Undoubtedly as one of the top safety professionals in the industry, Barbara Yee brings three decades of construction and safety expertise to her projects. A civil engineering graduate from the University of Hawai`i, she began her career at Nordic Construction Inc. as an intern. In fact, Barbara jumped headfirst into operations as an engineer (intern) working under Marlon Garces, (project manager), and Steve Galicinao, (project engineer), on the Whole Barracks and Kolekole Connector Road at Schofield Barracks. In 2002, she was hired as a full-time project engineer working on the Pearl City Bus Facility with John Baranski, (PM), where she was quickly spotted by Gaylord Yoshimura, the Nordic Construction safety manager. Gaylord invited Barbara to detour her career into Construction Safety where she has flourished.

In the early 2000s, there were not many females in construction – let alone safety. As one of the early adopters of the construction safety program, Barbara help lift the importance of the program as it was just beginning to integrate into the construction culture. As team members would say, “Barbara has taught us that safety is something that happens between the ears, not something you hold in your hands.” Her expertise stems from working with the top general contractors in Hawai`i including A.C. Kobayashi and Kiewit. After rejoining Nordic PCL Construction in 2017, her leadership and safety acumen earned her a national recognition from the Army Corps of Engineers. In 2023, Barbara was one of only two honorees in the United States to receive this acclaimed safety honor for her commitment and exemplary service on the Schofield 2075 and 2076 project.

While she is Nordic PCL’s “secret sauce” to safety, Barbara started with humble beginnings. As entrepreneurs, her family operated a gas station that evolved into a small marine motor repair shop in Chinatown. Spending her time helping with odd jobs at the store, Barbara also nurtured a passion for basketball and extreme sports. In high school, Barbara was the “Lisa Leslie” of the Islands. Her love for sports, construction and family is only surpassed by her love for karaoke. You can always persuade Barbara to join you in a sing-along, as she occasionally shared with team members in our NPCL Toastmasters meetings. A mother, wife, and friend – Barbara is not just PCL’s secret sauce. Her ability to help and inspire others is the true recipe for building a legacy for success.