New Book by Barbara Tahan Res 1967
NEWS RELEASE
Contact: Barbara Res 201-768-4184 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 18, 2013
Barbara Res - the ORIGINAL APPRENTICE - Tells the Story of the Building of Trump Tower
And Her Struggle as One of the First Women to Rise in the Construction Industry
In her just published book, -- ALL ALONE ON THE 68TH FLOOR: How One Woman changed the Face of Construction -- a memoir, celebrity tell-all and construction primer, Barbara Res shares her experiences of being a female engineering student, being harassed, humiliated, intimidated and chased off construction sites by male workers, and of her eventual rise to Executive Vice-President of the Trump Organization. Res entered the rough and tumble world of construction after graduating in 1972 from City College of New York -- one of only three women in an engineering class of 800.
Construction remains a heavily male- dominated industry, but in 1972, it was a "no woman's land", and Res met resistance at every turn, in the form of discrimination, sexual harassment and intimidation. She was literally barred from the work site, a move that prevented her from advancing in her job. She quit several positions because of discrimination. Finally, she took a chance on a part-time position with a major construction company in NY that she parlayed into a fast-track for her career. After holding several "men's jobs" in contracting, Res met Donald Trump, while working at the redevelopment of Grand Hyatt Hotel that Trump was doing. She impressed him and when he had a new ground-up project, he installed her as Executive in charge of Construction. The project was the world famous Trump Tower and the rest is history - a history filled with travail and triumph.
All Alone on the 68th Floor tells the story of Res’s journey and what she endured and accomplished. It also describes the process of building in a way that entertains and instructs. The book is chock full of anecdotes about the rich and famous who lived and shopped at the luxurious Trump Tower and presents a picture of Donald and Ivana Trump as builders, that the world has yet to see. The author also talks about other projects, like the restoration of the Plaza Hotel and the development of the West side of Manhattan.
But the essence of the book is frankly feminism. It is a call to women to be themselves and do whatever job they think they can do, whatever they want to do and not allow stereotypes to influence them. It is a rebuke to the notion that women need to think or act like men, stating to the contrary that there should be no norms to follow and that people should be individuals following their instincts and not allowing society to define who they are by what they do.
Res, a licensed professional engineer and attorney, lives in New Jersey. She is married and has two grown children.
Her book is available on Amazon.com and at
https://www.createspace.com/4308756.
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