Megan Muller
Rebekah Matar is the Health, Safety, and Environment Safety Specialist at Colaska, the Colas USA subsidiary that operates throughout the state of Alaska. Rebekah has been a part of the Colas USA Family since 2009 and has worked as a flagger, Traffic Control Supervisor, Traffic Control and Public Relations Manager, and SWPPP Manager.
Read more about Rebekah through the following spotlight.
Describe your role to someone who is not familiar with the construction industry or Colas USA.
I typically will start that conversation off with ” What don’t I do” as a witty joke. But then will steer the conversation to how long I have been with the company, which is going on 20+ years now. Since I have been here so long, there is a lot I do for our company – basically whatever needs to be done. My current title is Safety Specialist, which has me covering all of the Health, Safety, and Environmental (HSE) tasks within all of our business units. I then will explain that we are not just a road construction general contractor, but we have aggregate pits with dredges & crushers, asphalt plants, concrete batch plants, pre-cast yard and a large shop, all of which I oversee the HSE duties for. I also will talk about how we are part of a large corporation of Colas USA, which consists of the 7 Colaska companies in Alaska.
What has been your favorite project so far?
My favorite project I was able to be a part of was the “Building Blocks to Safety Workshop” team for the 2023 Leadership Conference that was held in Lake Las Vegas. I was able to work directly with Vicki Hoyt (Vice President of Health, Safety, and Environment) and a select group of other Colas USA employees from lower 48 companies. The networking that was involved in this workshop, as well as the entire conference, was tremendous opportunity for me. I am a very social person and enjoy networking and meeting new people. I was also able to learn more about personalities and how they affect communication and relationships.
What drew you to working within the construction industry?
I never planned to work in construction! I started college and in order to pay my way through, I needed a summer seasonal job that I could save money to make it through the winter months. My first job was as a flagger, which I quickly realized I was not one to stand in one place, so I moved up the ladder and became a Traffic Supervisor. Before you knew it, I was pregnant having my first child at 23 years old and realized the wage and the insurance from working construction was supporting me and my daughter just fine. I finished 2 years of college but still do not use my degree. I excelled in construction since I have a very multi-tasking, fast pace, and hard-working personality. I always make the joke that I didn’t choose construction it chooses me. Construction just seemed to fit my lifestyle.
What motivates you to wake up and go to work every day?
I seek purpose in life, along with accomplishments. Making a difference on a daily basis at a company that I am invested in makes getting up to come to work every day easy. I also really care about the employees here, since over the years real relationships have developed. We really are just one big family here.
What’s something most people don’t know about you?
Maybe Mutiple Things:
1. I used to Downhill Ski Race and Race Snowmachines when I was younger
2. I used to Mush and Race Dogs when I was younger.
3. I am an avid gardener, herbalist, hunter, and overall outdoors enthusiast and survivalist.
4. I am a certified Personal Trainor and Group Fitness Instructor.
5. I have a workshop and an Art Business “BekArt Studios.”
6. Everyone might think I am always Go Go Go and always very loud, but I do like my quiet time every once in a while!
From her nomination:
“Rebekah has a great work ethic with a can-do attitude, maintaining integrity and empathy amongst a diverse and constantly changing workforce. She is always willing to jump in and help where needed and possess a strong desire for continuous learning and sharing what she has learned. She is a credentialed traffic control and safety trainer for ATSSA and OSHA, providing excellent training internally and externally in both these areas. “With Rebekah providing most of our training, she is setting the standard for all of our Traffic Control supervisors and employees on the safety culture.”