Gretchen began her career in the engineering/construction/ energy/mining industries as an engineering intern for Lone Star Gas (now Atmos Energy) in Dallas, Texas while completing her mechanical engineering degree at SMU. After graduating in 1986, Gretchen was hired as the first female operations manager for Ralston Purina (now Nestle Purina) in the US, joining 62 of her male peers. Within six years, Gretchen was managing a plant with over 800 employees.
In 1994, after completing her MBA with a focus in finance, Gretchen joined FMI Corporation, the leading strategy and capital advisement firm in the construction and related industries. Gretchen joined FMI as the second female management consultant, became the third female Director within four years, and left as a shareholder after 11 successful years. A highlight of Gretchen’s time with FMI was creating and building the Client Services Group, focused upon advising large clients such as GM, Intel, Dominion Energy, and Procter & Gamble to accelerate and reduce the cost of capital program delivery. Gretchen also continued to provide strategic consulting to large engineering and construction firms.
After a hiatus from the construction industry to, as Gretchen says, “get off a plane and be with my kids!), Gretchen returned in 2013 as the CEO/President of Continuum Advisory Group (CAG), where shecontinued to provide strategic advisement to clients, engineering, and construction firms. While President of CAG, Gretchen completed her PhD in Organisation Performance, Learning, and Change, focusing upon leadership, organisation culture and agility.
In 2018, Gretchen left Continuum Advisory Group to begin her adventure in Australia, which has included initiating women’s leadership programs with both the Australian Pipelines and Gas Association and the Crane Industry Council of Australia. Gretchen is a member of the Construction Industry Culture Taskforce (CICT) and was the first female Chair of the Judging Panel for the Australian Construction Achievement Awards (ACAA). Gretchen has also taught post-graduate and MBA courses at the Australian National University (ANU). Gretchen is the proud mother of two beautiful children, Holden and Regan, an avid golfer and frequent travel adventurer.
