Executive Vice President for Briq Pam Hummel has a laundry list of committees and volunteer leadership roles she’s held in the construction industry and beyond. As someone who started out being “voluntold to join CFMA” by a mentor who challenged her, she has since contributed in various ways to the growth of the Orange County chapter and the national organization as a whole.
After working her way up to membership chair for the Orange County chapter in the 2010s, she became involved in many CFMA national committees, including a three-year term on CFMA’s national executive committee. “I currently sit on the National Leadership Development Committee, and I’m a member of the Next Generation Task Force and the National DEI Committee, as well,” Pam said.
While her contributions to the organization are many, there is a consistent throughline in her efforts: increasing inclusion, diversity, and equality in the construction industry. From improving access to women in construction to focusing on making CFMA membership more valuable to younger people, she hopes to make the organization’s membership population more consistent with what society actually looks like.
Increasing interest in CFMA for younger generations has been a major priority for CFMA at the national level, one in which Pam has been an active participant. “A significant number of our members are over 50, and very few of our members are 30 or younger,” Pam explained. “We are retiring out members faster than we are welcoming new members into the association. The Next Generation Task Force is identifying ways in which we can make our association more valuable to younger members of our industry.”
One of the top imbalances Pam has seen between these generations is the need for technology. While the construction industry as a whole has been slow to adopt new technologies and automation, up-and-coming construction professionals have grown up in a world of tablets and digital content. But as they enter the workforce, they are often met with resistance when it comes to changing old habits. “I think that there is a significant disparity between those folks coming into an industry that is very, very traditional.” she said.
Pam points out the importance of generational balance and diversity in the construction industry, and in CFMA specifically. Having different perspectives in the workforce helps the industry (and the organization) to grow. An increase in idea exchange helps foster a learning environment and pushes businesses to become better holistically.
“I'm by far the oldest person at our company, and I absolutely love it because I get to work with young people every single day who are newly coming into the industry, whether it's from the technology side or the construction perspective, and they're eager to learn. They're very engaged and invested,” Pam said.
According to Pam, CFMA has been making significant efforts to proactively improve inclusivity and diversity in the organization. “This is something that was brought forward by our current national chairman, Tom Borgia. He's very committed to diversity, inclusivity, and equality in our industry and wants to see us step forward in that more.”
Pam is proud of how far the organization has come. “I think that we are making great strides in including more and more people from more and more walks of life and CFMA is starting to look a lot more like society,” she said. “One thing that I hope that people will take away is that while CFMA is an established association, it's also growing and vibrant and has room for everybody.”
To learn more about CFMA benefits and take advantage of your first Orange County chapter event for free, visit the CFMA Orange County website.