Lina is a passionate professional person with a wide swathe of experience and expertise. She is committed to building a strong, reputable, and generation-spanning company that will always value empowering its exceptional employees and their careers, above all else.

Everything is possible working cooperatively

To do it, plan it: If you're going to accomplish anything, you can't just get up in the morning and wonder what you're going to do. As director and mother, of course, I have a prepared agenda that would get sent to me every evening, and then I would take that schedule and add in my personal notes. I would include everything – time I need for my family, I budget time to do whatever needs to be done in terms of my house. You can't manage your time if you don't include everything – even those smaller tasks can add up, and then people wonder why they get to the end of the day and feel so far behind. My secret is that you have to plan and then you have to manage, so you know not only what needs to get done, but how much time you have to do it.

The most important partnership

My husband John and I have 16 years of happily married life, which I am so thankful for. I think it is so important to choose a partner who is compatible, so that one person isn't letting the other one down. We talk to each other about work, I discuss whatever challenges I am having and he is always very good at assessing the situation. I think we both appreciate the role of the other. He is supportive and he also has his own goals and interests. That's what works for us. He is my 100% and I am his 100%.

Less talk, more action

There are very few women who own a construction companies in Canada. There have been a lot of progress, but there is still a long way to go: We need more women in the construction industry and we need pay equity. In general, I try to avoid discussions on whether a woman can do this or do that. I feel that you have to just get in there and do it, demonstrate in your own life. I tell women, you can do anything a man can do. It's all in your mind. John and I think that our daughter needs to be taught confidence and independence, and be ambitious. She is capable and we just want her to know that there are no limitations.

Straight talk, not slick talk

I do believe in diplomacy but in the world of construction you hear a lot of "let me look into that," or "I'll get back to you," when that is not the real intent. I have always tried to be straightforward and more than that to offer an explanation. People may not like my answer, but if I give an explanation I think they will at least respect the fact that I have given the matter some consideration and validated their concern. Just to say no right away is disrespectful. Even worse is to say yes, knowing full well you can't do it. If I tell you I am going to look into something, I will absolutely look into it.