Samantha DeAlmeida Roman does not simply build organizations. She builds pathways to opportunity, to leadership and to industries where women, minorities and veterans belong and can thrive. As President and Chief Executive Officer of Associated Builders and Contractors of New Jersey, she leads with a conviction that success should widen the door rather than guard it.
Becoming a Titan of industry challenged this Titan 100 Hall of Fame Honoree to think bigger about what leadership truly means, and that philosophy reshaped her organization from a reactive program-based model into a proactive partnership-driven ecosystem delivering measurable results. When she stepped into this chapter, the work was strong but fragmented. She began by listening deeply to her team, partners and community, asking hard questions about what was working and where value was being left on the table. From there she focused on three things: clarity, systems and relationships.
Refined strategic priorities, stronger accountability infrastructure and high-level partnerships repositioned the organization as a trusted results-oriented leader rather than a service provider. That shift increased funding, expanded programming and served more people without compromising quality or mission. Beyond the metrics, she is proudest of the cultural change, an organization now operating with confidence and intentionality.
The values DeAlmeida Roman operationalizes daily are integrity, accountability, service-driven leadership, collaboration and courageous innovation. Trust, she believes, is built in small consistent decisions, being transparent about challenges and making mission-aligned choices even when they are neither easy nor profitable. Accountability, in her framing, is about ownership rather than blame, taking responsibility for outcomes and adjusting quickly.
Her five-year vision centers on building a stronger, more inclusive workforce pipeline that develops talent and creates real economic mobility. She plans to expand structured apprenticeship pathways that combine hands-on experience with mentorship and measurable skill progression, partnering with industry leaders, educators and community organizations to create clear entry points into high-demand careers. Reaching minorities, women and veterans remains central, communities she describes as immense untapped talent that has long been underrepresented in construction.
Real leadership, she has learned, is not about doing more but about doing what matters most, consistently and courageously. Sustainable growth requires discipline, transparency and a willingness to evolve, and listening remains one of the most powerful strategic tools a leader holds.
The legacy she hopes to leave is one of access, integrity and transformative opportunity. She wants to be known as someone who built pathways for young people who did not see themselves represented, for women told certain roles were not meant for them and for those with talent but not always access. She also wants that legacy reflected in systems rather than moments, infrastructure strong enough to outlast her.
Her advice to emerging Titans is plain but not easy: Build something that matters, and build it the right way. Titles are temporary and impact is lasting, and leadership carried with humility extends far beyond any single term.