27 June 2012
A leading Midlands businesswoman is on the shortlist for another major award.
Julie White, the managing director of diamond drilling and concrete sawing company D-Drill, is a finalist in the Built Environment category at the First Women Awards on June 28.
White is the current Vitalise Businesswoman of the Year while D-Drill has also picked up two major business awards recently as well as being in the final of the Construction News training award.
She is up against Amanda Fisher, MD Corporate Services for Balfour Beatty Workplace; Diane Johnson, Skills Ambassador for ECA; Keeley Downing, Joint Managing Director of Crown Utilities; and Katrina Dowding, Operations Director of Skanska.
White said: “I am thrilled to be shortlisted alongside some great names from the construction industry.
“I am passionate about highlighting to other women that a career in the construction industry is not only possible, but also extremely enjoyable and rewarding. And that can be in the specialist contracting areas of construction – so the sharp end of the industry.
“Awards such as this are a great way to go about that and, while I would be delighted to win, it’s much more important that we all champion the cause of women in construction.”
White’s exploits in business began as she set off round the world after leaving college when she did a range of jobs including being a yacht’s skipper.
But after 12 years away she returned to the region, built up her own successful floor preparation company for the construction industry before buying the family business – D-Drill – from her father in 2008 and has set about modernising the company which has its headquarters in Coventry and offices around the UK.
She has increased turnover and, as well as being managing director, has been undertaking the company apprenticeship scheme to experience what her apprentices ‘go through.’
Since winning the Vitalise Businesswoman of the Year award, she has set about raising the profile of her business and her industry with appearances on national television and radio.
The headline sponsor for the First Women Awards is Lloyds Banking Group and is supported by CBI.
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