Lessons in leadership Two perspectives, one goal By Melanie Franner The merging of realities
Kristin Tangen Steffins at work on the job site and at play with her partner Dean Steffins.
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o say that 2020 was an unusual year is an understatement. It was truly a challenging, discouraging, and difficult time for most Canadians, if not the world. But life – and work – carried on for the most part, and some people in all sectors and walks of life rose to new heights by channeling their expertise and capitalizing on their experiences. But here now, are two industry leaders who share their perspectives on change, leadership, community, and how their experiences helped them navigate COVID-19. 34 Vancouver Island Construction Association
Following her dreams by entering the world of science, Kristin Tangen Steffins attained a PhD from UBC in microbiology before pursuing a program manager position in supportive care for prostate cancer research. Steffins never lost that love of science, but she soon grew to add construction to her list of passions. “I have always been fascinated by the process of building,” says Steffins. “I see a lot of parallels to cell structures and function-homologous features.” This latter passion eventually led Steffins to partner with Dean Steffins on the creation of the Banyan Group of Companies Ltd., a holding entity for Banyan Construction Ltd. (construction management/ carpentry), and Banyan Structural Ltd. (concrete and masonry). All in, they have a staff of 63 people. In 2020, Steffins saw the comingling of both her passions. “COVID-19 brought about a bizarre intersection of my past and present careers,” she says, adding that her unique background enabled her to react quickly and confidently. “Even though my career path has changed, I have continued
to keep up on recent research and stay connected to past colleagues. And I continue to be passionate about science.” This served Steffins well, as she quickly took the lead to develop and implement comprehensive policies and procedures to protect the workers at Banyan. She also was quick to team up with other companies and leaders through VICA. “We are grateful that VICA organized meetings with local general contractors and construction managers at the onset of the pandemic to share information and to help us connect,” she says. “These meetings proved invaluable to us.” Working with VICA also enabled Steffins to share her company’s comprehensive policies and procedures with the greater construction community. “I have been able to act as a resource to the industry and our team in answering scientific questions about the disease – genetics, transmission, pathology, epidemiology, and vaccine development.” Steffins is far from considering her accomplishments over. She and her partner have many ideas that they hope to launch in the future, including humanitarian ef-
Donna Hais lives by her own standards to walk the walk and talk the talk.
