For many, the pressures of one career is enough to count the days until the weekend — but not Anna Griffin. In her primary role, Griffin is the director of construction for Ryan Companies US in Phoenix, leading project management teams in the pursuit and execution of developments throughout the Southwest. But, when duty calls, Griffin swaps out her PPE for an Air National Guard uniform, where she serves as commander of the aircraft maintenance squadron at the 165th Airlift Wing in Savannah, Georgia. Griffin has deployed twice, most recently to Jordan, where she served as director of operations for the maintenance squadron.
Growing up on a 76-acre farm in a small Texas town, Griffin recalls that “my dad would use me as his tool-getter — his go-to gal to help him with things on the farm.” The experience strengthened her love of problem solving, a trait that later drew her to construction. Encouraged by her brother and needing a way to pay for college, Griffin joined the military, planning to stay for just four years. But 22 years later, she still proudly serves her country.
AZRE magazine sat down with Griffin to learn more about her recent deployment to Jordan, as well as the similarities between the construction industry and the military. Portions of this interview orignally appeared on the AZ Big Podcast with Michael and Amy. The following responses have been edited for clarity and length.
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AZRE: Would your deployment to Jordan have been possible without a supportive company behind you like Ryan Companies US?
Anna Griffin: That meant everything to me. Saying, “Hey, boss, I’m going to be gone for seven months,” and having them respond, “Absolutely. Can we give you time off before and after so you can get everything together and have a chance to reacclimate?” And then, on top of that, “Don’t worry about your job. We’ll make sure it’s here. We’ll figure it out. People will take on the load for you. And we know you’re going to take a pay cut — let us help you make that up so you’re not financially burdened.” They did it without question. It’s about doing the right thing, and it truly embodies the spirit of what Ryan Companies is.
AZRE: What are the similarities between your military and construction backgrounds? Are there lessons that carry over to both?
Anna Griffin: At the end of the day, it’s about executing a mission. On the building side, we’re delivering projects on time, on budget and safely to our clients. On the aircraft maintenance side, it’s about delivering safe, reliable aircraft for our operators to fly. I think both complement each other, and I’m fortunate to have a small influence on both sides of that equation.
AZRE: What does your day-to-day look like as the director of construction for Ryan Companies US, and what types of projects are you overseeing?
Anna Griffin: That’s what I love about this job — it’s never the same. You can go from talking to the city to helping a person solve a personal problem. In our director of construction roles, we focus more on people than projects.
AZRE: You entered two very male-dominate professions. Have there been any challenges being a women in the military or construction industry?
Anna Griffin: In the military, we don’t care about your skin color or sex. We care that you’ll be there when we need you, when the enemy comes around the corner. We depend on that and overlook other things. I’ve taken that same mindset into construction — meeting people where they’re at, understanding their needs and wants, and executing. I hope anyone in the industry finds support systems to help them navigate any challenges they face.
AZRE: Is there one thing you look back on that gives you the most pride?
Anna Griffin: I’ve been deployed twice, and in both deployments, those leadership positions mean the most to me. Anytime you look out at a formation, knowing there are thousands of people behind each person who expect you to execute the mission and bring them home safely, is something I’ve always taken pride in. It’s the same on our construction sites. Everyone on that job has thousands of people who care about them, so making sure they’re safe is a point of pride.
