LINDA RABBITT

Linda Rabbitt’s career started in the classroom, teaching middle schoolers. But when she returned to work after her daughters were born, she took a role at KPMG, where she eventually moved up to become director of marketing. Entrepreneurship wasn’t on Rabbitt’s radar until she was approached by another woman who wanted to launch the first female-owned construction company in the Washington, D.C., area. 

Why construction? As a single mother with no financial support, Rabbitt was attracted by the prospect of increasing her income — but she discovered a passion that remains strong today. “I ended up absolutely loving my industry,” Rabbitt says. “One day, I’m sitting on the floor with a carpenter, and the next day I’m with a CEO. I get to see the full range of working America.” 

After parting ways with her co-founder, Rabbitt started Rand Construction in 1989, and it’s since grown to seven locations serving 30-plus states. Along with raising two “nearly perfect” daughters, Rabbitt says, she’s proud to be part of a community that accepted her so quickly, as well as the leadership role she’s played for other women in the industry. Today, 24% of Rand’s workforce are women. 

Rabbitt encountered setbacks along the way, both personally and professionally, and her perseverance was recognized in 2016 when she received the Horatio Alger Award. More recently, she’s been working on legacy planning so Rand can thrive for generations to come. “I know it sounds goofy, but it is the American dream, and I got to live it.”

RELATED STORY: 2024 Virginia Women in Leadership Awards