ALWAYS BUILDING SOMETHING’

Ness Owens started at Bobcat 17 years ago, first working in tradeshows and events, and later holding several positions in areas like dealer training and development, customer experience, brand management and trademark protection. In every role, she’s looked for value-add and purpose, saying she’s “always building to something else.”

Working with mostly men, Ness Owens is frequently asked what it’s like to work in the construction equipment industry as a woman. “It’s all about the skills and experiences you bring to the table. Do I have everything in common with the guys? No, but you find common ground and ‘just do,’” she says. “We’re all here for the same reason, and we respect each other as teammates.”

She’s part of a shift at the company and in the industry, where more women are being promoted to leadership roles than ever before. Ness Owens sits on the Association of Equipment Manufacturer’s Board of Directors and is committed to helping more women get into the construction equipment industry, which has typically been dominated by men. Michael Ballweber, president of Doosan Bobcat North America, says that is rapidly changing.

“I am very proud to say that I have three women on my executive team, and Ness Owens is right when she says she and the other two female executives were the best candidates for those roles. They all deserved it,” he says.

Throughout her career, Ness Owens has advocated for her work. She hasn’t always been selected for positions she desired, but she didn’t give up. If Ness Owens was told she didn’t have the experience for a role, she’d gain the experience and champion the work she’d done to improve the business to ensure she’d be considered for the next opportunity.