Applause awaits Harris in nation's capitol

Construction executive Linda Harris has received many awards since moving to the Las Vegas Valley in 1977, but perhaps one of the most prestigious recognitions to date awaits her at the Great Hall of the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

The chief executive officer of LF Harris and Co. has been selected as one of 14 recipients for the 2003 Women's Business Enterprise National Council Applause Award, which will be presented in March 2003.

Harris was chosen for her leadership and support of other female business owners, according to Diane McClelland, president of Astra Society International, a regional affiliate of WBENC that nominated Harris from among its members in Alaska, Idaho, Nevada, Northern California, Oregon and Washington.

"Linda was chosen by Astra because she exemplifies the leadership, growth and the community support that she provides in her region. She has been a leader among business owners, particularly among women in the construction industry, and is a leader in the National Forum of WBENC. She has shown a willingness to mentor other women and has inspired other women to pursue excellence," McClelland said.

As the many certificates covering walls of Harris' office can attest, this is not the first time she has been recognized for her leadership in the field. She became the first and only female president of the local Associated General Contractors chapter in 1998, and in 2001 was selected by the chapter as its first female life director. She was a finalist for the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce Woman of Achievement Awards in 1994 and 1995, received the 1999 Distinguished Woman Award from the National Association of Women Business Owners, and was a 1999 Crystal Vision Nominee by the National Association of Women in Construction.

In addition, she serves on the board of governors of Credit Managers Association and is the immediate past president for the Commercial Real Estate Women of Southern Nevada.

Harris has taken these honors in stride and does not dwell on the challenges that she has faced as a female in a male-dominated trade.

"Of course I've faced some different challenges as a woman, but I haven't focused on it and I have done what I've had to do over the years. I've had to establish credibility with every client or group that I've been a member of. I presume that men also have to establish credibility, but I think that it is a little different for a woman. But I never dwelled on it," Harris said.

"I don't think that being a woman has gotten me any more or any less in my career. I have absolutely no negative feelings about being a woman in construction. If anything, the challenges that I've faced have made me stronger."

The path that the 59-year-old has taken to the top of a general contracting company began in the late 1960s in Ontario, Canada, after getting her foot in the door as a secretary for a general contractor. After moving to Las Vegas in the 1970s, she worked for a general contractor who focused on multifamily housing.

"In 1984, I went to work with Martin-Harris Construction as their first project manager and things kind of blossomed from there. I ultimately became operations manager," Harris said.

"At Martin-Harris, I was able to manage lots of different kinds of projects, ranging from small to large projects. Probably the largest was the Green Valley Athletic Club. I got a lot of experience from the diversity of projects. ... I learned how to do things the right way and not learn to do things the wrong way."

She also met her future husband, Frank Harris (not the Martin-Harris' namesake Harris), with whom she ventured out in 1991 to start their own company, LF Harris and Co.

Her company usually handles 10 to 12 projects at a time, about 50 percent to 60 percent of which are high-end retail projects. Her clients are in such high-profile malls as Forum Shops at Caesars, Desert Passage in the Aladdin, The Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian, and the Fashion Show.

Her other clients have covered the spectrum, including banks, churches and offices. Her company's annual volume is estimated at $10 million to $13 million.

Frank Martin, president and CEO of Martin-Harris, said Harris' success can be attributed to her honesty and integrity.

"I've known Linda since the early '80s. She joined Martin-Harris Construction at my invite, and she was previously a housing superintendent. I remember that she showed up for the interview in a pair of Levis, a shirt and what I term as combat boots. I talked to her, got some references, called her references and thought that she had some attributes that I look for in all of my people. She has a high level of integrity, is honest and is very bright," Martin said.

"Her experience in commercial construction was almost a zero when she joined my company in the 1980s, but she had a desire to get the job done right."

Real Estate home