Laura Nelson: Top 40 Under 40
Each year, Alaska Journal of Commerce recognizes Alaska’s best 40 leaders who are under 40 years old. The Top 40 Under 40 award recipients demonstrate leadership through professional excellence and commitment to the community. Laura Nelson, a Watterson Construction project manager and shareholder, received the 2012 Top 40 Under 40 Award.
Ms. Nelson has been and will be a leader in Alaska’s communities. She tackles new challenges with vigor and has become a mentor to those who work under her.
Ms. Nelson has become a knowledgeable and well respected member of the construction community, and has rapidly advanced through a tough industry. She is a shareholder in the elite group of shareholders of one of Alaska’s largest Alaskan owned general contractors.
There are few women in the construction industry and even fewer female Project Managers. Ms. Nelson has pioneered the way for future women in field of construction management and has become a leader of the industry. In the words of one of her early Quality Control Staff trainees, “Laura is tough, but she is fair.”
Laura is dedicated to promoting the well-being of Alaska, and she demonstrates this in a variety of ways. Ms. Nelson encourages students to utilize the training and education opportunities Alaska has to offer, and promotes Alaskans to pursue careers in Alaska. She is dedicated to using sustainable building techniques to preserve Alaska’s resources and environment. Ms. Nelson is an Alaska-grown top 40!