to become familiar with how the industry looks from the perspective of women working at over a dozen different companies. It was a truly fun and exciting night to see so many people come together, and for some of the students to even find employment opportunities from the night. I look forward to organizing and participating in future LOGIC and ABC events!  

Why did you decide to become involved with ABC/CMEF?
In January of 2019 a colleague reached out to me about a new ABC committee for women (now known as LOGIC), and I jumped at the opportunity. As a woman in a primarily male-dominated industry, I have always been interested in getting more women included and involved in the amazing work we do. From the first meeting I attended I found myself among other women who are strong leaders, excited to share their opinions, eager to raise their voice, and it’s exactly the group I wanted to be a part of. I have been thrilled since then to actively participate in achieving the committee’s goals, including outreach to younger women.   

What’s your greatest achievement (personal or professional) and how has it shaped the person you are today?
A profound achievement in my personal life was when I made it to the All-State Choir senior year of high-school, indicating after seven months of dedicated practicing and auditions that I was in the top 2% of singers in the state of Texas. The reason this achievement is significant to me is because, as a young women, it taught me that my success and achievements rely more on my dedication and hard work than anything else. I worked harder to achieve this accomplishment than I had for anything else in my life up to that point, and I had to experience failure in the years prior before I was able to reach my goal. While making all-state is not a life-altering accomplishment, the lessons I learned have been profound in working towards my other goals.

What’s the best piece of advice you have to offer for someone new to the industry?
I recommend for those new to this industry to embrace what makes them uncomfortable in their job. The things that challenge you as an individual in a working atmosphere are usually what we need to work on the most. One key thing I have personally realized since working in construction is that my strengths from college are not necessarily my strengths in a working environment. It can be uncomfortable to work on your own traits that you’ve never needed to work on before, but that’s what makes us all stronger.