Maureen Rystrom

Candy O'Terry
Dec 19, 2025
2 min read

Episode 334

In the beginning, I was usually the only woman in the room. That was great, because it was memorable, and it was also bad, because it was memorable. -Maureen Rystrom

Meet a woman who is at the top of her game in a male-dominated field. As Partner & Vice President of Marketing at J. Calnan & Associates, jcalnan.com, Maureen Rystrom oversees the construction management company’s comprehensive marketing and communications initiatives. At a time when commercial messaging is often in your face, Maureen describes herself as a “thoughtful brand strategist” who takes a softer path. Her focus? The good work being done by J. Calnan & Associates and their customers in the communities where they build. Says Maureen: “It’s not necessarily what we build, it’s how we build that makes us special.” In this interview, she also shares the skills she honed to make her corporate climb a success story:

Roll up your sleeves.
Get out there and be seen.
Be respectful of others’ time.
Always follow through.
Make an impact.

A pro at breaking glass ceilings with her own brand of grace and grit, Maureen is also a rock star connector and the co-founder of PLA, the Professional Ladies’ Association. A three-sport varsity captain in high school, Maureen says that playing sports prepared her for success in business and credits her parents for teaching her the importance of an unstoppable work ethic. “If you want something in life, you’ve got to go out there and get it. You earn what you have. Nothing is handed to you.” For 24 minutes of the kind of fire that can spark YOUR success story, just hit that download button. #corporate #marketing #constructionmanagement