Lexington, KY - Jill Wilson recalls that when she graduated with a degree in business administration from Georgetown College, jobs were scarce, interest rates were high, and finding a job was difficult - not unlike today. "I went back to the family farm in Owen County. I drove the tractor, helped set tobacco, put up hay - whatever was needed," she tells me. "I was waiting out the economy and learning about work ethics on the farm."
In time, she joined CMW, a well-known architectural and engineering firm in Lexington, and saw the opportunities in that field. "I enjoyed the challenges of marketing this industry, and I worked hard to learn as much as I could." Some years later, she went to work at Gray Construction.
Wilson describes her responsibilities at Gray Construction as developing and implementing marketing initiatives to promote the company brand, across the United States and internationally. That includes working with her staff to prepare customer proposals and presentations, publications, and events for the design/build company located in the old Wolfe Wile building in downtown Lexington. She's proud of becoming a part of the executive leadership of Gray Construction. "I love the people I work with and the opportunity to meet and work with such a diverse mix of people across the country and around the world." Wilson admits frustration, as well, since "there just aren't enough hours in the day to get everything done that needs to be done and keep a good balance between work and family."
A member of First United Methodist Church, Wilson sings with the Cancel Choir but declares she is "Ö in no way, shape or form an accomplished musician." A gentle probe, however, reveals that she was once part of the Emmanuel Baptist Church choir that performed at Carnegie Hall!
Jill and her husband Randolph have a 13-year-old daughter, Lenna, an 8th grader at Winburn Middle School. Randolph also has two college-aged sons: Lain, who's majoring in Byzantine history at Princeton, and Langston, who works at The Salt Box, his mother's business in Chevy Chase, while attending BCTCS. "When Randolph's boys were little and would spend the weekend with us, we always had a family movie night. We try to continue that tradition with our 13-year-old, but she would rather text and e-mail her friends."
Wilson credits her daughter with influencing her musical tastes - "I'm not living in the Disco Days, but I do still listen to Earth, Wind and Fire." Her iPod plays Yo-Yo Ma, Beyonce, and Cold Play, and Wilson confesses a weakness for catching up with General Hospital on her Tivo. When there's time, the family enjoys vacationing in D.C., exploring the historic sites and re-visiting the National Museum of American History, her favorite.
Like many of her professional colleagues in other industries, Wilson shares a concern about the economy and the uncertainty of customers' business plans over the next few years. Yet, she's hopeful: "We all have to [work hard] to weather this perfect economic storm, and we'll emerge a stronger company."