General Manager for design, marketing, sales and business development, as well as interior designer – sounds like a job title fit for a queen, and it is! Heather Schreiner wears many hats at ABD. As an interior designer, she loves getting to know clients and finding that perfect material they have dreamed of to make their space “just right.”  As a general manager, she oversees the design and sales schedules, as well as making sure the ABD brand is out in the public eye.

Heather has been a full-time employee at ABD for three years, but before becoming a full-time employee, she worked remotely in the marketing department for ABD. As a little girl, she watched her dad and then step-mother start their remodeling and design careers, but didn’t know if that was the career she should be in.

“I wanted a grand adventure in life and got one,” said Heather. “My family lived in great places, served this country and met the most amazing people. Coming into a more mature age, I was looking to see what we would do next, and my dad, Bob, came to me with an opportunity.”

As an adventurous woman who loves to learn, it was exciting and challenging for her to gain as much knowledge about the business as possible.

“I think the first year was a blur of learning and, as we call it, drinking from the fire hose,” she said. “My ah-ha moment was when a client turned to me and said, ‘Thank you for listening, I think we are going to have a beautiful house we created together.’  I truly believe it is collaboration, and when I got to see the end result, it was so rewarding. I hope to continue to create those moments for many years to come.”

Heather obtained a degree in Psychology and a master’s in Education. She spent many years raising her family and then pursued a career in teaching. With a husband in the military, traveling was unavoidable.

“In many of our travels, I also volunteered countless hours at schools and military organizations doing many different things,” she stated. “I think that led me to not be afraid to get out there and try anything, and it gave me the humility to know I do not know all the answers, but I am good at finding resources.”

When Heather’s career path led her to ABD, she received her certificate in interior design and she now holds a Certified Graduate Remodeler Designation (CGR) from the National Association of Home Builders. She currently volunteers with NAHB to learn from other professionals in the field and is always looking for ways to learn more.

When interviewing for new employees at ABD, Heather looks for the desire to build the relationships that the company culture wants to build. “So many people can remodel houses, so it is our emphasis on relationships that sets us apart,” she said. Future employees have to know the significance of the areas in which ABD builds. “Northern Colorado has changed and continues to change so much with more people flocking to Colorado,” Heather said. “There is such a variety of people in the area now, and for me, coming home to Colorado has felt like a new adventure.”

Tenacious, loyal and dependable are all characteristics of an amazing leader, and Heather fits each one of those traits. When asked what the best part of her job is, she replied, “Hands down, the connections I make with people: clients, vendors, subcontractors, co-workers and peers. People make this business.”

ABD has provided custom build, design and remodeling services to families for 25 years. Heather was asked what her favorite project has been and she replied, “I try and measure it in moments rather than projects. Each one poses challenges and each one has amazing moments. From the time a Sub-Zero fridge went in perfectly to the space to seeing the English cottage-inspired kitchen to the modern steam shower that just was completed. They all have beauty and I get excited when I see them come to life and we hand them off for the families to live in them.”

One piece of advice that has stuck with Heather throughout her entire career is “listen more and talk less!” She encourages this advice in everyone she knows. “I think that is valuable in many avenues of life but for a girl that enjoys talking, it was eye-opening!”

To learn more about our company and employees, visit abd-ltd.com.