Alise Martiny

First Female President of Labor Union —

ALISE MARTINY OF KANSAS CITY has worked in the construction industry for the past 20 years. She began her endeavors after hearing a radio advertisement recruiting minorities and females into the construction industry. Martiny applied for the program and was accepted into the Kansas City Cement Masons Apprenticeship Program in 1980.

Martiny successfully completed the program and worked as a journeyperson on hundreds of job sites. She earned the admiration and respect of her co-workers for being a hard worker and a team player. She began utilizing her knowledge and skill in the trades and obtained the position of the apprenticeship coordinator in 1993. After working six years in teaching our future workforce, she moved to the position of business representative.

Martiny actively recruits women and minorities. She has held the positions of executive board member and vice president. Currently she holds the office of president of the Operative Plasterers’ and Cement Masons’ Local Union #518 in Kansas City. No other woman has ever been the president of that union.

Martiny’s most recent achievements include being awarded NAWIC’s Wolverine Tradeswomen of the year in 1999 and The Missouri Women’s Council ”Woman of the Year“ for the year 2000. She also was appointed to serve on the State of Missouri Employment and Training Council.