Oklahoma construction company exec gives back to her community

Q: How did you find your way into the construction industry?

A: In 1976. I was 22, and it was right after I moved here. Terry Neese personnel firm got me an interview with Boston-based Spaulding & Slye commercial real estate firm, and I kept making follow-up calls because I liked the two guys running the Oklahoma City operation — Bob Maccini and Chan Sweetser, who were in their mid- to late 20s. Finally, I was hired as the administrative assistant to their construction guy. It was during the oil boom, and we were working 12-hour days, seven days a week. Some of the estimators, many of them with construction management degrees, lacked the people skills to work with lawyers and doctors. And when they'd quit, their work ended up on my desk. I told my bosses they were going to have to start paying me what they paid them. They did and by age 23, I was working as assistant construction manager. Two years later, I followed Bob to another full-service development, construction and property management firm, where I worked until I joined him in 1982 as a minority partner in our own business, R.J. Maccini Construction Co.

Q: When did you strike out on your own?

A: In 1988, when Bob, after the oil bust, moved to California. I knocked off his initials, and kept the Maccini name. Since 1990, my partner has been Ron Rocke, who also serves as our president. We went to kindergarten together, and his wife and I were college roommates. Bob and I lured him from Illinois here in 1982. We wanted a go-getter and someone our age, who we could train in construction.

Q: You've been a single mom for 20 years, most of your career. How did you do it?

A: I've maintained a strong faith and was committed to keeping my children my priority. I took them to school and picked them up from school. I was blessed to have the help of a woman I call “Mom 2,” and consider her part of our extended family. She started caring for the kids when my first son was 5 weeks old, and her children were 8 and 11, and stayed with us 10 years until my daughter was 5.

Q: Does your company have a niche in the construction market?

A: In the '90s, our jobs included the Lazy E Arena and the Bricktown Brewery. But today, our specialty is interior remodels, though we've also done ground-up commercial and residential builds. Our remodeling work includes jobs at Integris, St. Anthony and downtown. Among our commercial builds are the 18th Street Studio Apartments and a new building for Casady's primary school. We've built two contemporary homes this past year, at Seventh and Ellis and in Nichols Hills. Both were on this year's annual AIA Architecture Tour.