Last year, W&C introduced its first-ever Leadership Award. Of course, there are so many individuals that could be named for this honor. This year, the winner is none other than Nancy Brinkerhoff!

Brinkerhoff holds all the right attributes to be named for this honor. Her participation in the industry could be classified as “very active”—both on a local and national level. Like our first Leadership Award winner, Travis Vap, Brinkerhoff served as an AWCI president. Brinkerhoff, CEO of Ironwood Commercial Builders in California, participates in community outreach and involvement, makes sound business decisions and/or practices, runs a fiscally sound company, and much more.

Ironwood Commercial Builders is located in Concord, Calif. (in the Bay Area) and performs metal framing, drywall, lath, plaster and fireproofing. Brinkerhoff serves as its president and CEO. That same year, Brinkerhoff was named AWCI’s first female president. She has also served in positions with WACA and as chair of the Plasterers Health and Welfare Trust Fund of Northern California.

Nancy Brinkerhoff, the CEO and president of Ironwood Commercial Builders

W&C is proud to name Brinkerhoff as the winner of this award and congratulates her and the team at Ironwood Commercial Builders for years of outstanding work. The company has been listed many times in the magazine’s Top 50 Contractors.

The Industry Chimes In

Corie Patton of TriCoast Building Group LLC

Many industry colleagues were eager to speak on Brinkerhoff’s industry leadership—as well as what she means to them personally.

“Nancy means more to me than I could ever likely put into words. She has been an incredible mentor, friend and inspiration, both personally and professionally,” says Corie Patton of TriCoast Building Group LLC. “I met Nancy through my parents (Johnny and Donna Barnes). They met Nancy through AWCI, and our families have known one another for many years. They quickly developed a personal friendship that would continue to grow over the years.”

In Patton's’ opinion, Brinkerhoff embodies these leadership qualities:

• Integrity: “Nancy possesses incredible integrity in everything she does. It is the foundation of trust and respect between leaders and their teams. Leaders with integrity are honest, moral and trustworthy, inspiring confidence and maintaining credibility. This quality is especially important for top-level executives who make major decisions shaping the organization’s future.”
• Authenticity: “She embodies her best self, is confident in what she knows and does, and, most importantly, is genuine when you meet or talk with her. She brings out those qualities in anyone she’s around.”
• Emotional Intelligence: “Nancy can adapt to her situations and surroundings, showing resilience and the ability to read a room while carrying herself with confidence.”
• Analytical Prowess: “She can break down complex problems and situations, developing solutions with a sound mind. She has always encouraged me to break situations down into bite-sized pieces.”
• Trustworthiness: “Her actions consistently reflect reliability and honesty.”
• Growth-Mindedness: “Nancy is always thinking about others and how to help their growth and careers. She is selfless in action, deeply caring about her family, employees and friends. She has a big heart.”

“At times, knowing everything you have to accomplish can be overwhelmingaat when starting a business,” Barnes says. “Nancy has always encouraged me to take every task in bite-sized pieces. She has a profound gift for helping someone compartmentalize their responsibilities and tasks, making them manageable and not overwhelming. Learning about how they started their business and grew it organically is very inspiring. I am lucky that she shares this beautiful gift with her friends.”

Travis Vap of South Valley Drywall

Last year’s Leadership Award winner, Travis Vap of South Valley Drywall, also recognizes Brinkerhoff’s influential involvement in trade associations and offers these highlights.

“Nancy actively supports AWCI and WACA, focusing on including smaller members in the associations, promoting young people’s involvement and promoting business forums. She is a thoughtful leader with the ability to ask penetrating questions that lead to meaningful progress and decision-making,” Vap says. “Additionally, her mentorship of other women in the industry and efforts to promote women’s involvement have significantly contributed to improving the wall and ceiling industry.”

Frank Nunes, CEO of the Wall and Ceiling Alliance (WACA)

Frank Nunes, CEO of the Wall and Ceiling Alliance (WACA), also comments on his relationship with the Brinkerhoffs—local neighbors.

“Nancy is very quiet but very thoughtful and strategic,” he says. “She has the courage to speak up. Having grown up in construction, she possesses good insight. Her dad was a union painter in the field, so she has a strong perspective as both an employer and field craftsperson. Nancy has had to fight for everything—for example, ensuring her business obtained the federal designation of a woman- and minority-owned business, the official 8(a) categorization.

“Nancy was the first woman to be on any of the seven merging association boards and the first woman on the AWCI board,” Nunes continues. “She was on one of the OPCMIA boards for labor management and served as a board member of the IFEBP. Additionally, she is a trustee and chair of two Plasterers H&W Trust Funds, as well as a trustee on the Carpenters H&W Trust Fund. None of these accomplishments were handed to her. She had to build them from the ground up.”

Nancy is secretary/treasurer of the WACA board and served as board president. In the words of Nunes, “you could say she’s the steward overseer of the Wall and Ceiling Alliance association. She sees her involvement in the association as both a privilege and a responsibility.”

Jim Ruane Sr., president of Patrick J. Ruane Inc.

Another WACA associate chimes in on Brinkerhoff’s involvement in the industry.

“Nancy’s leadership capacity has been proven by running her own business, a prominent construction business officially designated as woman-owned, really just one of the finest women-owned businesses in existence in the country,” says Jim Ruane Sr., president of Patrick J. Ruane Inc. “She is also a WACA advisory board member and past president of the WACA board of directors. Nancy … has the unique ability to see what’s good for both the industry overall and for all wall and ceiling contractors. She is able to balance all her tremendous industry work, actively supporting women in construction, and engaging with the Signatory Wall and Ceiling Contractors Alliance and the major entities in the construction field, while consistently demonstrating her love for her family. Nancy is just a wonderful addition to, and positive influence on our industry.”