Nancy who runs the business end of things, credits the company’s success to her partner Jim who supervises the men in the field. “Jim is one of the most knowledgeable people in rebar.” But a bright, organized business manager is an important element in making any company successful and Nancy as such wears many hats. She oversees their payroll company “Union pay rates vary depending on the location of a job. New York City rates are different from upstate,” she says, “I need to be sure this is done right.” There are also union worker benefits to be dealt with and endless governmental paperwork. Nancy is also in close contact with their insurance agency. “It’s complicated and, as you can imagine, insurance plays a huge part of our business.” And then there is the company’s lawyer who Nancy works with to handle legal issues.

Rebar (reinforcing steel bars) is assembled or installed by ironworkers prior to concrete being poured around it to add strength because concrete has a limited ability to carry tensile loads. Tri-Valley Iron in some cases supplies the rebar and the union ironworkers. On other jobs such as the Tappan Zee Bridge where galvanized steel rebar is being used they just supply union labor. “We usually have about five projects in the works at once,” Nancy comments. The company is currently working on the reconstruction of three Metro North Stations damaged by Hurricane Sandy, and a project to reinforce two 900-foot deep shafts that are part of the New York City Aqueduct so that a new five-mile-long tunnel can be built to replace a failing section.

And then there is the new Tappan Zee Bridge. Tri-Valley Iron is one of eight rebar companies working on the project. Nancy describes it as “a project of a lifetime.”

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“Jim and I figured that the project was way too big for us, but we have a good reputation and were invited to submit a bid following a successful lengthy prequalification process.” When they went to a meeting they discovered that the work was to be divided up into a number of segments. They were hired for one of two early segments, building caissons on land in Tomkins Cove, which they later installed by crane and manpower in the Hudson. They are now working on another section of the bridge. “We employed twenty-five union ironworkers for this, but it is important to meet established deadlines,” Nancy says. “At one point we needed to double our work force.

Many of their projects are further north in Orange, Putnam and Sullivan counties. “We have always wanted to work on a casino as they had been planned and talked about for many years, “ she says. “Montreign Resort Casino in Thompson, New York will be one of the first built upstate. The owners have just put a huge parking garage out for bid and we have put in our bid.”

Nancy is a local girl, growing up in nearby Demarest. After graduating from Fairleigh Dickinson she became a dental hygienist. She met Larry on a blind date and they married in 1984. They purchased their historic Greek Revival Palisades home in 1983. “The house was in a dreadful state having been lived in for some time by a collection of Lamont students. It took us over a year to get it to a stage where we could move in.” It was built around 1830 by George Lawrence who built the country store beside it and also owned the cemetery on the other side. Interestingly, on the couple’s first date they bicycled past the house. In front was a large pile of trash. Nancy says, “I’m a bit of a scavenger. I went through it and discovered a stained glass window and lamp. We hid them in the woods and drove back later to retrieve them.” Repaired, the treasures now sit proudly in the couple’s home.

When asked how she got involved in Tri-Valley Iron Nancy replied, “With my two young children growing up I was a stay at home mom, working just one day a week as a dental hygienist, when Larry and Jim started the business. I began helping with the paperwork and found I really enjoyed it.”

Before long Larry went on to establish a building contracting company and turned over his shares to Nancy who had taken over his responsibilities. “I learned on the job; it was really trial and error.”

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Son Luke, now 26, lives in Salt Lake City and daughter Andee, 24, headed to Boston after graduating from Hamilton College. “We all love the outdoors. Larry and I hiked in the Swiss Alps for our 25th wedding anniversary.” Nancy and Larry believe in being involved in the community. Nancy served on the Children’s Shakespeare Theatre Board when her daughter was involved. Larry has served on the Library Board and is currently on the Historic Board. Photography is one of Nancy’s hobbies, which she especially enjoys when relaxing at the Adirondack farm the couple own. She is also a bird watcher. “My daughter Andee calls me a bird nerd.”