A Pioneer in the Field: Jaynes’ Linda Squires And The Path She Forged

Long before women were widely represented in commercial construction, Linda Squires was already leading jobsites and changing minds.

At Jaynes Corporation, she didn’t just break barriers. She erased them.

Linda Squires began her career as a Carpenter Apprentice in the late 1970s in an industry that, at the time, had little room or acceptance for female leaders. As one of the first female Superintendents in New Mexico, and possibly in the entire U.S., she faced resistance that went far beyond the typical challenges of a commercial construction manager.

On one early project, that resistance came to a head.

After Linda was introduced as Project Superintendent during a preconstruction meeting, an electrical subcontractor approached Jaynes’ leadership with an ultimatum: he would not work for a woman and asked to be released from his contract, even if it meant incurring a financial loss. Real money: a high five-figure loss.

Instead, Jaynes’ General Superintendent at the time, Ed Sims, asked the reluctant Subcontractor to give Linda a “30-day test” before the subcontractor had to cut a check to Jaynes for withdrawing from the contract.

The subcontractor’s team stayed for the entire project. And at project delivery, his perspective had completely changed.

When he came to pick up his final check, he sought out Ed Sims personally.

“I think I need to retire, he told me. He added that he had just built the best building he’d ever built,” Ed recalls, “Then he said, with the best Superintendent in the State of New Mexico.”

That Superintendent was Linda Squires.

A single project didn’t define her impact. It was consistent across her career. Known for her preparation, discipline, and respect for subcontractors’ time, Squires earned a reputation that set her apart.

“When Linda called and said the job was ready, it was ready,” Sims recalled. “Subcontractors would drop everything to be there. Her projects were prizes to these guys.”

In an industry where delays and miscommunication were common, Linda’s skillset, steady leadership, and reliability built trust and loyalty.

Over time, those who may have doubted her became some of her strongest supporters. Her projects spanned major renovations, healthcare facilities, and complex concrete structures across New Mexico. By the end of her career, Ed Sims mentions that “She had the thickest file of letters of recommendation I’ve ever seen. And she had accumulated more letters of commendation from owners than nearly any of her peers.”

But her legacy goes beyond performance metrics.

Squires proved, project by project, that leadership in construction isn’t defined by gender, but by competence, integrity, and consistency. She didn’t just succeed in a male-dominated field; she raised the standard in it.

Her career also reflects something deeper about Jaynes itself.

Even in an era when the industry lagged, the company created space for talent to rise. And once Squires proved herself, she was backed by leadership that recognized her value.

Today, as more women enter the construction field, their path remains challenging but is far more visible.

That visibility exists in part because of pioneers like Linda Squires, who didn’t wait for acceptance. She earned it.

And in doing so, she helped build more than just projects. She helped build a future.

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