Women’s Work: Heather Thompson
Heather Thompson
Thompson Johnson Woodworks
Read introduction by Emily Mottram >>
Note: In 2022, Thompson Johnson Woodworks merged with Rachel Conly Design to form Juniper Design+Build.
PHOTO: RACHEL CONLY
WHAT IS YOUR JOB AND WHERE DO YOU WORK?
I own Thompson Johnson Woodworks, a residential construction company serving Greater Portland. I oversee projects, do estimating, office work, sales, work with customers and architects to define the scope of work and budgets, get permits for projects and make sure projects are on time and on budget.
HOW AND WHY DID YOU GET INTO THIS LINE OF WORK? WHAT INSPIRED YOU?
I graduated in 1995 from University of California Santa Cruz with a BA in Art with a focus on sculpture. I moved back to Portland and started a furniture company with my then-boyfriend. That morphed into residential construction after we moved to Peaks Island in early 2001. Renovation ends up being a series of problems to figure out and solve and I love collaborating with people to solve a problem and make something better. I am also inspired to improve the energy efficiency and durability of every project we touch.
DID YOUR BACKGROUND AND UPBRINGING IMPACT YOUR CHOICE OF CAREER? AND IF SO, HOW?
Interesting...I was always encouraged to ask questions and figure things out. My dad was a principal, my mother was a teacher and a state representative. We spent a lot of time around the dinner table talking about the work they did working with and managing people. That was my early training in management. But really, I fell into this; I never intended to go into construction. After my ex and I split eight years ago, I approached him to buy the company. I missed it and he was ready to be done.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT YOUR JOB?
I love working in a highly collaborative, productive team where the crew, customers and sub-contractors work together from project conception to design to construction and trust each other to address challenges in the most reasonable way — that is truly the best. We are lucky that this is a typical scenario for us.
IN WHAT WAYS IS YOUR INDUSTRY GROWING OR CHANGING IN MAINE?
I think green building is really gaining ground in Maine. People are beginning to understand the benefits (comfort, lower bills, lower footprint) and importance of building high performing/low energy homes. People are also starting to pay attention to the carbon footprint of materials and understand that natural and locally sourced materials are the way to go. Construction is the second highest contributor of greenhouse gasses in the world (after transportation). We have to do whatever we can to improve this, and people in Maine seem to understand that the decisions they make in life and in building a house impact their footprint.
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS NEEDED TO SUPPORT MORE WOMEN IN THE SUSTAINABLE BUILDING SECTOR?
We need to start teaching the trades in our schools again. Entering the trades should be seen as a viable, rewarding career option for all people: women, people of color, LGBTQ+...men, too.
DID YOU FEEL THERE WERE ANY BARRIERS TO ENTRY FOR YOU AS A WOMAN IN YOUR CAREER?
It is an unusual choice of career for a woman, so there are often raised eyebrows when I tell someone I own a construction company.
Most of my life I have been self-employed, so I haven’t experienced the same barriers women face in other companies. I’ve been the company president since inception and our company culture is to reward people for ability, contribution, potential, actual performance. We advertise as a woman-owned company, and that sorts out people who might dismiss me or the company because of my gender. I don’t feel like I’ve experienced a huge amount of direct and obvious dismissal because I am a woman. But that said, I have felt some “bro-ism,” the sneakiest type of sexism where men like to hire other men. This has happened a few times.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE BIGGEST PRIORITIES, AND/OR OPPORTUNITIES, FOR SUSTAINABLE RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION IN MAINE?
I am not a commercial builder, but I am excited about the use of structural wood framing in large, multistory commercial buildings. Building with wood, a renewable, carbon sequestering material, instead of steel and concrete, on the commercial scale is the way we will greatly reduce the carbon impact of our industry. The most important thing we can do as builders is make low carbon/carbon sequestering material choices. More than energy efficiency, more than air sealing, it is the carbon load of the materials at construction that makes the biggest impact. This way of thinking needs to be adopted at the commercial level.
WHEN NOT WORKING, HOW DO YOU LIKE TO SPEND YOUR TIME?
I work.... ha ha ha. I have 2 kids who are the very best. I love to sing and perform. I like to read science fiction, mostly YA science fiction because I am a nerd.
This article appeared in the Fall 2020 edition of Green & Healthy Maine HOMES. Subscribe today!