50 UPWORD www.winnipegconstruction.ca UPWORD: What was your first job? MARY VAN BUREN: I began my career at American Express in Toronto, marketing traveler’s cheques. Amex is a best-practices firm, and I was fortunate to work with big data and outstanding leaders. They believed in rotating people, so I developed skills in many areas including advertising, communications and direct marketing. U: What’s your earliest memory of being a leader? MVB: In high school I ran for Grade 11 class president and was defeated. I was a Canadian at an American high school in Germany and was clueless about how elections work! The next year I ran again for class secretary and was elected. U: You’ve held executive roles at leading associations including the Canadian Medical Association’s subsidiary and the Canadian Real Estate Association. What influenced you to work in the not-for-profit sector? MVB: When I moved back from Toronto to Ottawa in the 1990s, I found that the most interesting work was happening in the public/ not-for-profit sector. Both associations are leaders in their industries and put their members first while applying business principles, which is refreshing because it allows maximizing member value over a longer horizon. You don’t have to make decisions quarter to quarter like in many firms in the private sector. U: What motivated you to make the move to the Canadian Construction Association? MVB: I was searching for a leadership role in a sector of national importance. The CCA governance committee’s passion for the industry, commitment to change and their agility impressed me! U: How will your background in strategy and marketing be an asset to the future of the CCA? MVB: Knowing your customer is fundamental to marketing and drives strategy and decisions. This knowledge must be grounded in facts, not opinions. It can be applied to every stakeholder we work with. For example, the government. What are their needs? Who are the influencers? How can we reach them and what would be the most effective messaging? How can we measure our success? Our members are very busy; many of them are small business owners. We need to communicate complex issues in a way that is meaningful to them, putting more emphasis on the “what’s in it for me.” My team and I will be reviewing our messaging and channels to create a more compelling and dynamic experience. U: What is the best advice you’ve received as the new CCA president? MVB: It can be lonely at the top so lean on your network of colleagues in similar roles. I’m very fortunate to be connected to incredibly smart and helpful people at all levels. U: What are three things that you hope to accomplish in your role? MVB: The CCA has built a strong reputation as Canada’s national voice for the construction industry. I have three objectives in support of the industry: 1.  Increase our profile with the government. Our industry employs close to 1.4 million people and generates billions in GDP. We can be proactive in bringing constructive solutions to the table and voicing our views. We must be aligned to have an impact. 2.  Improve construction’s image as an attractive career. The industry is changing rapidly, and technology will affect the work in unimaginable ways. We have a great opportunity to bring in the brightest minds and skilled people to ensure an innovative and productive sector. 3.  Advocate for the adoption of technology. The construction industry is lagging behind many other sectors. Technology can assist with labour shortages as well as improve safety, quality and productivity. I look forward to working collaboratively with CCA’s partner associations and other stakeholders to align our strategies and messaging to deliver as much value as possible to our members. Q&Awith MaryVanBuren, President of the Canadian Construction Association INDUSTRY INTERVIEW W e catch up with the Canadian Construction Association’s president to find out what motivated her to work in the construction industry, a few things she’d like to accomplish in her new role and how her background in strategy and marketing will be an asset to the future of the association.