Ashley Szczukowski

Ashley Szczukowski never intended to be employed in the construction industry. She returned to school at a turning point, needing to make a change because of an economic downturn. She attended Florida State College at Jacksonville and the University of North Florida as a non-traditional student at age 38, studying communications and public relations. She credits the generosity of a local family that provided a full-ride scholarship as “making an investment in our community and our people.”

Ashley’s skill set, which includes relationship building, fundraising, and sales, hadn’t been utilized in construction prior to her Business Development Manager role at Marand Builders. Rather, she worked in health care and at non-profits in various capacities involving donor relations as well as corporate and agency partnerships. She heard about the job “through the grapevine.” Ashley thought she was chatting with Marand about making a referral for the role. Instead, the conversation made it apparent that she was the best fit.
When asked what interests and motivates her in the construction industry, Ashley indicated that understanding and meeting the needs of her customers is key. She loves “connecting the person to the THING. Whether that’s helping a person build a medical office building, buying a big piece of equipment, it’s all about connecting people and watching the relationships grow.” She encourages others who are considering their career pathways to look at construction, saying, “Look at your skill set. Determine where there are gaps. Decide what it will take to fill those gaps and be willing to do the work that others are not willing to do.”

Being a woman in a historically male-driven occupation doesn’t intimidate Ashley at all. “The paradigm is changing. The landscape is different. There are many women LEADING in architecture, firms, and in project management in our region. It is great to have a female perspective, not only in design, but in infrastructure as well.” Ashley shared an example of a design, project management, and architectural team from one of Jacksonville’s largest employers which is made up of 75 percent women.

Ultimately, the construction industry affords Ashley a great career opportunity to grow her career in an area she’s called home for 18 years. “We’re bringing quality people to the area and we’re being noticed internationally for our quality craftsmanship in many areas.”