A Peek into the Excitement and Energy of a Job Site
Leanne Skuse, President of River City Construction (RCC), began her career as one of the few women working for a general contractor in Central Illinois. Today, she sees the value that diverse perspectives bring to a construction site – and she works hard to make sure that’s represented in the large-scale commercial construction projects RCC takes on.
From building Lego structures with her brother when she was a little girl to studying architecture and civil engineering in college, Leanne always felt drawn to the world of construction. To her, there is nothing quite like watching the change that happens as a 2D image is brought to life. And she knows that it takes a lot of different people who think in very diverse ways to make that magic happen.
In this episode, Leanne talks about her experience leading a hardworking business with a 40 year history in Central Illinois. You’ll hear all about how she rose through the ranks of the construction industry, taking the opportunities she was given to test her strength and conquering them through her knack for not only building structures, but building relationships. Listen as she tells us about her favorite project, her biggest lessons-learned and what it’s like to be a woman leader in a male-dominated field.
We’re so excited to share this powerful story of one of the fearless women leading the heavy industry today. Give it a listen – we hope you enjoy!
“I’ve never been afraid to ask questions, or to acknowledge a weakness, or that someone else has a strength that I need help with. Regardless of what stage of our careers that we’re in, we all absolutely need people to be able to lean on. Taking that approach, I feel like, has really opened doors. It builds trust and credibility with your team members when you’re not afraid to admit your weaknesses and recognize the strengths of the other individuals at the table.”
Leanne Skuse
About Leanne Skuse
As President, Leanne is responsible for all aspects of River City Construction, but more importantly, serving the people that drive the success. With RCC’s purpose as her primary focus, Leanne continuously strives to create environments that enable people to do extraordinary things in work and life – for her teams, clients, trade partners, and ultimately, their communities.
In addition to establishing the company’s vision and driving alignment with corporate values, Leanne’s leadership initiatives also include ensuring that diverse, equitable and inclusive opportunities exist for individuals that want to join the team, and companies that want to partner with River City Construction. Prior to her role as President, Leanne served as the Vice President of Pre-Construction Services. In this capacity, Leanne was responsible for business development, including fostering and maintaining client relations, design firm partnerships, and trade partners. She was also responsible for aligning clients’ goals and project scope with their budgets, project timelines and sequences, and progressing their visions to shovel ready projects.
Leanne earned a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of Miami and Master’s degree in civil engineering & construction from Bradley University. In 2019, she was named a Women of Influence by Peoria Magazines and is involved in countless community organizations, including Heart of Illinois United Way, Greater Peoria EDC, the CEO Council, Central Illinois Builders Association of A.G.C., Greater Peoria Contractors & Suppliers Association and more. Connect with Leanne on LinkedIn.