Adrienne Bennett: A Modern Plumbing Pioneer
Adrienne Bennett became America’s first and only licensed master plumber and contractor that is black and female. She lives in Detroit, a lower-income city, and went on to become the first black female plumbing inspector, certified medical gas inspector, and installer.
“I’m honest, hardworking, and I don’t let anyone get in my way and cheat me out of my dream.” - Adrienne Bennett, when asked to describe her career thus far and her motivations behind her drive.
How it All Began
This pioneer has been interested in building since she was a child, choosing to build model planes over playing with dolls.
Originally, she enrolled in an engineering fellowship where she had planned on studying mechanical engineering before a racially charged run-in that caused her to exit the program.
A fateful encounter with a recruiter a few years later led her to join a federally sponsored apprenticeship program for skilled tradespeople. She was 22 when she started the 5-year program and made $5/hour with .50 raises every six months of the program.
Bennett describes the program as “dirty, rough and physically demanding.” She was surrounded by men in the field and the classroom, and often she felt the need to wear a heavy tool belt to prevent inappropriate groping or gestures from her male counterparts jealous of her success and high marks in school.
Climbing the Ladder From Apprentice To Contractor
At the age of 30, Bennett became the first black female master plumber in North America. She started as a journeyman then became a licensed master plumber, project manager, plumbing inspector, and then a Code Enforcement Officer for the city of Detroit. She served as a Code Enforcement Officer for ten years and was incredibly successful in that role.
The journeyman program required 4,000 hours of experience under a licensed master plumber before she could sit for the exam, which she then passed with flying colors. Her acceptance letter from the State of Michigan noted her “unblemished record” while serving as a journeyman plumber.
CEO of a Successful Company
She founded Benkari LLC in 2008 as a commercial plumbing and water conservation company where she now works with her son, A. K. Bennett.Ms. Bennett calls herself blessed and works to hire others she can share her experience and insight with to make a difference in the world. She provides job training and shares life experiences that promote personal growth.
Benkari has recently been awarded a major contract for Little Caesars Arena that will improve the inbound revenue of the company by three times while positioning the company to move into other high-profile contracts with even higher returns.
About JD Precision Plumbing Services
JD Precision Plumbing Services, an Inc. 5000 company in Texas, provides accurate, fast service with fully stocked trucks and expert craftsmanship that customers can trust in the Woodlands area. Call today for plumbing services in Spring, TX.
