56 PROFESSIONAL WOMANS MULTICULTURAL MAGAZINE WWW.PROFESSIONALWOMANMAG.COM

CAREERS

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iversity throughout the workplace, especially in key roles, leads to more successful businesses and fosters a platform for a variety of new ideas and approaches. The Professional WOMAN'S Magazine had the honor of sitting down with Cheryl McKissack Daniel, CEO of Americas oldest Black-owned pro- fessional construction and design firm, McKissack & McKissack. McKissack & McKissack thrives and prides itself on its diversity in spaces that have excluded women and people of color. Having grown up surrounded by the family business and with over 30 years of experience in civil engineering, Cheryl shares her perspective: Professional WOMANS Magazine (PWM): What drew you to the STEAM fields, in general, and construction/design in particular? How did that passion come about? Cheryl McKissack Daniel (CMD): Well, I think its in my blood. I come from five generations of builders and designers. I used to sit at my dining room table and watch my father, who was an architect, draw plans on a dinner napkin. He would take us to his office and walk us to construction sites from the age of about 10 years old. I feel like my parents really charted a path for me, and I was already inside what they started outside . Thats how I became who I am, got into what I do and fueled my passion for building. PWM: There are many who say that understanding ones past and history is how we pave the way to the future. How has your companys unique history set it apart in construction and design? What is your advice for using the past as a stepping stone or blueprint for the future? CMD: Its very grounding to know, as a Black woman, that for five generations your Black family that started from slavery is still operating in the United States. Its a very grounding and solid foundation. There were certain principles my ancestors passed down to my great grandfather, grandfather and father that I think Ive been able to use to make myself very secure in an environment where I am always the minority in a male-dominated community. When you have no one that looks like you and youre trying to achieve cer- tain goals and take advantage of opportunities, how do you break in? I learned early on that I had to do that one relationship at a time . I have a personality thats kind of gregarious and open, so I was able to meet one or two people that, early on in my career, opened up doors to other relationships. Just having that history, the knowledge, the DNA has created where we are today. PWM: What advice would you give to others in similar situations, where they are the minority in their company or industry, but still trying to shape their path, their stepping stone, for the future? CMD: Its important to understand your value and that is not an easy task. That takes a while, especially today with the internet. A lot of what people post on the internet is just not real. Theyre showing the best of who they are and the best of their experiences, but theyre not showing the part that really matures and prepares you to take part in opportunities. Its a process to understand your value, but while youre walking that journey, you have to just know that you have value and at some point, you begin to walk in that value. For me, it probably took 20 years to get to the point where I was comfortable in my skin anywhere anytime and understood fully the value I was bringing to the table. And if that was rejected, I was fine with it, but it was truly accepted and appreci- ated a majority of the time. PWM: Women and people of color are often underrepresented in the STEAM fields, especially as CEOs, in executive offices or on community boards, though that has been trending better in recent years. What do you think is helping open the doors for more equity in your field and what more still needs to be done? CMD: We need to deal in economics. I think the more people of color, the more women we can get into key positions at large corporations and in legislature, who are making key decisions about procurement, the more diverse our workforce will be. At McKissack & McKissack, our diversity numbers are high. We have a lot of senior staff who are men and women of color, and we have a lot of women staff. People of color tend to hire more minorities. Its an ecosystem that really does work. Another example is our Terminal 1 Project, where minority ownership of that project is at 30 percent with Magic Johnson and Jim Reynolds at the lead. Theyre sitting in ownership positions where theyre encouraging hiring people of color and women. The Affirmation Tower is another example with Don Peebles, Craig Livingston and myself. This project is 80 percent Black owned and will have over 30 per- cent in MWBE (Minority Women-Owned Business Enterprises). In doing this, were able to close some of these economic gaps in America.

Know Your Value in the Workplace:

An Interview with CEO Cheryl McKissack Daniel

COURTESY OF CHERYL MCKISSACK DANIEL

irmation Tower Terminal 1 Project

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CHERYL MCKISSACK DANIEL