Gina Hardinson (wicw)

GINA HARDISON

VP, PURCHASING

1. What is a piece of career advice you never received but wish you had learned early on in your career?
I wish I had learned earlier in my career to have more confidence in myself and my abilities. As a woman in a male-dominated industry, I have found that confidence is key. I entered this profession shy and timid with no real aspirations other than stability for my young family. Times were completely different back then. It was the early 80s, and I was preconditioned to think that a woman’s role in the workplace was strictly secretarial based, but that perception changed very quickly as I was blessed to work under Faye Cooper. To see a woman so bold and confident in a man’s world was awe-inspiring; She was well respected by her peers for her knowledge of the steel industry and for being tough but fair in all of her transactions. She taught me everything I know about this business, and as the years went by, she pushed me to accept more and more responsibility. She had so much confidence in me, but it took nearly 20 years for me to see in myself what she had seen all along. Today, I am self-assured in my knowledge, accuracy, and work ethic. In a swiftly moving industry, there’s no time to waste second-guessing yourself, and just as Mrs. Cooper lead by example, I make an effort to encourage and instill confidence not only in my own daughters but also in the next female generation of the Cooper Steel team.

2. What is something you never thought you would have done when you started your career in construction?
Considering I began my career with no college education, at 21 years old, as a receptionist hired on a “temporary basis”, I would’ve never dreamed that today I’d be a Vice President in a multi-million dollar company. The Cooper Family recognizes hard work and dedication, and they reward those qualities by promoting from within- They have enabled me to grow over the years from sitting at the front desk to where I am now. I’m so proud of the incredible Purchasing Team we have assembled over the years, as we now order millions of dollars of steel for not only our three fabrication shops but also for multiple sub-fabrication shops. Our work is fast-paced, and our ability to work so well together as a team is the secret to our success.  

3. What is the biggest/most impactful change you have seen in this industry since you started?
The advancement of technology has been vital to the evolution of our industry: Our efficiency has increased 10-fold as we are working better, safer, and faster. Our ongoing project portfolio looks vastly different these days compared to 20, 10, or even 5 years ago, and I believe that is largely contributable to our company’s openness to new processes and technologies. Our management team is constantly looking for new and better ways to help our company continue to grow & thrive for future generations. 

Share by: