Davinette Stam was introduced to the construction industry while doing administrative and clerical work for a startup company that planned to build a silicon wafer manufacturing plant in Hillsboro. She gained several years of experience in reading blueprints, facilities operations, manufacturing and preventive maintenance.

“It gave me a sense that this is somewhere I want to be. I liked being out in the field and seeing how things got built,” she said.
She started JDS Steel in 2023 and partners with companies that are looking for a COBID-certified business to complete structural steel work on bridges and buildings.

“I had fallen in love with this, had been doing it for many years and was drawn to learn the process,” she said. “I am a women-owned, minority-owned business and I can do project management. I can also work with general contractors and help buy out the steel packages.”

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Kim Johnson initially planned to study graphic design in college, but her parents encouraged her to pursue a more stable field and follow in her dad’s footsteps as a civil engineer.

She gained technical skills and the ability to interact with clients, manage projects and lead a team while working in California. In 2022, she started 7 Oaks Engineering and runs the Silverton-based company with her husband, Steven Johnson.

“It has always been a dream for my husband and me to have our own civil engineering business. I reached a point in my career where I felt I had hit a ceiling. Despite the industry’s dynamic nature, I felt I had more to offer and wanted to achieve more in my career. So, I decided to take the leap,” she said.

Johnson enjoys the challenges and variety her work offers, adding, “This job keeps me on my toes!”

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