Berano points to the death of Amber Czech, a young welder who was murdered at work.
“Here was this bright young woman who was amazing at her trade, who loved what she did,” Berano says. “And she was murdered at her workstation.”
The story stayed with her.
BUILT ON MORE THAN MATERIALS
“I thought about women in trades thinking, my gosh, these women go to work in fear every day. Some of them, maybe a lot of them. And that’s not okay.” “That really pushed me hard to say, you know what? We’ve got to do something to create a space for women here in Florida.”
For more than 70 years, Woodgrain has helped build the places America calls home.
Family-owned since 1954, the company has grown across lumber, millwork, doors and distribution while remaining grounded in values like integrity, safety and respect for people. As more women step into building materials and the trades, companies like Woodgrain are helping shape an industry where the next generation can grow, lead and belong.
That space is now the FBMA’s Inaugural Women of Lumber and Building Materials Summit.
Berano hopes it becomes a place where a recent graduate can sit beside a woman with four decades in the industry, where mentorship happens naturally and where women leave feeling stronger than when they arrived. “Maybe an older woman is going to find a new mentee. Maybe a young woman is going to find a new or additional mentor because you need more than one mentor throughout your career.”
Because building the future starts with investing in the people who will create it.
BERANO AND HER FATHER
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BUILDING THE FUTURE WOMEN
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