Women In Residential Remodeling Summit

PRO’s 7th Annual WiRR Summit

Tuesday, November 19, 2024 from 1-5 p.m.

Encore Boston Harbor

Keynote Speaker: Jenny Holaday, President, Encore Boston Harbor

Are you a successful business leader in a demanding, male-dominated industry? Or looking for upward momentum in your career and not sure where to start? THIS is for you!

We’re excited to welcome Jenny Holaday, President of Encore Boston Harbor, as the 2024 WiRR Summit keynote speaker. Encore Boston Harbor, one of Boston’s premier luxury destinations, generates approximately $840 million annually through world-class hospitality, gaming, and entertainment.

She will share her leadership journey and discuss her career trajectory, how she pushed through challenges, and the strategies that helped her achieve upward momentum in a male-dominated industry.

No matter where you are in your career you will leave with practical techniques and philosophies that will benefit you and your career goals. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from one of Boston’s top business leaders!

WIRR Was Wonderful!

The Women in Residential Remodeling Summit was a tremendous success, and the feedback from attendees has been truly inspiring. Don’t Take Our Word for It — Here’s what some of our members had to say:

Niki from Highline Construction shared:

This was such a wonderful event. We had a great time! Very inspiring. My key takeaways from Jenny were to build a red team and to be ‘comfortably coachable.’ To foster a company culture where our employees, trade partners, and clients know we are open to feedback and eager to keep growing and learning.

 Jessica from Almar Building & Remodeling Co, attending her FIRST PRO event, said:

Listening to Jenny was a truly impactful experience. Her approachable demeanor and undeniable expertise made her insights both refreshing and relatable. She spoke about the importance of putting herself in others’ shoes—a strength that came across as deeply authentic throughout her talk. Her ability to genuinely empathize and connect made her wisdom even more valuable. While I gained insights to enhance my own professional growth, I couldn’t help but think about how her message would resonate with my children. I’m inspired to give my three boys a ‘Jenny Holaday course’ to equip them with tools for undeniable success.

 Marcia from Monarch Stones remarked:

I had a wonderful time enjoying the company of many beautiful people and listening to Jenny’s amazing presentation. My biggest takeaway was that successful and powerful women can lead with their hearts and kick ass at the same time.

Jill from Platt Builders said:

Thank you for hosting such a powerful event. Jenny presented what I consider to be words to live by, many of which will have an immediate impact on me and the team I work with. I believe things happen for a reason, and the absence of a podium in the room led to a very effective and personable presentation. Jenny connected strongly and directly engaged with all of us. Perhaps she will ditch the podium in the future!

Melissa Bunis from Boston Stone Restoration added:

Jenny was so inspiring. I liked her comments about being coachable and about going to the dance!

Needless to say, we can’t wait to do this again. We are so grateful for the opportunity to host events like this that bring value, inspiration, and actionable insights to you, our members and PRO community participants.

Thank you to everyone who planned, supported, attended, and shared their thoughts! Stay tuned for more opportunities to connect and grow together in 2025!

Thank you to this year’s WiRR Sponsors

Sponsorship 2025: Interested In Sponsoring the 2025 Women in Residential Remodeling Summit? Let’s talk! Email John@PRO-NE.org

FYI: Overview of the WiRR Summit 2024

1:00-1:30 pm – Arrival, Networking & Light Refreshments

    • ​​Valet Parking​ ($5​) is recommended. Alternatively, indoor self-parking is available at no charge.
    • Ballroom Location: Picasso 8

1:30 pm – Welcome & Opening Remarks

2:00 – Keynote Address: Jenny Holaday, President, Encore Boston

    • Q&A

4:00 – 5:00 Reception

5:00 Transition to self-paced dining and gaming at Encore Boston

Executive Engagement

PRO New England’s Women in Residential Remodeling is led and curated by Michelle Glassburn of Lavallee Systems, Beezee Honan of Designer Bath, and Allison Iantosca of FH Perry, Builder. If you are interested in helping shape the WiRR agenda, please reach out.

Our generous sponsors will be well-represented by high-impact members of their teams. Click to see selected Executive info/bios

 

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Past WiRR Events

2023: “Empowering Brilliance: Unveiling the Transformative Essence of the WiRR Summit.“

Conferences like the Women in Residential Remodeling Summit hold a unique magic, for they provide a sacred space where the voices and visions of women in the remodeling industry converge. In this setting, women are not just attendees; they are agents of change, alchemists of innovation, and architects of their destinies.

Reflecting on her experience at the summit, Haley Maher, Director of Pre-construction at NS Builders had to say, “I moved back to the Boston area after living in the Rockies for the last five years and have been so, so grateful to have found the WiRR community through PRO. Construction is typically such a male dominated field and to be able to find a female centric community to interact with and meet mentors, friends, colleagues, and discuss our day to day lives outside of technical construction is such a gift.”  Read more. 

2022 – Women in Residential Remodeling & Baseball

The fifth Annual Women in Residential Remodeling (WiRR) event took place at the Lyman Estate on Tuesday, November 8th, featuring guest speakers Emma Tiedemann, Director of Broadcasting for the Portland Sea Dogs, and Katie Krall, Development Coach for the Boston Red Sox. Both women are part of a ceiling-busting trend in professional sports, a traditionally male-dominated field, not unlike women in the remodeling industry. The WiRR event is one of PRO NE’s most popular, with 70 people in attendance this year. Read more. 

 

 

2018 – First Annual Women in Remodeling Event Sells Out in Record Time

With an abundance of talent in the EM NARI chapter of women leaders in the remodeling industry, several members came together with Executive Director Michelle Glassburn to launch a new event: the Women in Remodeling luncheon (#WiRE). Once the tickets were made available, the event sold out in record time.

The panel featured moderator Kimberlee Dow-Marcotte, VP of Dovercraft, Inc. since 1986; Kathy DeMeyer, General Manager of Encore Construction and currently serving as EM NARI chapter President; Allison Iantosca, Owner/President of F.H. Perry Builder since 2008; Sarah Lawson, President/Owner of S+H Construction since 2016; and Julie Palmer, President of Charlie Allen Renovations since 2013. Read more. 

 

Collaboration

WiRR Co-Chair Beezee Honan

Designer Bath

Sharing experience.

Allison Iantosca

F.H. Perry Builder

Understanding challenges.

Leyah Valgardson

Leader’s Voice

Learning through listening.

Peter Feinmann

Feinmann, Inc.

The statistics about women in the remodeling industry is improving, and our PRO New England chapter has an abundance of talented women leading the way. When several members came together looking to foster advancement and professionalism for women, they created a forum to exchange ideas, mentor younger women and expand the dialogue about opportunities for women in the industry. The WiRR group was born and quickly sold out its premier event in November 2018.

Want to attend a WiRR event? Let’s add you to our mailing list click here.

October 2018 WiRE Panelist Allison Iantosca

October 2018 WiRE Committee Member Kelly Pappas

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