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Show Wed/Thurs/Fri, February 9-11, 2005 The Park Record A-10 DeAnn Geaiy makes strides for women in a 'marts' field The owner of one of Utah's largest general construction companies remains humble By A W A BLOOM Coalville City community, some had reservations about the switch in management. '["here was a cafe in pcAi n (Jciiry points through town, which used to lake bets on her CoitKillc Cily office window to whether or not she could fill her tho hous'. where she grew up. "Ilien father's shoes. But according lo she poini - a few inches lo the right to Geary, in the end. only two men left where sh,' lives now. On the walls of because they couldn't work for a the room hang several aerial pho- woman. 'Hie others stayed. tographs of (ieary Construction's "I was fortunate in thai my father projects- -the long winding roads laid a good foundation of support. fro)n one town to another, a restored 'Hie men came to me and said 'what mountainside -hut tiiere is also a do you want us lo do?' and we have large portrait of her parents and it worked closely logether ever since." faces her desk. Geary says. "My men are the sail of **My father was the visionary." the Earth, liiey'd give me ihe shirt she says. "In 1947 he took nothing off their backs if I asked them." Gearys philosophy is "take care and made it into something. He trained everyone himself, while my of your people, and your people will mother kept the books. 'l"hey gam- take care of you." She therefore bled everything to make the next spares lillle expense when it comes deal, 'nicy were the ones who really to her employees: full health and insurance benefits, programs to lived the "American Dream.'" But Henry, the daughter, has also keep them bus)' at indoor repairs reached for the stars. Not only did and welding during the winter she double the revenue of Geary months, gifls at Christmas and occaConstruction within her first two sionally cruises for llic men and their years at the helm, but from 2001 to wives. Unlike many successful con2003 she served as the first female struction companies, employees at presideni of the Associated General Geary Construction frec|uently slay Contractors in Utah - an organiza- for a lifetime. tion which constructs over 90 per"'Uiere are men who came here cent of public work done in the state. 5<i years ago and were trained by my ;Not ;i bad record for a woman dad." she explains. "Some are still' wlro wasn't initially willing to be here, and they say to me. 'DeAnn, groomed lo run the family business. stop spoiling the young bucks. 'Hiey '•"\ giuss you could call me the don't know what it's like to work for 'uiiconw nlional Coalville woman.'" anyone else.'" she1 suggests. "Its a crooked road Geary admits not many women that led me here." dream about running a bulldozer. 'DeAnn left college lo work full "Al this time, I'm the only woman time at the law firm Ray. Quinney it running a general construction comNet>cker in Salt Lake, and then look pany that I know of in Utah," she off for New York lo act as an says. Like her mother, she is more of accountant for a larger law firm and the accounting type herself, and manage the data for five offices that depends on those her dad has trained, to train llic fulure generaran 24 hours a day. "My plan as I grew up was never lions of "young bucks." However. to run this business. I wanted to be a she has her own style of doing busichoreographer on Broadway-1 had ness. a dance scholarship at [the "My father didn't talk much, but University of Utah]. (While in New when he did. people listened. I'm York] I was hoping to go to Europe much metre verbal ihan my father I and work al a law firm there," recalls think in most cases, if I can gel in the Geary. door, 1 can convince people lo give 'But ihen, in 1983. her father |Geary Construction! a Iry." sheasked her to help him run the family says. business. Women need to make sacrifices !"I told him it wasn't what I want- when it comes to pursuing a career, ed] bul I said I'd give it a try I said a she says, bul not at the expense of couple of years." she remembers. tlieir character. i "And iljju I liked the work and I "I believe [as a women in busiliked I IK clients so I stayed on." ness] you have to earn respect, but •When her father became too sick never forget that you're a woman. I've always been tough, bul I don't wi(h can cr In work, she took over. |Wiih;n the company and llie have to swear and spit tobacco. I'm Of the HccorA staff GRWS0N WESTAM/KAECOflD DeAnn Geary, owner of Geary Construction, says her men are "the salt of the earth" and refused to have her photograph taken without them at her side, (from left) Eric Blonquist, Frank Judd, Andy Brierley, Craig Woolstenhulme, Wayne Judd, Scott McQueen, DeAnn Geary. able to ask men to perform without losing my identity. When (icary C'onstrnclion asks to bid on a development, il has nothing lo do with whether I'm a woman or I'm a man." stie says. (ieary put off having ehiklren until she was older, ami even then she acknowledges [hat she makes enough money to be able lo travel with her son and hire help in raising -f speech once where she told a rtxim of women thai she believes in order to be a success in business, a woman has lo put off family. The women she spoke lo almost threw her out. sherecalls. According lo Geary, our society spends a lot of effort on the art of loving husbands and wives and not enough on loving what one does for a jiving "You spend more fak I've always been tough, but I don't have, time in your iife, A •. . u ^A/u to swear and spit tobacco...When Geary Construction asks to bid on a devel' time than anything c)sc o n yoU r JO K Wc s c ld ;1 ) l f P' \ " time lalkinc, about opmeni has nothing to do with whether the perfect comI'm a manit or a woman." - DeAnn Geary Owner of Geary Construction him. Geary adores her len-year-old son and her family, she says, bul women in the workplace have lo make hard choices. She uave a to come ,. ,2-FQfe^ 'U panion, but not on jobs. I don't think day is perfect.every It's in marriage true for jobs too. 'Iliey key is to have more good days than bad," she explains. On top of owning ("icary Construction. Geary keeps herself busy wilh charily work like 'Hie Future Farmers of America. 'Hie Ability Center and the 4H Youth Program, as well as a side project she calls her "fun side:" a new women's health club and spa franchise she and her girlfriends, who call themselves "'Hie Sable Sisters" have developed. 'Hie first club. "ShapeXpress", has opened in Cedar City and Ihe second will be in Las Vegas. As Wasatch County and Summit County continue to lead the state in growth. Geary Construction has grown along with them. According to Geary, the company plans lo increase its workforce by 10 to 12 workers. Geary Construction kept very busy before the Olympics with work on the Utah Olympic Park, and Olympic-related projects at Deer Valley and five other ski resorts, and continues lo win contracts for projects like the reconstruction Marsac Avenue in Park City and Guardsman's pass. "1 love the fact that we build roads that people will be able to drive on for the next 50 to 100 years. We take people to places they've never been. It's a great sense of accomplishment to know that you're leaving your mark and you'll be able to si low your grandchildren what you've done." says Geary Geary remembers her father as a man who only slopped working when his cancer didn't allow him lo. She remembers thai he was so loved in Coalville that he was elected mayor without even running for office. She is reminded of him often, as she works with the men that he taught. "My dad lived a wry full life and he was eonleiil. My brother and sisler and I were not raised to believe the things you owned defined you and if you worked hard enough, you could succeed at anything," she explains. Though perhaps she wouldn't admit il herself. Gear,' is also a visionary, and will likely leave a legacy for fulure generations. 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