As a teenager, Diana Daddo picked up a financial magazine with a woman on the cover.
“It was a special edition article of how she was crushing it as a female contractor. I thought to myself, ‘Why not me?’ I have always enjoyed seeing things come to life. From an idea to conceptual drawings, foundation to finishing touches.”
“Construction has made me feel like I am the master of my own destiny,” Daddo said. “Being a woman who comes from a traditional Assyrian background, it's quite unorthodox to venture into a career in the construction industry. I believe that pursuit of freedom, worth and excellence is what continues to drive me.”
Daddo believes women face the same barriers as men in the industry. “As a business owner, I can’t imagine my struggles being any different than a man's in the same position,” she said. “Every business owner has concerns of budget overruns and payment disputes, project delays, labor shortages, supply chain issues, workplace safety and environmental compliance, and dealing with scope changes and unexpected costs.
“However, I do believe women need to believe in themselves more and conquer impostor syndrome. Personally, it took me a few years of running my business before I truly had the confidence to proudly claim I am who I am and what I do for a living”
Last year, her company reached new heights by successfully completing a project at TSMC in Arizona with zero injuries and 100% inspection pass rate.
“Successfully completing this work gave my team and I the confidence to take on more challenging projects. In 2025, we did just that,” said Daddo. “We are currently working on the Maverick Helicopter Tours Project at the Grand Canyon National Park Airport with Holdsworth Construction. We are also working on the Venture X project in Chandler, Arizona with Tepcon Construction. In 2026, we plan to become a prime electrical contractor in government contracting.”
She added: “I am also on the Program Advisory Committee (PAC) for RSI, the refrigeration school in Phoenix, Arizona. This is beneficial and important voluntary work. As an employer, and trades instructor, it is important to me to be involved in committees like this.”
In the PAC meetings, employers have a chance to speak up and let the schools know what employers are looking for, noted Daddo, adding this feedback allows educators to consider and accommodate when developing their programs, ultimately improving the workforce.
In August, Daddo joined Gateway Community College as an adjunct faculty member to teach as a trades instructor for United Integrated Systems at TSMC for its electrical apprenticeship program. “This has been an incredible honor, personal confidence booster and a great advance in my career in general.”
Daddo’s advice to industry leaders to better support and retain women in construction is to help them feel like they have an opportunity to grow.
“Hiring a productive woman into a leadership position will encourage others to follow,” she said. “Another possible option is to create a women's leadership group to teach them business acumen and strategies to help them become the leader they may want to be.”
Daddo said she’s helping to foster the next generation of women in the workforce through leading by example.
“Currently, a third of my workforce are women,” she noted. “I would love to continue to hire more as the company grows.”
Her dream for her business is to pass it down to her children.
“My 6-year-old, Amira, has already dubbed herself ‘the princess of People’s Champ Electric’ and the next ‘electrical builder,’” Daddo said.
“I've had to add locks to my toolboxes to keep my 5-year-old old son away. I have no doubt Daniel will be a blue-collar man one day. My oldest, Citlali, tells me she's ready to run the show at 8 years old. Let's see how it turns out in the future. I feel blessed for it all.”