Today we’d like to introduce you to Ladi March-Goldwire.
Ladi, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I am a native of South Florida. Moved for a brief period of time to Jacksonville, Florida. My story began chasing my father around his job sites when I was a small girl, sort of tagging along.
He was a block mason. I knew very early on from those experiences that I wanted to work within the construction industry. As a young girl, I found myself pondering the “hows” associated with getting started. Quite frankly, there were just no women for me to pull from. While we have seen an increase in women serving in non-traditional careers, they still represent a very small number in comparison to their male counterparts.
I was a young single mother very early on in my journey. Those circumstances in and of itself brought on some challenges. More than anything though, it helped me develop rather tough skin. I would like to believe I have since developed the art of adaptation over time. My ability to do just that (adapt and adjust) under extreme conditions and circumstance has proven to be a skillset worth having while serving in the capacity as Building Official for the City of Riviera Beach.
I have had a rather controversial tenure while there. Getting the players at the table to take me seriously and accept that I am qualified and deserve to have a seat at the table has been no easy task. All in all, I would not change anything. I have been a licensed General Contractor for well over a decade and have successfully grown three small businesses, all construction industry related. BrinMar Construction, a boutique construction firm has been rated among the top 5% of contractors registered in the state.
The Permit Ladi has assisted hundreds of real estate companies in successfully mitigating permitting and code violations throughout municipalities all over Florida. GRIP Solutions while still in the infancy stage has been crafted to assist developers, and majority-owned firms bridge the gap associated with satisfying minority participation mandates for government procurement contract opportunities.
GRIP Solutions is working toward crafting and facilitating inclusive conversations for collaborative segues into public/private partnerships.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
There has been nothing smooth about my journey. I do believe any bumps along the way have been necessary. I believe all of my experiences are relevant to many of the realities of today-for lots of women, specifically realities associated with gender bias and social injustice- to name a few.
As mentioned earlier, being a woman of color – and finding yourself submerged in an industry dominated by men of non-color comes with a host of challenges all by itself.
Then there is struggle to overcome the perception managing to survive the twists and turns of life that in some way you have somehow turned your back on or turned your nose up at those still very much engaged in the struggle to maintain/sustain. The loneliness associated with being selfish about your success can be overwhelming. To compound the previously mentioned challenges, I am the mother and staunch advocate to a young adult son who suffers from schizoaffective disorder.
This has prompted me to become uber engaged in mental health conversations that result in changes in legislation. Changes that would somehow improve the medical care provided to persons learning to cope with the devastating diagnoses of mental illness.
I also am a proud parent of two additional young adults, a wife, a daughter, and a self-proclaimed “best” friend. Smoothing out the road has been about achieving some balance associated with the multiple roles.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about the City of Riviera Beach /GRIP Solutions ( Government Resource and Inclusive Planning) – what should we know?
As I mentioned, my primary job is serving as Building Official for the beautiful city of Riviera Beach. What makes Riviera Beach so dynamic is that it one of the very last waterfront cities primarily occupied and governed by African Americans.
It has slowly over the years become a destination spot for divers; it has been acknowledged by the marine community as the number one dive location in the entire world. It is home to Fortune 1000 companies such as Tesla, UPS, FedEx, Coca Cola, Pepsi, Serta Mattress, Restaurant Depot, Sysco, Pitney Bowes, Lockheed Martin, Rybovich Yachts, and Cheyney Brothers to name a few.
The city contains a Marina, a full operation sea Port, Intracoastal waterways, and is accessible to FRC Railways. With consideration for all of that, my job is both complicated and fulfilling. As the Building Official, I am responsible for the interpretation and enforcement of Florida Building Codes. I am to answer for the life safety and general welfare of the public at all times.
This can be burdensome when one considers there are an over 11k parcels within the city and multiple building types. I can say undoubtedly most know for my unwillingness to compromise safety and my commitment to treat everyone equally when it comes to enforcement of the Florida Building Code. Some people appreciate that position-those unwilling to do business fairly and in good faith with our city government do not.
It has gotten pretty scary for me at times. I have been sued, had arrest warrants issued, and ostracized in the media for not bending. I am pleased to say I have been able to confidently land on my feet in each instance because of the very in-depth understanding and respect I have for what I do. Building codes were crafted to keep people safe and to save lives. Enforcing those codes to the letter allows me to be able to do just that.
Outside of work I love the affiliation I have been gifted through NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Palm Beach County. I get to serve with amazing board members and staff who are equally as committed to raising awareness to mental illness.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Confidence. Humility. Being Unapologetic about being a woman. Learning to embrace that space while making genuine consideration for all of the wonderful possibilities life has to offer.
Contact Info:
- Address: 600 W Blue Heron Blvd Riviera Beach, FL 33404
- Website: www.rivierabch.com
- Instagram: @IAMLADI4
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/
ladimarch1
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