Tina Haro, Senior National Builder Manager at Simpson Strong-Tie, initially didn’t anticipate a career in sales but recognized the value of building relationships within her role. Her duties involve connecting Simpson Strong-Tie with builders, offering builders solutions and representing the company at industry events. As a recent recipient of the 2023 Top Women in Hardware & Building Supply Rising Stars Award, she is enthusiastic about her impact within the industry. 

I never saw myself in a sales role. I thought my personality was more suited for something in a science lab. It just felt like the natural next step as I had graduated with a biology degree. I was in the service industry after college and was looking for more of a career but wasn’t finding any success. I had a friend who suggested I consider interviewing for a “builder rep” position for a paint manufacturer. I had no idea what that meant but thought why not? Like a lot of us who have found ourselves in the construction industry, I didn’t exactly pursue it but rather fell into it. I genuinely enjoy getting to know people. I don’t consider my position to be sales as that tends to be viewed as transactional, rather than relationship based. It’s about long-term, strategic partnerships where the benefits are mutual. It takes time, experience and transparency to develop those authentic connections. It’s been such a rewarding career, though, that I can’t imagine ever leaving to pursue another one.

As a National Builder Manager, I act as a liaison between Simpson Strong-Tie and our builder partners. My day-to-day responsibilities include presenting to builder leadership, negotiating builder programs, walking jobsites, providing customer service, answering questions about products and services, and ultimately providing solutions to help our builder partners achieve their initiatives. Additionally, I represent Simpson Strong-Tie at industry events, tradeshows and various associations, including the NAHB International Builders Show, the California Building Industry Association PCBC, Builder Connections and ExecutiveXchange, to name a few.

I’m also active in the NAHB Leading Suppliers Council and Professional Women in Building. These councils help support the residential construction industry and allow Simpson to have a seat at the table. I think what truly sets Simpson apart is our culture. It all starts with how we treat our employees and our partners. This is a very supportive and collaborative environment where everyone has an equal voice regardless of position or title. Our products and services are an extension of that culture. Simpson wouldn’t be able to produce the  No-Equal® products and services we have were it not for the development of strong, diverse, collaborative teams.

Being a female in this industry brings some unique challenges. Women often need to work harder and prove their knowledge to earn the same respect as a man in the same position. I’ve found the best way to overcome that challenge is to embrace my differences because I bring a distinct perspective that may be a better fit for that customer or situation. Before I came to Simpson, I also experienced other people taking credit for my work. It’s frustrating when a person in a leadership position doesn’t promote the efforts of their team’s work but rather takes the credit for themselves. I’ve experienced this, and I’ve found that I need to self-promote in order to earn my deserved respect. These experiences make me even happier to have landed at Simpson Strong-Tie, where I’ve received nothing but support and teamwork throughout my tenure.

I recently recorded a “Women in Residential Construction” podcast series. This is a Simpson-hosted podcast where we invited women in the industry to lend their experience and expertise. This was an opportunity for them to share their stories on a larger platform to inspire other women to consider a career in the construction industry. This was a three-part series (Women in Leadership, The Importance of Mentorship, The Future of Women in the Industry) with three Simpson women as hosts and nine industry guests. We recorded these on September 17, and the podcast released on October 31, 2023.

One thing I am really excited about is the fact that I recently won the 2023 Top Women in Hardware & Building Supply Rising Stars Award. I felt honored to be recognized among such an outstanding group of women. I appreciate being able to represent Simpson Strong-Tie as someone who is making an impact both within our organization and throughout the industry. I hope this award inspires other women to consider a career in the construction industry. 

When I started my career 17 years ago, I thought this was just a stepping-stone. I didn’t see it as a long-term career option, nor as a clear pathway to success. I genuinely enjoy what I do. I like the team I work with, the company I represent and the partners I get to interact with on a daily basis. I continue to ask my leaders to help me identify which skills I need to work on and develop a plan for improving those areas. I align myself with those who inspire me and motivate and encourage my success. Today, I can’t see myself in any other career. I hope to have demonstrated a successful career trajectory for others to model.