Twenty-six years ago, Joanne Fern was prompted to enter the field of equipment upon the suggestion of her husband. “My husband was an operator of heavy machinery and one of the firms needed more owners and operators, so I took the leap and became involved in an industry that I now love,” she says of her beginnings in the field, noting that she originally intended for the job to be a contract opportunity. Today, she is the owner of J&S Operated Equipment Rentals, a rental excavating, demolition and grading firm located in Palmdale, CA. Along with her husband, Scott, who has more than 40 years of experience with every type of construction equipment, Ms. Fern has helped to create an experience for her customers that is unlike any other. “We have been superintendents, so we know how to stage projects to get the most out of our customers’ money,” she says, adding that her company’s philosophy is to be fair, honest and thorough in all of the work that they do. For Ms. Fern, the most gratifying aspect of her career is when she drives past a project that she and her team had a hand in creating. “Although we have done so many jobs over the years, we remember almost every one and we are proud of each of them,” she says.
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