The first female president of the Contractors Association of Truckee Tahoe is Meghan Behm! We are so excited to have such a stellar, talented tradeswoman and business owner to carry this title. 

Meghan Behm’s brother is a general contractor in Tahoe and he quickly discovered the need for more cabinet suppliers for the area. When Meghan moved to Tahoe he thought it would be a great idea for the two of them, and their mother, to start a cabinet business together and fill that need. They started in 2001, and have been in Carnelian Bay since. They opened their first showroom together in 2002 and settled into their current showroom in 2012.

In her early years in the business, Meghan learned how to understand the ins and outs of construction, how to work with general contractors and how to run a business. Her brother remains a resource and support but Meghan now runs the entire business.

The greatest challenge Meghan has faced working in a male dominated industry, are older generations who are used to only men working in construction. She has worked harder to prove that she understands the construction process and how to help contractors to keep timelines. She found that having greater communication with clients is key to a smoother, successful project. She feels that this has been her greatest asset as a woman and as a trade partner. Another set of eyes, with both males and females on the project, is a tremendous asset.

Meghan enrolled in CATT after seeing the challenges during the economic downturn in the early 2000’s. She was also working as an estimator and saw the impact to the trades. The cutthroat competition was shocking to Meghan and she wanted to find a way for the industry to work together, in a way that everyone can thrive. This inspired her to get involved on a deeper level with CATT.

Meghan has been on the CATT board in various roles for years. As the newly elected President, Meghan hopes to encourage more industry professionals to get involved with the goal of more perspectives, more ideas and greater communication within the industry. Her second goal is to increase CATT’s understanding of challenges experienced in the field. “If we are all involved a little, that means fewer people have to give all of their time…and more involvement means CATT can be more effective helping the trades”.

To the young people considering a future in the trades, Meghan believes it is a great path. There is plenty of work, great income to be made and it’s a path to reduce the debt so many young people face through a traditional college path. There is stability in the trades and if a four year college and the debt that comes with it isn’t what you want to take on, there are a lot of benefits in the trades. There are so many options and a variety of skill sets needed. For younger girls who may be interested, Meghan encourages girls to look at the variety of skills that are not primarily physical or requiring heavy labor. “Look at all the opportunities. There are super labor intensive positions but there are plenty that are not and all roles are important to getting the job done right.”

In closing, Meghan’s message is to get involved, show up, let CATT know what you need help with. We are responsive and care. There are many ways to be involved and the best way to make your membership work for you is to get involved on any level. Everyone can show up and make a difference, and Meghan is living proof!