About Town

Women in STEAM – Mary Fair, PE

Mary Fair | Garver | Aviation Leader – Arkansas

Day at Work…My mornings almost always start with emails and coffee. If I’m not in meetings, I could be doing anything from project management tasks to making site visits with clients or traveling to various advisory board or commission meetings.

Beginning Interests…I always wanted to be an architect like my grandfather. But while my math skills took off, my artistic skills hit a growth stunt. When it came time to make a decision for college, structural engineering piqued my interest. People told me engineering would be too hard, so I went to my first day of orientation as a math major. Ultimately, I decided to believe in myself and my strengths – that’s what led me to study engineering.

Career Evolution…After an internship with the Garver North Little Rock Aviation Team, my career was on a fast track. I’ve been promoted to aviation team leader and am really looking forward to all of the new projects and opportunities.

LOVE the Work …I love that my projects have positive impacts in the communities we serve. Airports are important to helping communities grow – bringing goods to those who need them most and bridging the gaps between us all. 

Surprising but True…Engineering isn’t always math and science. Serving clients is the top priority, so building relationships is just as important. An engineer’s job isn’t finished until the client is happy, with both the product and their experience.

Advice…Take advantage of every opportunity. You never know where it will lead, what relationships will come from it or the lessons that could serve you for the rest of your career. Taking that leap into aviation engineering during college is what landed me where I am today.

These wonder women are redefining what “full STEAM ahead” means in Arkansas. With exciting careers in science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics – each reflects WIT (Women in Tech) and true grit for making the most of every opportunity. Here’s to the powHER of knowledge.

Photography by Sarah Oden

Inviting Arkansas

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