(Boston, MA) – Kim Silvestri, Project Executive at BOND, the Northeast’s premier building, civil, utility and energy construction firm, was honored with the Building Women in Construction (BWIC) Mentor of the Year Award on March 5. More than 150 industry peers attended the luncheon ceremony, led with opening remarks by Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito.
The BWIC 2019 Inspire Awards are designed to recognize and celebrate the most exemplary women in construction who demonstrate leadership, generosity, innovation and unwavering commitment to their careers, colleagues and industry.
BOND’s Kim Silvestri is an experienced mentor and trailblazer for many women in the construction industry. She has worked in the construction management field for more than 20 years and has experienced the challenges of being a woman in the industry.
Kim attributes many of her successes to the mentors that helped guide her. She had a few key mentors that taught her some of the best practices and methodologies she still uses today. “I was lucky to be surrounded by strong leadership during the early stages of my career,” said Kim Silvestri. “It made all the difference and I wouldn’t be where I am today without the advice and experience I gained from them.”
As an accessible role model for other women, Kim is a big advocate of mentorship, both inside and outside of work. Kim is the co-chair of BONDing Women in Construction, the company’s internal professional women’s association. The group provides a venue for women to access mentors, discuss timely topics, develop strategies and offer networking opportunities.
In addition, Kim leads the BOND Professional Learning Exchange (PLX), a group for minority and women business owners. She mentors and helps educate women in the local communities, empowering them to develop, grow and prosper. She initiated a partnership with the Center for Women and Enterprise (CWE) and currently teaches courses to help women start their own business. She also is on the Board of Directors for the ACE Mentoring Program, which is a program that mentors local high school students to inspire them to pursue a career in design and construction.
“Kim is a genuine person that clients and co-workers truly enjoy working with. She knows how to be persistent, hard-working and determined. Yet she combines it with an approachable, grounded style and a sense of humor,” said Robert Murray, President of BOND. “Her dynamic working style in a male-dominated industry, is living proof that it takes different skills, perspectives and collaborators coming together to deliver a successful building project.”
Kim has led many multi-million-dollar projects with a solid success rate such as Taunton State Hospital WRAP (Women’s Recovery from Addictions Program) Center, which won the Preservation Massachusetts Tsongas Award for Best Use of Community and Social Services. She is currently leading the new Providence Public Library Renovation project along with recent projects at South Shore Hospital. One of her most notable projects was the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Women & Infants Hospital.
Kim is a graduate of Roger Williams University with a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management Business Administration. She also is an American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE) Certified Healthcare Constructor. She is the former Secretary of the Rhode Island Healthcare Engineers Society (RIHES) and continues an active involvement in that organization along with the New England Healthcare Engineers Society (NEHES).