You can’t truly understand why Structural Component Academy exists without hearing the story of its founder—and the man who shaped her life and career. This isn’t just a story about business; it’s about purpose, passion, and legacy.
Can’t tell you my story without telling you about my best friend, hero, and mentor, my father.
He was one of 13 children, born during the Depression, raised in a sharecropping family where hard work was survival. He only made it through third grade before he had to leave school to work the farm. What he lacked in formal education, he made up for with grit, curiosity, and a relentless drive to learn.
Eventually, he left the Bootheel for St. Louis, where he studied every angle of the construction trade. When he came back to Sikeston, Missouri, he started building houses and fast. He could turnkey a three-bedroom, two-bath home in just 2 ½ weeks, from foundation to move-in. That efficiency caught the eye of a man named Mercer Treanor, who encouraged him to start a truss plant.
With $5,000 to his name, my dad launched Sikeston Truss. He stood out by buying yellow-tinted mill bright lumber that caught builders’ attention and before long, his company became one of the largest truss plants in a five-state area.
This is where I come in. I was a daddy’s girl through and through his shadow on job sites and at meetings. He made sure I learned every detail of the trade, and he was a tough teacher.
I’ll never forget the day he lost a bet and had to buy me the gold and diamond ring I still wear. He didn’t believe I could add an extra million dollars in sales. I proved him wrong.
Over the years, I’ve done just about everything you can do in a truss plant running saws, breaking down equipment, managing teams, and eventually owning my own. I also spent time working with two of the largest plate connector companies in the world, building lifelong friendships and gaining knowledge I still use today.
To say I have a heart for this industry is an understatement. It’s in my blood.
The idea for Structural Component Academy didn’t come from a boardroom. It came from training one young man.
A customer asked me to train his nephew. I didn’t have time to travel, so the nephew came to me. That week changed everything.
We spent one day on design software, the next on a jobsite seeing those same concepts in action. Watching the lightbulb turn on when he connected software to structure that’s when I knew this was how people truly learn. He left with confidence, not just in the program, but in his understanding of the truss industry as a whole. A few months later, during a business course, the pieces clicked: why not turn this into something bigger? Why not share what I’ve learned over 30 years paired with my Master’s in Education and Adult Training to help the next generation thrive?
That’s how SCA was born.
For me, SCA isn’t just about teaching design software. It’s about sharing a lifetime of experience, keeping this industry strong for the future, and giving back to the communities that shaped me. From the start, I committed to donating 10% of profits to causes close to my heart – especially the facilities that supported my special-needs twin boys. Their resources may be limited, but their impact is immeasurable.
When I walk into a building, I don’t just see walls and beams. I see memories waiting to happen – families gathering, businesses growing, lives unfolding. That’s what the truss industry makes possible. My hope is that through SCA, you’ll not only learn the skills you need, but also discover the same passion I’ve carried my whole life. Together, we can design structures that house memories.