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It’s the final day of women in construction week, and we did our best to highlight some of the trends and challenges that impact the better sex when they break into the business of building. We also highlighted four women who are succeeding in Oregon’s construction world. But we know there is a ton of success stories that we wouldn’t be able to cover.

One of those stories belongs to Nancy Bebek, owner and president of .

Nancy was a stay-at-home mom until a few years ago when a divorce inspired her to take some new risks. She said that at that time, she knew next to nothing about construction, except 鈥渉ow to make a bathroom look cute鈥� with new tiles and backsplashes. But her son, now 25, had some commercial construction experience, which made her start thinking about the business opportunities that could come out of combining their skills.

So in 2009, she started a Prestige Tile & Stone, setting tile and stone for residential remodel jobs.

鈥淚 knew just from talking to people that there was money to be made, and although 2009 was a weird time to put myself into it, I just really needed some direction,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hen we figured out how to get in front of commercial contracts, things really started taking off.鈥�

For the past two years, the company has been attracting more and more commercial work, including a bathroom remodel at Watzek Library on Lewis & Clark’s campus and an upcoming job with Skanska USA at OHSU.

Programs and training offered by the Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs and the Small Business Growth Opportunity Council (through the local AGC chapter) have both helped Nancy grow her business, which is MWESB certified.

And since the construction business brings a totally new social world for her as well, Nancy welcomes every opportunity to network with other women in the industry.

鈥淭he friends I had before are clueless when it comes to talking about construction,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 get such a benefit out of hearing stories from the women I’ve befriended in construction industry 鈥� just having someone who gets what I’m saying is a really important thing.鈥�