Augusta, Maine
Dale McCormick has spent over three decades fighting for jobs, economic justice, health care for all, human rights, and equality for women. As a young child, she was fascinated with carpenters’ tools. That fascination has become a lifetime focus. Dale was the first woman in the country to complete a carpentry apprenticeship with the carpenter’s union. She is a member of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters local 1996, and has been a carpenter and contractor for 30 years.
In 1988, Dale founded Women Unlimited, a program that successfully trains women on welfare to compete for high-paying jobs in trade and technical occupations. Dale has, in her own way, become the Susan B. Anthony of today’s woman in striving to bring women aboard the work force with dignity, proper training, and fair pay. The results have been astounding and women have proven they are capable of any task they have been trained to undertake.
Dale helped found in 1984 and became the first President of the Maine Lesbian/Gay Political Alliance (now called Equality Maine), which advocates statewide for civil rights and better treatment for lesbian/gay/bi/transgender/and questioning people.
She was a co-founder of Northeast Women in Transportation, which educated women’s organizations around the country about the opportunities in the Federal Intermodal Surface Transportation and Efficiency Act (ISTEA) for increasing the number of women and minorities in the construction industry.
McCormick won a seat in the Maine Senate in 1990 and was re-elected twice in a conservative district. She was elected Treasurer of the State of Maine on December 4, 1996 and served 8 years. Dale is Maine’s first female Constitutional Officer.
Dale McCormick has a B.A. from the University of Iowa and has written two books: Against the Grain: A Carpentry Manual for Woman and Housemending: Home Repair For The Rest of Us.
In 2005 Governor John Baldacci appointed Dale as Director of the Maine State Housing Authority. This quasi-governmental organization each year finances the construction of $130 million of affordable housing, weatherizes 1000 homes, serves 48,000 households on heating assistance, gets the lead out of 200 homes, assists 8,000 Mainers with their rent, and helps 1000 Mainers buy their first home.
2002 Photograph
Inducted March 2007
