On Women in Construction, Mentoring and Leadership Styles

A Conversation with Marsha Hudgins, CEO Hudgins Construction

by Beth Hester

By Beth Hester / Photos by Will Hawkins

Marsha Hudgins is CEO of Hudgins Contracting, a woman-owned full-service contractor for site and infrastructure work. From For over 40 years, the company has served clients in southeast Virginia, with a wide range of services including: underground utilities, excavation, storm water management, demolition, LEED Participation, landscaping and erosion control.

Hudgins is also a community leader, and is active in mentoring initiatives and programs. Through Hudgins’ Earn While You Learn program, ambitious, energetic and hard-working individuals can discover their talents and build a career with the company. We recently asked her to share thoughts about her role as CEO, construction industry trends, and of course, her dream dinner guests.

CoVaBIZ: Please share the story of how you transitioned into the role of CEO after your husband’s death, and what challenges and opportunities you encountered during that period?
Marsha Hudgins: Late in 2010, in the middle of the Great Recession, we received the news. My husband of 25 years and the founder of Hudgins Contracting had Stage 4 cancer with a short survival window. He asked me to make him a promise: ensure that Hudgins Contracting would survive without him, as his long-time employees were counting on it. Prior to his illness, I had not been actively involved in the company. But with his death, the greatest challenge of my life began. There were many barriers along the journey, both expected and unexpected. Some were economic, some cultural and some were just a resistance to change. What was not immediately anticipated were the opportunities that would arise after a few years of Hudgins slowly evolving into a company that focused on employee development and retention, on an organizational structure that was more inclusive and team oriented, and an asset management process that was pro-active rather than reactive.

As you grew into your role, did the way you viewed leadership and mentoring evolve or change? If so, how?
The leadership styles in construction had historically revolved around a rather black and white approach. Out in the field, the attitude was generally “throw them in the deep end and let them sink or swim.” Though I did discover over time, that it’s necessary to sort out who had the talent, drive and work ethic to succeed, sink or swim was not my leadership style. I also had to learn to be very clear about what I expected and to be open to hearing the issues of my employees as well. I learned that honest communication is essential, but I did decline the suggestion to “swear more,” an idea generated by one employee as a way of gaining respect. We all learned that respect is a two-way street and is only given when honesty, trust and fairness exist in leadership.

How do you encourage and support women who aspire to leadership roles in the construction field, both within your company and the industry as a whole?
As a female leader in a male-dominated industry, I’m in a unique position to serve as a role model for those who are interested in entering our industry but are unsure of their ability to succeed. I promoted a female as president of my company because she was the most uniquely qualified for the job. We have sought out and hired women for jobs in the field, including equipment operators, as well as in the office as project managers and estimating interns. There is literally no job in our company that a woman couldn’t do without the proper training. Construction jobs really do not have gender assignments. I hope men in management positions of construction companies take our example to heart.

In addition to being CEO of Hudgens Construction, you’re also President of the ODU Women’s Initiative Network (ODU-WIN). Tell us a bit about the organization and its mission.
I was elected President of ODU-WIN in 2020. The organization was established in 2014, as a community of successful career women dedicated to providing mentorship, leadership, career development, and meaningful philanthropy to elevate first generation university women. Working one-on-one with accomplished women leaders, students gain confidence, are provided connections within the business world, and they are able to build skills through hands-on experience in workshops, and in interactions with industry professionals. ODU WIN also holds a yearly Speakers Series that features outstanding women like PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi and Astronaut Dr. Mae Jemison, who inspire and offer their experience and knowledge to help students and businesswomen alike advance their careers.

©Photos by Will Hawkins

©Photos by Will Hawkins

What are you seeing as future trends or innovations that will shape the construction industry, and how is Hudgins positioning itself for these changes?
The obvious answer is the role of advancing technology, both in the heavy equipment we use, and in the communication and data management developments. However, the less obvious answer is the role that increased diversity will play in the industry. More training will be needed to level-up both management practices and policies to leverage the different perspectives and skill sets that will inevitably come. We’re currently building policies and structures within our organization to better manage workloads and increase flexibility for our employees. We want to support individuals with diverse needs and backgrounds and boost job satisfaction and retention.

Please speak to experiences or lessons learned from leading your company through economic downturns or challenging market conditions?
We have learned that rather than hide the impact of market slowdowns or downturns, our employees benefit from an open and honest dialog about how we manage these periods so we can ensure continuity of business and their employment. Transparency is key to building trust.

What is the most unusual or unexpected item on your home or office desk, and is there a story behind it?
I have a pink hard hat on my desk. It was presented to me in honor of Hudgins Contracting’s first year of sponsorship of the Kings Mill Golf Tournament for the non-profit group “Here for the Girls.” This organization is dear to our hearts as we too have young women, some with families to support, who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. The pink hard hat is a physical reminder every day, that they need our help and support.

If your company had a theme song, what would it be, and how does it capture its essence?
Our theme song would be Aretha Franklin’s “Respect.” I think the reason is self-evident!

If you could invite any three people, living or dead, to a dinner party with you, your family and your team, who would you choose and why?
It would be wonderful to invite my late husband, my mother, and my second-grade teacher. It would be an interesting conversation about how the construction industry has evolved to meet the social and economic challenges of today. My mother could speak volumes about women in business, and the bias she had to manage throughout her life. Understanding the past can help us understand the present and look to the future more clearly. And I would like the chance to point out to my second-grade teacher, Mrs. Thornton, that coloring outside the lines and talking in class did NOT warrant a trip to the principal’s office and that my failure to always follow the rules was actually the sign of a budding entrepreneur.

What is your favorite digital or analog productivity tool?
Personally, I am not very high-tech. Even though I have an assistant, I love Siri. I am always on the go so it makes it easy to send text messages, make phone calls, search information and book appointments. However, I have also tried to fire her on occasion.

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