2024 Women in Construction – Maiken Westphal – Westphal & Company

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A driving force in her family’s construction business for over two decades, Maiken Westphal continues to make historic impacts for Westphal & Company.

Beginning as an electrician helper, she navigated through various roles, including estimator, project manager and director of marketing until reaching her current position as co-owner and vice president of preconstruction. Westphal’s accomplishments include directly procuring and managing multiple multi-million-dollar biotechnology projects. Her strategic involvement also led to winning the largest project in the company’s 93-year history.

“Maiken is an incredibly enthusiastic and encouraging leader to work with and look up to,” said Ryan Thinnes, director of preconstruction at Westphal & Company. “She consistently supports and works to train both experienced employees and new hires and helps guide the path of the company overall as a fourth-generation owner.”

Under Westphal’s leadership, the company has experienced substantial growth in part due to her initiatives in re-evaluating estimating methods and business development strategies, as well as improving project tracking.

In the time outside of making meaningful strides in the construction industry, Westphal coaches youth soccer and is active with youth hockey, while also contributing to organizations like March of Dimes and the Wisconsin School of Business-Family Business Center.

As a leading woman in the industry, Wesphal’s dedication to mentoring the next generation is apparent in her work with UW-Madison’s Construction Club, where her guidance helped students win the NECA 2023 Electrical Contracting and Innovation Challenge. She actively supports women in construction through Women Developing Wisconsin and Bioforward Wisconsin’s Women in Biohealth program, initiatives that foster growth, confidence, and connection for those early in career development.

Westphal’s commitment to fostering talent and driving success is a testament to her influence in both her company and the construction industry as a whole.