2024 Women of Distinction – Courtney Bickford

CEO
Ward Electric Company, Inc.

What’s your proudest moment either personally or professionally?

I am proud of earning my degree in accounting with a minor in project management.  While I have learned so much from years of work experience, it is rewarding to have a degree to back up that experience. I did not take the conventional path and because of this there was no guidebook or encyclopedia on how to balance a full-time job as well as a family on top of school. However, through my own perseverance alongside the support of the people who love me I have been able to fully enjoy and appreciate the rewards of my hard work.  While it has not been easy, I am proud that I have forged my own path.

How do you like to unwind?

I enjoy spending time on a boat at a lake, discovering new trails while Jeeping in the mountains, or enjoying a margarita on a tropical beach but all these moments are best with my husband and girls by my side.  I am a firm believer that laughter is medicine for the soul and each smile builds strength for the new challenges ahead. 

Who is your mentor or role model?

I do not have just one mentor or role model that I look up to or turn to for advice.  I am lucky enough to have many different people who have many different strengths and areas of expertise in my life.  I gravitate to individuals who push me to be better even when I am resistant to change or challenges.  I admire those who are willing to have hard conversations with me and shoot me straight even if they know that it is not what I want to hear.   Professionally, my mentor is a colleague who has an extraordinary amount of business, finance, and accounting knowledge.  He regularly will challenge me to change my perspective or way of thinking, helping me become a better professional leader.    My mother has been a role model for me throughout my life and continues to be to this day.  She has always shown me how to put others first and to be kind and caring to everyone you meet.  She is the one who taught me how to be a mother and she is my first call when I need parenting advice.  My husband and daughters are mentors in what it means to have faith and trust that things will be the way they are meant to be. 

What’s ahead for you personally or professionally?

I hope to continue learning something new each day that will help me be a better leader, community member, mother, friend, and wife.  I want to bring joy and inspiration to others around me and be a helping hand to anyone who needs it. Watching my family and business grow has taught me that my career is so much more than paper achievements.  My career is the people I have helped and the skills I have developed.  I have learned that when one person benefits, we all do and that lifting another person up will in turn lift me and those around me up as well.  Therefore, I strive towards the continuous improvement of myself and those around me.