Join us for Mentorship Monday as we celebrate Women in Construction Week, empowering and inspiring the next generation of female leaders in the industry!
We are thrilled to have an amazing panel of speakers join us!
Kelly Capps is a Project Engineer at Ross Construction Group in Bentonville, AR, and Treasurer for NAWIC. She is pursuing a degree in Construction Management at NWACC and is actively involved with Breakthrough T1D. Kelly lives in Siloam Springs with her two sons and enjoys the outdoors, walking her dogs, and cheering on her boys in their sports activities.
Larry Perkin, AIA - Partner earned his Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Arkansas in 1979. He has worked nationally and internationally on a variety of projects and joined the firm in 2004. Prior to joining Hight Jackson, he was the president of EBCO Construction Co. in Kansas City. With a focus on community, Larry served on the JBU Construction Management Advisory Board and was also a past board member of CASA of NWA. He currently serves on the boards of the Helen Walton Children’s Enrichment Center and the Fayetteville Public Education Foundation, and is an advisor to several nonprofits in the area. Larry enjoys entertaining, cooking, and painting.
Linden Combs is the Business Development Officer for CDI Contractors. She’s new to the construction industry graduating from the University of Arkansas in 2024. She is outgoing and enjoys meeting new people. In her role at CDI, she’s been able to connect with many community and industry associations. A fun fact about Linden is she was a gymnast for 15 years!
Sara Hedge is CDI Contractor's BIM/VDC Coordinator. A graduate of the University of Arkansas, Sara has worked in the design and construction industry for well over a decade. She holds a Certificate of Management-LEAN as well as a Certificate of Management-BIM, and recently acquired her commercial drone license. Sara is an active member of the built community, serving multiple years on the board of the Women's Leadership Initiative of ULI, as well as the board of directors for NAWIC. When she's not at work Sara enjoys spending time with family, cooking, traveling, and rewatching The Office.
John Deramus was named vice president/division manager of Northwest Arkansas in November 2022. He joined the company in 2004 after graduating from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a degree in construction management. Over his 20-year tenure with CDI, John has held a wide variety of field operations and project management positions and has managed key project delivery departments within the company. John holds a LEED Green Associate certification and is a member of the American and Arkansas Societies for Healthcare Engineering and the Construction Specification Institute. As vice president/division manager of Northwest Arkansas, John leads estimating, business development and project delivery teams. He ensures effective communication, rigorous quality control, and timely on-site execution, guaranteeing project success from start to finish. With a keen eye for detail and a commitment to continuous improvement, John implements innovative policies and procedures, as well as cost-saving measures, to optimize project outcomes.
