Dawn Eimers

Dawn’s father was a Sheet Metal Estimator who often took her along on trips to the shop. Construction remained a fascination for Dawn, and she decided to pursue a career in Construction Management. Dissuaded by her academic advisor, Dawn chose a degree in Environmental and Hazardous Materials Management instead.

Her career, however, soon took an unexpected turn. While supervising environmental remediation work at a jobsite, Dawn witnessed an excavator strike a powerline, cutting power to a nearby police station.

“I watched with fascination as a little van drove up to the large green box, and a man got to work,” she says. “A little while later, the lights all came back on. Right then and there, I decided I wanted to learn how to do that!”

Dawn returned for her associate’s degree in Electrical Construction before starting the IBEW apprenticeship program. She refused to stop until she had her Journeyman Wireman and Minnesota Master Class A Electrical license. Dawn loved field work, but her thirst for learning motivated her to search for new challenges.

Initially hired as a Commercial Estimator for Hunt Electric Corporation, she transitioned to Preconstruction and Business Development in the growing field of renewable energy. While seeking a civil partner for a large utility-scale project, Dawn had her first encounter with Barton Malow.

The Impact of Values

Though some companies only pay lip service to their mission statement and ideals, Barton Malow’s core values and the integrity of its team members made a lasting impression on Dawn:

“I was so inspired by the Barton Malow team that when I visited their boardroom, I actually took a picture of their core purpose and values statement.”

With her experience in renewables preconstruction, RES group offered Dawn a position as Director of Estimating for their North American division. She was at the forefront of the green energy buildout, leading large bid teams and working on complex projects. Realizing the next step in her career as a leader in the construction industry would require a better business foundation, she returned to the classroom to obtain her MBA.

Throughout her career, Dawn never forgot about her experience with Barton Malow. During a discussion with a friend from the company, he recommended that she speak with Joe Blanchette, Barton Malow Company’s Vice President of Energy. In her final interview, she met Tom Porter and was delighted to learn that he was also the CEO of Alltrade, a company she knew from solar energy projects.

Barton Malow and Alltrade

As Director of Precon for Barton Malow Company, Dawn also leads Alltrade’s preconstruction department and contributes to the direction of the company as part of the Executive Leadership Team. Her experience, especially in the renewable energy space, is helping to refine preconstruction and Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) strategies as Alltrade pursues projects in new markets.

Dawn and her partner reside in Minneapolis, Minnesota with their two dogs and two cats. She loves traveling, the outdoors, gardening, and strives to learn something new every day.