by Michele Newbern Gillis
Staff Writer
Mary Tappouni came up with her company’s name while sitting on an airplane.
Little did she know how multi-faceted a name it was: Breaking Ground Contracting.
Ten years ago, the name mirrored her actions because a woman starting a construction company was not an everyday occurrence. And after years of working for others including her own father, Mary was setting out on her own, breaking her own ground and making her own mark on the world.
“I always knew I wanted to own my own company,” said Mary. “It was something that was inherent in me, an entrepreneurial spirit, I suppose.
“I didn’t know what type of business until I narrowed it down to the general contracting. My experience working for a general contractor during college really shaped where I decided to go in the construction industry.”
And she has done quite well.
Breaking Ground Contracting, at 4218 Highway Ave. in Jacksonville, focuses on all phases of commercial construction and provides traditional construction services, sustainable construction/LEED projects, design/build projects, specialty construction, consulting and training as well as historic preservation to its clients.
Mary originally went to school for architecture. While in school at the University of North Florida, she worked for a general contractor, Metric Constructors, as an office engineer during the day and went to school at night.
“My brother was taking construction courses and I didn’t know construction was a major,” she said. “My dad Mike is a mechanical engineer. I just happened to take a construction course out of curiosity and I ended up switching majors. I loved the balance between the design and the practicality of actually being able to see a building built.”
She ended up earning two degrees, one in construction management and the other in finance with an emphasis on real estate.
After her first degree, she couldn’t find a job like she had during college.
She could have stayed with Metric but she would have needed to move to work on the company’s next project.
So, she opened and ran a branch office of her father’s business, Tappouni Mechanical Services, in Jacksonville and then opened her own company in 1997.
“I ran into some interesting situations with people not willing to hire a woman and put me in the same position I had worked in during college,” said Mary. “My previous job was actually on a jobsite, working out of a trailer as an office engineer. A lot of people flat-out told me they were not willing to do that. So, that’s how I ended up starting the branch office for my dad. All of the offers I was getting led me to believe I would be acting as someone’s secretary.”
Mary said she has seen that change over the years. She said those same companies now have women out in the field in key positions as project managers and as estimators.
“I have definitely seen an improvement,” said Mary. “I get a lot of feedback from women that think my owning a construction company is terrific. I don’t know that anyone has been inspired by my business specifically bu it can only help the more women-owned businesses there are out there.”
In the office you will find Mary’s sister, Michelle Tappouni, the general manager; Ellen Reed, the marketing and communications coordinator; and receptionist Brandy Price.
They also have six people who work out in the field.
“We have some of our own crews and then use subcontractors to perform the rest,” she said. “We self-perform, meaning we physically do some of the work ourselves on the buildings. We might self-perform concrete work or finishes like drywall, ceiling tiles or things like that.”
Mary brought her sister on as general manager after five years in business.
“It’s great,” said Mary. “Michelle and I worked together when we were younger because she worked for my dad’s company also. When I ran the branch office here, she was the general manger in Tampa. She and I knew we worked well together and our strengths compliment each other.
“After five years of running the business from my home and running all the field operations, I just got to the point where I needed help, and what better person to trust than my sister? I already knew her abilities. She and I pretty much feed off of each other and try to handle everything that needs to be handled to get the job done. She definitely has expertise in contracts and insurance.”
Michelle worked her way up and learned through experience.
She started working for the Hyatt Corporation in the purchasing department. She then worked for the accounting department and worked her way up to manager.
Then her father offered a job at Tappouni Mechanical Services.
“They were growing and wanted me to come in and take over my mom’s position, which was more of an administrative position,” said Michelle. “It was the right offer at the right time and I found I really liked construction. Luckily I was in a facility where I could work my way up and learn as much as I could. I worked my way through the ranks and eventually got the general manager position.”
Michelle left to go work for MSI, another mechanical contractor, to do a project at Sea World.
“I was their first female project manager so that was an experience for me,” said Michelle.
After she completed that project, it was just good timing that Mary needed help, so Michelle came to Jacksonville and went to work.
Michelle said her Mary’s expertise on technicalities of the general contracting side, estimating and leadership compliment her administrative and operational strengths.
Together they handle the financial side of the business.
“At the end of the day, we respect each other and respect each other’s abilities,” said Michelle. “Whenever you have that in a business, whether it’s family or not, it makes it a much more positive experience to be working together.”