DuPage committee spotlights local women-owned businesses, internships and hiring barriers

Chair Cherokee Yu opened the DuPage County Economic Development Committee meeting on March 18 by introducing a “spotlight on women owned businesses,” saying the committee would hear directly from two local women business owners about their experience operating in DuPage County and collaborating with WorkNet DuPage.

Lisa Schbach of WorkNet DuPage told the committee that both guests have partnered with the agency on workforce-development programs. “We’re thrilled to have a couple of our local women business owners here with us this morning,” she said, introducing Catherine Tawaida of CT Mechanical and Marie (last name not specified), owner of BioScantec.

Catherine Tawaida, owner of CT Mechanical in Addison, said she founded the company in February 2008 and that the business has grown from a one-person operation to about $30,000,000 in annual volume. “I started year 1 in my house… and I did $1,700,000 worth of business that year,” she said, describing early growth. Tawaida said CT Mechanical does HVAC work for hospitals, schools, commercial interiors and airports and that the firm is a union contractor. She told the committee she aims to recruit and retain women in traditionally male trades and described practical barriers she sees in the field, such as assumptions about women’s physical capabilities and women being laid off or hired for narrower duties despite equal hourly wages.

Tawaida said CT Mechanical currently employs four women in craft roles — two pipefitters and two sheet-metal workers — and that the company is doing “just under $3,000,000 worth of work at DuPage County.” She credited training groups such as Chicago Women of the Trades (CWITs) with helping prepare women for field work.

Marie, who identified herself as the founder of BioScantec in 2012, described a business arc from fingerprinting and passport photos to adding digital forensics and FBI channeling. After a career in law enforcement and security, she said she began providing photography and fingerprinting services, then expanded into digital services and forensic certifications. “We added… a digital forensic certification,” Marie said, and described recent efforts to rebuild that line after a COVID-related pause. She also described creating a neurodiverse internship program in partnership with WorkNet DuPage and said grant funding helped place a paid intern starting next week.

Committee members asked about mentorship and certifications. Member Childress and others praised the owners for mentoring younger workers and for supporting internships for neurodivergent young adults; one member noted March is Disability Awareness Month. WorkNet DuPage and Choose DuPage representatives reminded the committee that local programs such as Connect DuPage and Innovation DuPage support certification, minority- and women-owned business registration, and small-business incubation in the county.

The presentation closed with the committee and guests taking photos and brief acknowledgments. No formal committee action was taken on the spotlight portion of the agenda.

Tawaida and Marie’s remarks emphasized workforce development, mentorship and apprenticeship pathways as practical steps to increase women’s participation in nontraditional fields and to connect young adults, including neurodivergent interns, to paid work opportunities through county-supported grants and WorkNet programs.