This is an initiative of the Small Business Committee to highlight member firms or individuals that are small businesses to show how membership in the WBC has helped small businesses succeed and to help new members use all the resources that the WBC has to offer.
As the President and Owner of Precision Wall Tech, a commercial painting and wallcovering company in Washington, DC, Cindy Athey has been a fixture in the DC construction industry for years. Though she began her career as a field surveyor, she was encouraged by a mentor to start her own painting and wallcovering company and in 1984, she formed Precision Wall Tech.
As a woman in a predominantly male industry, her entrance into the industry was not an easy one. Cindy searched for organizations that would help her grow her company. In 1995, she joined the Washington Building Congress (WBC) and considers her affiliation with the organization an integral part of her success. Over the years, Cindy has been involved with WBC in various roles – taking advantage of courses offered, sponsoring WBC events and making numerous charitable donations to WBC efforts in the DC area, including providing labor and materials for projects, such as Edward C. Mazique Parent Child Center.
Cindy credits WBC with providing her opportunities to meet general contractors. This allowed her to develop relationships with these decision makers which might have been difficult otherwise as a small business owner. WBC provides a crucially important venue for networking with other small business owners and members of the DC government/services that support small businesses. Cindy appreciates the outstanding quality of classes and instruction that WBC provides to its members. She believes that general contractor representatives serving as instructors provides the small business owners with valuable insight into fostering relationships with general contractors and understanding their needs with a small business owner’s participation.
In addition to her involvement with WBC, Cindy has been a devoted advocate of the apprenticeship training program and was a Chief Instructor with both Fairfax County and Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Metro for over 15 years. As a three-time recipient of the Department of Labor award for Apprenticeship Graduates, she continues to support the development of apprentices with an in-house apprenticeship program. Committed to giving back to the industry and her community, Cindy serves on the Board of Directors for the American Subcontractors Association (ASA) and the Anacostia Economic Development Corporation (AEDC). She is also on the board of trustees of the Scholarship Fund for the Butch Hopkins Memorial Trust and is this year’s recipient of the Legacy Award for her outstanding support and fundraising efforts.
As a company, Precision Wall Tech has received numerous awards for Subcontractor of the Year, Craftsmanship and Excellence in Construction from several general contractors, associations as well as specific project related acknowledgements. In her free time, Cindy enjoys skiing, going to the beach and spending time with her family. She finds pleasure in networking events and counts many of the relationships she has formed over the years in the business as close personal ones.
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