LA Times Recognizes Two Shawmut DEIA Visionaries

Chief people & administration officer Marianne Monte and West region senior director Dan Dumke were named to the LA Times’ list of DEIA Visionaries, recognized as thought leaders working towards diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) within Shawmut, the industry, and larger community. Read more about both Marianne’s and Dan’s work below and in the LA Times here and here.

Marianne Monte, Chief People & Administration Officer

When Marianne joined Shawmut, she was tasked with helping accelerate the firm’s DEIA journey—at the time, the firm had 30% diversity at the entry level and 10% at the senior level. Thanks to her leadership, in an industry that’s just 10% women, Shawmut has 33% women in its workforce, 20% in the senior level, and 30% in its CMST program; and with just 12% people of color in the industry, Shawmut has 22% people of color in its workforce, 11% in the senior level, and 29% in its CMST program—with goals and KPIs in place to continue to increase these numbers.

Much of the work Marianne did in her first few years at Shawmut laid the foundation for accelerated DEIA progress, including multiple initiatives that she helped lead.

• Sponsorship Relationships – This industry-leading program pairs high-potential, underrepresented employees with executive sponsors to leverage sponsors’ experience to bolster sponsees’ career aspirations, with the goal of promotion to the leadership team.
• Continuous Pay and Promotion Equity Review – Marianne switched Shawmut to a focal point review cycle, with everyone’s progress and compensation discussed and budgeted at the same time. This removes the influence of business cycles, ensuring that pay and promotion are regularly reviewed and worked on to maintain equity based on like work, experience, and performance.
• Inclusion Learning and Awareness Plan – Shawmut’s Inclusion Learning and Awareness Plan operationalizes the work around unconscious bias to provide managers the tools and skills to become inclusive, equitable leaders.

Marianne was named a Top People Leader and CHRO of 2023 by Mogul and a Diversity Champion in GlobeSt Real Estate Forum’s 2022 Women of Influence awards. She is an active volunteer with Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD).

Dan Dumke, Senior Director – West Region

A construction veteran with more than 40 years in the industry, Dan recognizes the critical importance of driving DEIA in the workplace, industry, and community. As senior director leading the West regions’ preconstruction services, Dan has a tangible impact on the business; as co-lead of the West Regional Diversity Leadership Council (RDLC), that impact is amplified.

Dan is dedicated to DEIA work, understanding the importance of building up those around him and supporting the future leaders of the industry. As co-lead of the West region’s RDLC—which has 13 members and counting—Dan works to advance Shawmut’s goal of workplace equity. Since Shawmut is a 100% employee-owned company, Dan advocates and champions for each and every person to feel responsible for creating a culture of care and belonging, and has led discussions on how small actions can propel this effort forward.

As leader of the purchasing and estimating teams, Dan plays an active role in supporting Shawmut’s membership with the Southern California Minority Supplier Development Council (SCMSDC) and WBEC-West, a regional partner of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, which enables Shawmut team members to connect with Underrepresented Business Enterprises (UBEs) and share how they can lower the barriers to entry for job partnerships.

Dan is on the Associated General Contractors of California’s (AGC CA) Orange County Board of Directors, is a member of the AGC’s DEI Steering Committee, and is vice chair of the AGC CA Construction Education Foundation Board, helping drive construction workforce development efforts and opportunities for young adults.