Harydpond President Deirdre Wadsworth recently participated in a panel discussion with The Institute for Family-Owned Business (IFOB). Speaking alongside Casey McCormack of Spinnaker Trust, John Finegan of The Boulos Company, and Adam Reny of Renys, Wadsworth discussed the benefits of owning commercial real estate and her experience helping clients with commercial ownership. The panel also included an introduction from John Gugliada, The Director of Strategic Partnerships & Business Development with Family Enterprise USA (FEUSA), who presented some interesting statistics on family-owned businesses.
“In terms of statistics, I was surprised that the trades make up such a large part of family-owned businesses,” shares Wadsworth.
According to FEUSA’s research, ten percent of family-owned businesses are in the construction field nationally and twenty-one percent of family-owned businesses are women-owned nationally. These numbers are mimicked in the state of Maine where Hardypond Construction – a family-owned, woman-owned business – operates. In Maine, 80% of businesses are family-owned, making them a crucial part of the state economy.
On what makes running a family-owned construction company unique, Wadsworth commented, “I think there’s a different level of trust and a different level of closeness within a family-owned company. So much of my life is intertwined with Hardypond. It’s everything I do, all the time. My kids know all about the business. It’s a huge part of my identity and a big part of my family’s history. My employees feel that as well.”
Wadsworth began learning the construction trade in third grade when her dad founded Hardypond Construction. She grew up on construction sites and learned to drive on a backhoe at the age of 10. Wadsworth became President of Hardypond in 2015 and then became the sole owner of the company in 2019. Under her leadership, Hardypond has become one of the most respected and progressive construction companies in Maine, responsible for completing complex projects that shape Maine communities such as historic buildings and public school renovations. At 39 years old, Wadsworth is the youngest woman in the state of Maine to own and operate a commercial general contractor business. In fact, she’s one of only three women in the state working at this level.
Hardypond was founded by Wadsworth’s father, Bob Gaudreau, because he wanted to build a company where employees would be valued and appreciated, and whose foundation would be honesty and transparency. Now, as a second-generation family-owned business, Wadsworth is carrying the torch forward while also contributing to Maine’s growth and future. That’s what strong family-owned businesses are all about.