Susan Hart, Vice President and Partner, Huebert Builders Inc.
Job description:
Management of sales and operations.
Years lived in Columbia/Mid-Missouri:
29 years.
Original hometown:
Jonesburg, Missouri.
Education:
I have degrees in calculus and accounting from Central Methodist University.
Favorite volunteer/community activity:
Being the Foundation District Grants chair for Rotary District 6080, which covers Central Missouri and the Springfield and Branson areas. It’s fulfilling to be a part of the impact Rotarians have throughout Missouri with the various grant projects.
Last year alone, we had over $160,000 in grant projects.
Professional background:
Started at Deloitte in St. Louis, concentrating in construction and manufacturing auditing and accounting; moved to Columbia and worked at Gerding, Korte, and Chitwood, and in 1990, I started at Huebert Builders Inc.
A favorite recent project:
Potbelly Sandwich Shop — the franchise owners are great!
A Columbia businessperson I admire and why:
Scott Orr is retired now, but he’s been my mentor since I was 16 years old, and I still call him for advice. Dr. Raymond Plue is also someone I work with and admire.
Why I’m passionate about my job:
I enjoy working with small business owners and creating spaces for them and watching their business grow.
Why I’m passionate about my company:
Wayne Huebert and I have worked many years to create an atmosphere where our clients receive personalized attention. We pride ourselves on paying attention to the small details, which can make a big difference on a construction project. I’m proud that we’ve worked with the majority of our clients on multiple projects!
Biggest lesson learned in business:
The relationships you’ve established are the most important things you can have in business. When you hit a hard time, those relationships will help you through all of it and survive.
Accomplishment I’m most proud of:
In work, it’s working with John and Vicki Ott to transform the North Village Arts District. In the community, it’s being selected as incoming chair-elect of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce.
The next challenge facing my industry:
There is a lack of qualified trained workers. It’s a difficult industry to recruit young men and women.
If I weren’t doing this for a living, I would:
Be a high school math teacher or director of a public library.
What people should know about this profession:
It’s about relationships, not lumber, steel, or nails.
How you would like to impact the Columbia community:
I would like to be a mentor and provide support to the entrepreneurial community. I feel like Columbia has a chance to be the place in the central U.S. to start and grow businesses. I also want to continue to provide support to the cultural arts community so that we continue to have all the arts opportunities available in Columbia. I firmly believe the arts in Columbia make it wonderful to live here.
Greatest strength:
I am a good listener and planner.
Greatest weakness:
Avoiding confrontation when I should just go ahead and deal with it.
My next professional goal:
Develop a business and industrial park east of Columbia.
What I do for fun:
Cooking, attending live music concerts, riding bikes on the trail with my family.
Family:
Two sons: Lucas, age 9, and Ben, age 8.
Favorite place in Columbia:
Anywhere downtown.
Most people don’t know that I:
Competed in the 1995 World Chili Society cook off competition in Reno, Nevada — I was a big part of the “Hog Wild Chili Girls” team! We didn’t win, but we had lots of fun and great stories.