FEATURE
"When you’re dealing with clients on major projects,
you need to see both the big picture and the details,
and you also need to be able to manage a lot of
things at any given time. Those skills are second
nature to me.”
– Natasha Farren, vice-president, CARM
JEFF BRIDGES
cell: 204-761-5753
GLENN JAGO
cell: 204-761-7741
934 D Douglas Street, Brandon, MB R7A 7B2
Phone: 204-727-7204 Fax: 204-726-4211 Email: ipandh@mymts.net
Q: Any thoughts on what effect female leadership
for CARM might have on the organization?
A: My main focus is not on my own direct impact, but the impact
our board, executive and office team can have on our organization.
If we can discuss, collaborate and communicate as a team throughout
this process, it will be a great success. Our board has a lot of
great ideas, passion and knowledge for the industry. I’m hoping
this will result in everyone working together, feeling respected for
their contributions and proud of our accomplishments.
Q: What are you looking forward to achieving
as association president and as part of
the leadership group at CARM?
A: The Construction Association of Rural Manitoba is an association
that brings all businesses and people connected to the
industry together. Due to the current state of our economy and
the support our businesses will need, we hope CARM can help
these businesses navigate through the transition to our new,
post-COVID-19 normal. We want to be there for our members,
providing any resources they need and access to jobs up for bidding
through our PlanPoint platform, as well as lobbying on
behalf of our industry and marketing our members to our community.
More than ever, we are in this together, and this is when a
common voice will be needed.
Q: What are your future plans and hopes for CARM?
A: Our goal is to continue to strengthen our association. We have
a fantastic board and office team that have the skills to take us
where we need to go. We believe that partnering with other construction
and business associations and working together will
help us to achieve this.
Our new PlanPoint platform has provided some new direction
to ensure our businesses have full opportunity to access a
comprehensive list of jobs, and we want to continue to make it
as user-friendly as possible for our members. In addition, we will
continue to focus on helping our members navigate through the
continuous changes taking place in the construction industry
with training, technology, regulations and innovation.
Natasha Farren, CARM vice-president
Q: How did you get your start in the construction industry
and why did you decide to pursue a career in this area?
A: When I was 16, an opportunity came up to do some work with
my uncle pouring concrete and doing road work in Northern
Ireland. After a few months, I was managing a work site that had
220 men, and it seemed to suit me because I’m very detail orientated.
When you’re dealing with clients on major projects, you
need to see both the big picture and the details, and you also need
20 | Issue 1 2020 www.carm.ca
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