Women in Construction Spotlight: Mary Pollmann

Keeley Construction is growing rapidly across the country so there are many opportunities available for our Keeley’ns to relocate and take on new responsibilities. Mary Pollmann, Project Controls Analyst in our Civil Group, has taken advantage of these opportunities to advance her career while helping establish our Texas office.

Mary started her Keeley career in St. Louis working with both our Civil Groups – Energy and Infrastructure. As an analyst, she worked on forecasting, monthly financial reporting, auditing equipment charges, and more. As the Civil Group expanded into Texas, she immediately knew that she wanted to move, so she relocated to New Braunfels, TX in December 2021. Shortly after making the move, Mary transitioned into a Project Engineer role on the Union Pacific Del Rio Siding project. This experience allowed her to gain a new perspective into the operations side of construction. While she loved this position, in September 2022 she stepped back into her Project Controls Analyst role. Being able to move to Texas and transition into a new role has given Mary an amazing sense of empowerment in her job.

“I’ve felt empowered through learning in this point of my career. I’ve been investing my time in becoming a better analyst and engineer. Throughout my short career, I’ve been given so many opportunities to expand my analytical skills within my current role. As the opportunities continue to grow, I hope my skill set will as well.”

When looking to start her career, Mary knew she wanted to join an industry where she could continuously grow. Construction was the perfect path for her and she has been able to prioritize not only her professional growth, but her personal growth as well. However, it was challenging at first to join a male-dominated industry. Mary has chosen to use these challenges as motivation to work hard and prove her value as a team member. It’s not always easy, but Mary continuously strives for greatness. The industry is in need of talented women, so if Mary could give a piece of advice to women just starting out, it would be:

“Be willing to learn and appreciate the different perspectives you bring to the team. Know that you might have to work a little bit harder to get where you want to be, but it is worth it.”

Over the last few years of her career, Mary has learned a lot of lessons, especially since she has been able to work with a support group and in operations. For her, the biggest lesson is time management and while there are still not enough hours in the day, Mary has leaned on her team and learned how to balance everything effectively. This improved time management has also allowed Mary to craft a clear vision for her future. She sees herself going back to school to work on her master’s degree in data analytics or engineering management. This industry is constantly evolving, so she wants to make sure she is on top of all the trends and customer needs.

Mary believes that she has found her career destination and is incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work in our Texas office. She works with some amazing people and they have made her feel right at home.

Mary, thank you for your dedication to growth and for taking the leap to help build our Texas presence. The team would not be the same without you and we can’t wait to see all of the amazing things you accomplish in your career!