Parade of Homes featuring the best of new homes in Manitoba, Canada
Issue link: http://publications.winnipegfreepress.com/i/161409
Women in Construction Janet Milne Milne says women bring their own sense of balance and perspective on function, style and practicality to the design end. And they wield influence in the construction industry in other ways. As a member of the Manitoba Home Builders' Association board, Milne's role includes working with the provincial government to keep the industry moving forward. She's been a member of the education committee, which seeks to help builders stay current with new techniques, technologies and legislation, and assists technical colleges in keeping curricula up to date. Administration Milne Homes 'You're really fulfilling peoples' dreams when you put the finished product together.' "I basically turned around to him with one small child and another one on the way and said, 'I'm not doing that.' " The couple found a way around the challenge by starting with just one house a year and growing from there. While her training wasn't specific to the construction industry, it had prepared Janet to run key elements of the award-winning company. "I have my bachelor's of computer science so that was very helpful, and I had taken some courses through the beginning of an MBA program when the kids were small. And at that point, I acquired some accounting background and some business administration background." Primarily, she looks after administration, which allows Doug to focus on construction, although she also gets to throw her two cents in on home design. "I always call myself 'Inspector 12.' Doug will put a design together for a show home, and I'll walk through it as if it was my house and I have to live in it. It's just kind of having ... I'm going to say, a woman's touch." And she's always enjoyed opportunities to give back to the community. "I was on the board for Habitat for Humanity here in Winnipeg for many, many years, and in fact I was chair of the board for a few years," she says. "It's a phenomenal model and a phenomenal concept." In her work life, Milne derives satisfaction from knowing the family company isn't just building homes; it's also building relationships with homeowners. "Customer satisfaction in the end is almost 100% because it's always done to their specifications, because they're involved intimately through the whole process. "So they're going to feel like they're married to us for the next six months or nine months or whatever because we're going to be talking every day," she laughs. "We're going to have our little disputes along the way and we're going to kiss and make up, but in the end you're going to be happy with the product you have." Ultimately, it's all about making a dream come true for someone else, by taking their vision for a home and turning it into reality. "Doug and I just love being able to work with the customers and say, 'It's finished now.' And that sort of awestruck look in their eyes when they look and say, 'It's just the way I wanted it,' " she says. "You're really fulfilling peoples' dreams when you put the finished product together." See www.milnehomes.ca. Parade of Homes Fall 2013 41