Rampavement

Diane Cornelius loved working in paving production when she started 10 years ago. However, she soon discovered that working in such a male-dominated industry had painful drawbacks.

For the first eight years of her paving career, Diane endured blatant sexual harassment and disrespect on job sites, but she persisted through the trauma, determined not to be driven out of a career she wanted to pursue. All of that changed when she joined the RAM Pavement team two years ago. She is so grateful to RAM for seeing her value and the way employees are treated here.

“The people at RAM, they’re so good to you and so respectful to you. They acknowledge you and make you feel good about the work you do with the incentives we have. They also ensure we have upgraded equipment, so we can produce the best quality of work.” - Diane Cornelius, Senior Superintendent, Thermoplastic & Striping Division

We see resilience in many forms but Diane is the true definition of determined and motivated. At RAM Pavement, she holds the title of Senior Superintendent, Thermoplastic & Striping Division and is currently our Employee of the Year! She is responsible for keeping an inventory of what materials are needed each week, scheduling and giving work orders to various crews. Over the past two years, we have been proud of the diligence and organizational skills that Diane has applied to her job. This allows her to close out projects successfully.

It wasn’t Diane’s lifelong dream to join the paving industry, but boy, we are sure glad she did! One day, fate led her to take up an offer to join the industry after the restaurant she was working at closed. She has been in love with asphalt and paving since then. The physical aspect of the job is what keeps her going. “I just love being able to pick up 80 pounds of concrete, just like the guys do!” Diane shared. She also encourages other young women who want to join the field to come on board, telling them, “Don’t ever be intimidated, don’t give up. Don’t listen to anything negative anyone has to say. Don’t let anyone tell you that you CAN’T do something because you can!”

Diane has dedicated 22 years of her life to being a mother to her son, Terrien, whom she is very proud of. Her mother and son have been a constant source of strength for her and Diane constantly credits them for where she is in life.

When Diane is not directing paving crews, she’s probably catching up on history books, thrillers or murder mystery novels. On Sunday mornings, you can find Diane knee-deep in cleaning since she likes things to look orderly and perfect. During the summers, Diane and Terrien enjoy being by the lake and jet skiing in Gatlinburg.

At RAM Pavement, we are passionate about employee empowerment. Diane, we want you to know that we appreciate all of your efforts and contributions that make RAM a better company. Happy International Women’s Day to you and the other strong and amazing women on our team!

Remember to contact RAM Pavement for your next paving project!