Nancy Juneau’s entrepreneurial journey in the AEC industry is marked by resilience, innovation and determination, said her colleagues. She began her career in the industry in the early 1980s, working in business development and marketing roles at engineering and architectural firms and ultimately co-founded Juneau Construction Company, where she is the CEO.
While the odds seemed stacked against them, with limited capital and the burden of societal expectations, Juneau viewed these challenges as opportunities to break barriers and create something extraordinary. The small startup with just four employees is now a major player in the construction industry and is recognized as the top woman-owned general contractor in the Southeast and the largest woman-owned firm, of any type, in Georgia.
Juneau Construction Company, a general contractor headquartered in Atlanta with offices in Miami and Tampa, is consistently ranked among the top contractors in the country within the core markets it operates in. Founded by husband-and-wife team, Nancy and Les Juneau, the company has constructed some of the most significant and high-profile projects throughout the Southeast.
Under Juneau’s leadership, the firm has been honored with over 75 awards of project excellence, named a Best Place to Work and just completed its largest project to date at the University of South Carolina, turning over 1,800+ student housing beds.
“Nancy’s focus on business fundamentals, family values, adaptability and steady growth has guided the company through trying periods,” said her colleagues. “She prioritized keeping employees working and even expanded the workforce when other companies were laying off.”
Juneau said the mantra “always do the right thing” guides her path as a leader. “As a mature leader, when you can give direction, mentor and give advice to others and step back and let them do the job, whether they fail or succeed, they will learn from that experience and in turn, eventually rise to the occasion and be a better leader themselves,” she said.
Rising to the occasion is part of who Juneau is as a professional and as a person, said her colleagues. Juneau started the Juneau Outreach Program, a committee whose goal is to help better the community through community service and by building facilities for Home Aid Atlanta.
Energy and motivation guide her to be a better leader and person, said Juneau. “I have found that the more energy you can put into things, the more you can get out of things,” she said. “I love motivating women in our industry and seeing women succeed in the industry – this is one of the things that brings joy to what I do day-in and day-out.”
