On Sept. 19, about 40 women showed off their skills as Erb Equipment Co. hosted NAWIC Women in Construction for dinner and an Equipment Rodeo at its Fenton, Mo., facility.

Ten machines were set up with different challenges for operators. These challenges included:

• Scooping up a golf ball with a spoon that was attached to the bucket of a John Deere 310SL backhoe;
• using a John Deere 410SL backhoe to remove a ring from the top of an orange highway cone and transfer it to another cone;
• transferring a ring using the bucket of a John Deere 135G excavator; and
• maneuvering a John Deere 333G skid steer in a zig-zag pattern through cones.

Several Erb Equipment employees were on hand to help the women operate these machines.

The event turned out to be a great success.

"The rodeo is a unique opportunity for women with varying skills to operate equipment in a fun and safe environment. It allows us to support our local chapter of NAWIC and the surrounding community, providing a casual venue for networking," said Carrie Roider, CEO of Erb Equipment. "The rodeo allows Erb's employee partners to enjoy engaging and teaching people about construction equipment."

Erb Equipment Company, serving the Midwest for 75 years, is one of the oldest suppliers of John Deere construction equipment. In addition to John Deere, Erb is an authorized dealer of Bomag, Genesis, NPK and Trail King.

The company has eight locations throughout Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky and Indiana.

For more information, visit erbequipment.com. CEG

The Women in Construction event held at Erb Equipment Co. in Fenton, Mo., had a very large turnout and was very successful.  

Carrie Roider (R), CEO Erb Equipment Co., welcomes Jessie Brown of McCarthy Building Companies Inc. to the Women in Construction event.  

(L-R): Greta Vetter and Jamie Stunkel, both of Wright Construction Services Inc. are enjoying the equipment display and demonstration.  

From Castle Contracting are Lisa Neimeier (L) and Pam Steinmann.  

Stacy Friederich of Midwest Underground is ready to try out this John Deere 310 backhoe loader.  

(L-R) are Stephanie Stark Anderson of Stark Roofing; Stacy Friederich, incoming president of the St. Louis Chapter of Women in Construction; and Carrie Roider, CEO of Erb Equipment Co.  

Operators show off their operating skills by competing in the ring competition with this John Deere 410SL backhoe loader.  

Laura Switzer of the Lawrence Group gets set to try out this John Deere 410SL backhoe loader.  

(L-R): Bob Erb, chairman, and Carrie Roider, CEO of Erb Equipment Co., are in front of a 1930 John Deere model D tractor.  

(L-R): Scott Crean of Erb Equipment Co. gives some operating instructions to Becky McMahon of DJM Ecological Services Inc.  

Cindy Thorn of Midwest Construction Services is at the controls of this John Deere 410SL backhoe.  

The Women in Construction event featured a golf ball challenge in which the operators had to scoop a golf ball with a spoon.  

Megan Banks of S.M. Wilson & Co. is all set and ready to go in the cab of this John Deere 310SL backhoe loader.  

Eric Eichner (R) of Erb Equipment Co. goes over the controls of this John Deere 135G excavator with Nicole Geiger of S.M. Wilson and Co.  

Competing in the ring competition is Yelana Moton of McCarthy Building Companies Inc.  

Mike Lamp (L) of Erb Equipment Co. explains the ring competition to Shelli Wright of Wright Construction Services Inc.  

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