Annie Howell serves as the Chief Financial Officer of Watts Construction. Her many duties include managing financials, contracts, insurance and bonding, risk management, human resources, culture, community initiatives, and business development of the company.
“I love the relationships that we build with our clients,” Annie said. “It’s so awesome watching a building being built from the ground up and just being able to drive around town and see and tell all the stories of our projects. We have a lot of history here and really care about our community.”
Annie is actively involved in the community, serving on the board of the Associated General Contractors of Utah as the Southern Utah Director and the St. George Area Chamber of Commerce board as the Secretary/Treasurer on the Executive Committee. She also serves on the Women’s Initiative Committee for the SGACC and appreciates that opportunity to collaborate with and elevate other women in business.
“Whenever I can encourage any woman to get into the construction industry, I do,” Annie said. “I’m all in. I’m very headstrong and think that women can be just as successful as men in this industry.”
Annie loves seeing the strides her family-owned business has made through the years. As a third-generation owner of Watts Construction, she feels comfortable and confident in her company’s ability to thrive like the bigger contractors in the state. Annie said, “We’re currently building the Washington County Administration building and a parking garage next to it. That $41 million project is proving what we can achieve and that’s really exciting for our future.”
Annie knows that the construction industry can be intimidating to many, especially women since it’s historically been a male-dominated field.
“Doug [second-generation owner] always says that you have to be able to chew nails to be in this industry and I’m doing just that,” Annie said. “My advice for those interested in construction is to jump right in, work hard, don’t be afraid of failure, and find a mentor. If there’s something that interests you in this industry, go get that job and start your career in a dynamic field!”
