Construction Dive A-List Profile: Katy Tomasulo

Over the next few weeks, Construction Dive will be profiling individuals who have been selected for the Construction Dive A-List. The A-List is a set of distinctive voices on Twitter who are helping to push the industry forward and have been chosen show up in Construction Dive's "Trending" section.

A-List Member: Katy Tomasulo
Twitter Handle: @ktom17

What is your day job?
I am PR and Social Media Manager for C Squared Advertising, which provides marketing, advertising, and public relations services for manufacturers in the building products industry. I also edit the company's building products blog, productsinsider.com.

How did you get your start in construction/product industry?
I began covering building products as an editor for Builder and Building Products magazines in 2000, eventually spending 11 years with the company and writing for 10+ trade publications. But technically, I started a little earlier than that: My high school part-time job was selling hardware, tools, faucets and lumber at East Coast home improvement retailer Hechinger.

What do you think will be the biggest trends in construction/building over the next year or two?
As a products person, I'm most curious about how product-buying trends will shift as the recovery continues. I think cautious consumers will continue to look for ROI and continue to focus on products that save money in the long run (better insulation, low maintenance, etc.), but I also think we'll see renewed demand for certain luxury products that were abandoned during the recession.

I also expect the availability of aging-in-place products to grow. Baby boomers are getting older, but want to remain in their homes longer. Products that allow them to do that--and still look pretty--will be in high demand.

Finally, I think the green products market will continue to level off. After an initial explosion, in which every manufacturer touted its green features – real or exaggerated – we're seeing some settling in which those products that are truly green while also being affordable (either outright or via ROI) and highly functional are emerging as true solutions. Consumers are better understanding what questions to ask and what to look for, and that's going to help them make good decisions and also help manufacturers refine their products and messaging.

What is the one Twitter account that you would recommend building professionals follow and why?
I spend a lot of time on Twitter, so that's a tough question – there are so many great Twitter users in our industry! If I had to choose just one, I'd say @MarkJohnsonFAIA. He's a very active user, so his daily compilations of design news are a great way to keep up with the industry.

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