Continuing a Family Tradition

When Gerald Wilson, 50-year retired member of Local 1 Michigan, saw his daughter complete her nursing degree, he never believed it would lead her to become the fifth generation of Wilsons to be involved in the construction business. Debra Wilson Byram is a Senior Administrative Officer for the National Institutes of Health Mark O. Hatfield Clinical Research Center in Bethesda, Maryland. From overseeing project timelines to providing a ‘clinical’ understanding of how the building must be planned out, Debra played a principal role in the construction of the new facility, which was dedicated last September. Brother Wilson is proud of his daughter – not only for carrying on the family tradition, but for working and excelling in an industry that has not always welcomed women.