The NAWIC Tucson Chapter became a member of the Cornerstone Building Foundation in 1999. This foundation was formed to foster an exchange of ideas in a free flowing environment in order to develop stronger working relationships and to raise money for scholarships and other worthy projects related to the design and construction industry.
As a member and in partnership with the Cornerstone Building Foundation, the Chapter established the Shirley Dail Endowment Fund, through which the Chapter issues Scholarships and Grants. Many of our established annual events, including the Shirley Dail Bowling Tournament, are raising money for the Shirley Dail Endowment Fund.
Honor the Best
The Foundation hosts an annual awards banquet to honor its outstanding members and celebrate workmanship, skill, responsibility, and integrity. Members of the AIA, ABA, NAWIC, ACEC and CSI, the leading construction-related trade, and professional organizations in southern Arizona, are asked to nominate their favorite industry partners for the prestigious Cornerstone Awards celebrating industry workmanship, skill, responsibility, and integrity in the building development industry.
Shirley Dail Community Service Award
In 2022, southern Arizona’s construction industry lost Shirley Dail. She began working in 1963 for The Builders Club, a plan service. There were very few women working for the construction industry at that time. She and her husband Bud Dail started Shirley’s Plan Service in 1982, becoming known as the “Leading Lady in the Tucson Construction Industry,” knowing everyone and everything going on in the construction industry.
To honor her, the Foundation developed the Shirley Dail Community Service Award to honor outstanding women in the construction industry.
The award was first presented posthumously in 2022 to Shirley Dail and was accepted by her grandson Chris Fields. It is now an annual program for the Foundation.
The criteria for women in the construction industry includes:
Industry leadership
Community involvement
Achievements in the construction industry
Outstanding Service/Tradesperson/Craftswoman
Must be active with an organization that is a member of the Cornerstone Building Foundation
Serves as a role model and/or mentor for other women in the construction industry
Winners within the last three years are not eligible (click here for history).
Note: Self nominations are not accepted. Deadline for nominations October 9, 2025.
Partnership & Support
In 2023 the NAWIC Tucson Chapter was honored to contribute to a donation through the Cornerstone Building Foundation, towards the construction of the Shirley Dail Construction Classroom/Lab at the Pima JTED Bridges campus. The naming of this classroom memorializes a role model for women in the construction industry. Shirley had a passion for supporting women in the construction industry, as well as supporting the furthering education of young minds.
