WIC Week 2023: Babette & Bella Buckner

Babette & Bella Buckner:
Mother and Daughter in Construction

moltron builders & the opus group

We're thrilled to feature another mother/daugher duo in in the Minnesota construction industry - Babette and Bella Buckner! Babette took her operations knowledge from another industry into her husband's construction company and transformed its growth trajectory.  Bella watched her parents and is inspired to launch businesses of her own within the industry!

Learn about their stories below. 

Babette Buckner Sr.
Chief Executive Officer
Moltron Builders

Babette (Bella) Buckner Jr.
Project Intern
The Opus Group
 

ABOUT babette sr.:

CEO, Moltron Builders

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I'm the CEO of Moltron Builders. I've worked in the construction industry since 1995. I learned about the industry from my husband while working for Target during our early marriage. After my son was born, my husband asked me to work with him full-time once I returned from maternity leave. He was vested with Local 563 and had excellent trade experience but lacked operations knowledge. He needed support to help him grow his company. After playing a supporting role for 25 years, I purchased shares in 2019 and became the majority owner and CEO of Moltron Builders. We have experienced 600% growth since I became CEO.

What I enjoy most about the work I do is completing projects successfully and creating change in an industry that has been male-dominated. The culture in Minnesota's construction industry is different in terms of the number of women entering the workforce. However, there are still male-dominant paradigms that exist. I'm hopeful that as more women enter the industry, it will become typical to see women as indispensable in the construction industry.

ABOUT babette (bella) jr.:

Project Intern, The Opus Group

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I'm a Project Intern for The OPUS Group. I'm also working on a college business and marketing degree.

My interest in construction stems from watching mom strategize and make business decisions in a male-dominated industry; it's inspiring. I plan on owning several businesses; construction is an industry that gives me opportunities to gain transferrable skills. I grew up watching my parents run their construction business. The first project I had in construction was creating bid packages in Buildingconnected. 

What I enjoy most about my current work is learning what goes into building construction. I recently attended a site walk-through and learned about PrimX concrete slabs. They place steel metal fibers into the barrel of the concrete truck to prevent the expansion of the concrete after the concrete settles. I brought some pins home as a souvenir.

View all the 2023 WIC Week Profiles