BOSTON, MA Kaplan Construction announces that its COO, Jane Kaplan Peck, has been named Emerging Leader of the Year by the Associated General Contractors Massachusetts Chapter (AGC MA) in its first ever BWiC Inspire Awards. Kaplan Peck was one of four women in construction honored for demonstrating leadership, generosity, innovation, and unwavering commitment to their career, colleagues and industry. Award recipients and nominees were recognized during a luncheon at the Boston Seaport Hotel, with opening remarks by Lt. Governor Karyn Polito and host speaker Aurora Cammarata, Director of Business Development at Nelson Architects.

As the leading commercial construction association in the Commonwealth, AGC MA provides member benefits and business resources for the state's building industry. The BWiC Inspire Awards were created to acknowledge women who are making their mark on the construction industry as mentors, leaders, and role models.

"It is encouraging to see a group like AGC MA support women helping to break down barriers so all can achieve great success in the construction industry," said Kaplan Peck. "I am proud to be included among the first women to receive a BWiC Inspire award. Together, we demonstrate that a career in construction is an achievable - and rewardable - option for women."

Following a three-year management transition in September 2014, Kaplan Peck was appointed Chief Operating Officer responsible for ensuring Kaplan's fiscal security and controlling all financial activities. In October 2014, she spearheaded the effort for Kaplan to be certified as a Women Business Enterprise (WBE) by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Kaplan has since ranked annually as a Top 100 Women-Led Business in Massachusetts by The Commonwealth Institute and a Best Place to Work by the Boston Business Journal, as well as named a Massachusetts Family Business of the Year by the Northeastern University Center for Family Business and a Family Business Association Award finalist for Massachusetts by The Warren Group. In 2017, the firm ranked as the 13th largest minority and women-owned business in Massachusetts by the Boston Business Journal. Since the transition, Kaplan's volume has tripled and the number of staff has doubled.

She was also recently recognized by The Warren Group as an Outstanding Woman of Family Business, as well as named to Constructech Magazine's 2016 Women in Construction list in recognition of her advocacy of construction technology to improve the quality of work.