Kim Davids
Vice President of Operations, Clayco
23 Years in Construction
When I was in 8th grade Geometry class, we were assigned a project to reproduce the house we lived in to scale. For some reason, I had a drafting table as a desk and really enjoyed the practicality of the assignment. I received an A+ and the teacher wrote on the top of the page “Is this a career option for you?” That always stuck with me and I thought that I might want to be an architect, until I realized that I don’t have a creative bone in my body, and rather really enjoyed the how and why of buildings and systems and solving problems. I opted to for to go the Civil Engineering route, and have worked my way up through every operations position at the various companies I have worked for.
What is an accomplishment, milestone, or obstacle that influenced you in your career?
What attracted you to the A/E/C industry?
Being named the first female General Manager leading the Southwest Region for a (then) 163 year old General Contracting company. I had worked for 18 years in the construction industry and most of those in the Greater Phoenix area. I was working on one of my then-company’s most difficult projects while also dedicating my time serving on the Board of Directors with the Arizona Builders Alliance (ABA), as well as serving on committees and volunteering as a training instructor. It was affirming to be recognized for my skills and commitment. The icing on the cake was also being named an honoree of ENR’s National and Southwest lists of the Top 20 Under 40 just a few months after.