The values of AOS create our culture as a team. Helping and learning from one another as well as strong communication with everyone we work with produces an environment that seeks to operate with excellence and to continue improving and growing all the time.
“AOS is great at promoting team effort, over individual effort.”
“The people, type of construction performed and the ample opportunities for professional growth are some of the reasons I chose to work at AOS.”
“Going to different job sites and seeing the progress as well as the finished product, is why I enjoy working at AOS.”
“At AOS, I feel comfortable and can learn a lot.”
“I stay at AOS for the culture.”
“AOS is an amazing place to call “work.” The people and processes are what make our work experience fun.”
“AOS is family oriented, there is great comradery, and I enjoy those who I work with.”
“AOS offers a lot of flexibility. The expectation is that you will be “self-managing” to get your work done which means we hire people who are “self-driven.” Makes for a great team!”
Dianne attended and graduated from Southern Technical University in Marietta, Georgia with a degree in mechanical engineering technology. She began her career with Westinghouse in their Navy Nuclear refueling division, and later purchased the business then known as Advanced Outdoor Services in July of 1988. The company name was eventually changed in 2002 to AOS Specialty Contractors, Inc. as the business had evolved to provide more specialized services. Dianne is known for her endless creativity and thinking outside the box, and she is not afraid to take on a challenge. Dianne is a member of Women in Construction, Vistage, Crabtree Masterminds, and AOS is certified with the Governor’s Office of Woman Owned Business and SCDOT as a DBE. Dianne has two children, Ben and Melissa, and 2 grandchildren who are her pride and joy.
After graduating from USC in May of 1999, Jane could not decide what graduate course to follow so she made a commitment to work for one year with her sister and “hero,” Dianne (AOS CEO). She learned construction and business from the ground up and never left AOS! Jane says, “It’s one of the best decisions I have ever made.” She has been involved in National Organization of Women in Construction (NAWIC), American Subcontractors Association of the Carolinas (ASAC), Women Presidents Organization (WPO), Vistage, Lexington County Chamber of Commerce, and currently represents District 72 on the Richland County Transportation Committee which helps allocate County gas tax funds to dirt road paving, road repairs, sidewalks, bus shelters, and other transportation projects within the County. Outside of AOS, Jane enjoys time on the water and has recently taken up Clay target shooting.
Chip oversees areas such as the daily operations, safety, business development, strategic account management, operational excellence, marketing, and talent growth. Chip has a BS in Business and his Masters in Business Administration. With a background of 20 years in numerous leadership roles including global companies as well as his own entrepreneurial firms, he chose AOS as a place with tremendous growth opportunities and was inspired by the caring and talented AOS team “with big hearts and a strong desire to grow.” In addition to work, he loves Jesus, family, friends, and the outdoors.
Reed has worked in construction both on the labor side (beginning at 17) and the management side for years and everything in between.. He joined AOS in 2016, bringing seasoned expertise particularly in the area of asphalt. Reed quickly became a member of the AOS Leadership Team as the Director of Hardscape following his role as a Project Manager, and is now the Director of Sales aided by the many connections he has made over his years in the industry. If Reed is not in the office or visiting a customer, look for him on the lake. He loves to fish every chance he gets.
Mike is responsible for determining which projects are a good match for AOS skills and experience as well as collaborating on the final bid amount submitted. He oversees one other senior estimator and an estimating intern. He is also on the AOS Leadership Team helping to develop and implement strategies and establish company goals to achieve growth for AOS. “ Becoming part of the AOS team was nothing short of a miracle. God’s perfect plan placed me here, and I strive to bloom where God planted me.” Mike has served as the past president of the American Subcontractors Association of SC and is still an active member. He holds a BS in Civil Engineering from Clemson and is a BIG Tiger fan! Mike also enjoys spending time camping and kayaking with his wife, Ann.
Mike is very analytical and his critical thinking skills provide the “How-we’re-going-to get-there” piece that can sometimes be overlooked on projects. He has helped to establish the procedures of our Estimating Department as well as continuing to suggest improvements in the processes. Mike loves math problems and can offer a methodical and logical perspective on just about anything. He is also known as “the dog whisperer” in the office since every canine knows he has the treats. Mike likes classic rock music, baseball and relaxing at home doing “nothing.”
Joni describes her job as a combination of “air traffic controller” and “paralegal” for the Estimating Department. She loves organizing and making sure the details are all lined up. Having worked at AOS for years, she has grown in her role as the company has grown, and she is a Certified Construction Industry Technician. Joni enjoys her co-workers and when not at AOS, she likes to be with friends and family, especially her grandsons. She loves beautiful worship music, hikes through the woods, and sitting on her back porch watching the gorgeous sunsets over Lake Murray.
Nate is our go-to guy for developing any type of company analytics. He is a great asset to the team bringing operational visibility in many areas such as financial reporting, scheduling, forecasting, budgeting/planning, growth metrics, etc. particularly through our “company scorecard.” Nate enjoys the construction industry because of its varied types of projects. Outside of work, he likes to spend time with his wife and two daughters, working on his own projects around the house and hanging out with neighbors helping them with their projects. He likes college football and basketball and is a die-hard University of Kentucky fan. (Go Cats!)
AOS was fortunate enough to have Samantha’s resume passed on to us by another nearby business owner. She was looking for a job which would allow her to balance her accounting skills with being a full time mother of three. AOS was a good fit for moving back into full time work challenging her to learn new applications in the area of accounting and expand her responsibilities into Human Resources. Sam loves running, gardening, and spending time with the family especially watching her kids play sports.
Danielle started with AOS in 2017 coming from a job at a much smaller construction company. She was looking for a change and found AOS to be a good fit, plus she liked the bonus that “they also let you bring your dog to work.” 😊 Danielle is gifted at organization which benefits both the vendors and clients she deals with as well as the AOS staff. She is a member of NAWIC (National Association of Women in Construction) and enjoys traveling, spending time with family, and riding a motorcycle with her husband.
AOS was fortunate enough to have Samantha’s resume passed on to us by another nearby business owner. She was looking for a job which would allow her to balance her accounting skills with being a full time mother of three. AOS was a good fit for moving back into full time work challenging her to learn new applications in the area of accounting and expand her responsibilities into Human Resources. Sam loves running, gardening, and spending time with the family especially watching her kids play sports.
Vanessa joined AOS part-time in 2019 to help with internal communications and administrative support, then moved into her current role as of November 2021. Her passion has always been to help others recognize their abilities and grow into their potential so HR is a perfect fit. She feels that “AOS cares for its team, and the employees care about each other” which makes it a great place for Vanessa to live out her passion. She and her husband like to spend time outdoors, tending to their land, keeping bees and making music with their little family.
Dago has been with AOS for over 20 years and has hands on knowledge particularly in the areas of sidewalk, curb & gutter, and all concrete flatwork. He worked his way up through the ranks of Concrete Finisher, Foreman, Superintendent, Project Management, and Director of Operations in the field bringing valuable experience to every project. Throughout his career he has been responsible for training, supervision, layout and sequencing, and various other operations moving the projects through to completion. Dago enjoys spending time with his family of five as well as working on and fixing equipment for fun.
Jose began working with AOS at the age of 19 and holds the title of being the oldest (in work years) employee of AOS . Over 20 years later, he now oversees the daily work of the crews traveling from job site to job site or coordinating over the phone to make sure things run smoothly. Jose has worked on so many various jobs and has gained such a vast working knowledge that when specialty projects come up, Dianne will always say, “Jose can do that!” In his free time, Jose enjoys relaxing at home with his family and attending his church where he has played in the band with some of his AOS coworkers.
Ike works closely with our foremen and project managers to oversee and complete jobs on time with quality and efficiency. Prior to joining AOS in November 2021, Ike was a bridge and roadway inspector through which he brings valuable knowledge to the AOS team. Ike was drawn to AOS as he saw the growth opportunity to further his Construction career. He has supervised such projects as Parlor Road and Old Fort Sidewalk & Drainage, Campus Front Drive at SCDMH, and the Lexington Fish Hatchery Road Roundabout. He and his wife have 2 dogs named Frank and Otis. Ike likes anything sports related as well as spending time with his family on the lake.
Allen is the AOS Electrical Foreman and is responsible for all electrical components of AOS work. He is a Master Electrician and has his Mechanical Contractors License which adds a valuable new component to AOS. Allen joined AOS in January of 2020 to pursue “a good opportunity with a good company” and has contributed to projects such as Park Street Streetscape, Knox Abbott Drive Improvements, Spring Valley Guard House, Central Carolina Technical College Central Courtyard. He is recently married and loves the outdoors, especially running his dogs.
CJ has previously worked as a residential project manager, but came to AOS to move into commercial project management. He plans and supervises a wide range of construction projects from start to finish, working to organize and oversee construction procedures, ensuring they are completed on-time and on-budget, while working closely with engineers, architects, and owners. As a member of the AOS Leadership Team, he is a part of determining and executing strategic company direction. CJ also fosters employee growth by assisting in the training and development of potential Project Managers/Superintendents/ Foremen. He has managed projects such as Three Rivers Greenway, Hyatt Park, Governor’s Mansion, St. Julian Park, Five Points Fountain, and Park Street Streetscape. CJ currently serves as the President of American Subcontractors Association of SC and enjoys woodworking, building furniture, and spending time on the lake.
Wendell has served the Construction industry as a Project Manager for years, managing multiple projects ranging from concrete and asphalt paving, storm drainage, sidewalks, curb & gutter to various vertical buildings. He understands the impact that internal and external obstacles can have on costs, production, and project completion goals thus managing with a proactive mindset. Among the AOS projects managed by Wendell are Parlor Drive Sidewalks, Spring Valley Guard House Expansion, and Crafts Farrow Mental Health Facility Campus Front Drive Repair. Wendell is a tennis aficionado and likes to watch his daughter play golf for the Lander University Bearcats Women’s Golf Team.
Guy moved into construction from 10 years of business management in another field. He excels at sourcing materials from multiple vendors to ensure cost savings, handles submittals, coordinates deliveries, issues purchase orders and subcontracts to lock in pricing as well as getting materials to the jobsites to cut down on handling time. Guy has been instrumental on projects such as Anderson Streetscape, McCormick Main Street Revitalization, Harrison Road Sidewalk, and Knox Abbott Drive Improvements. He starts his day at the gym and enjoys fishing, hiking, camping and being on the lake whenever possible. Guy especially loves taking his family to Fireflies baseball games and playing with his big dog, Teddy.
Mandi has been involved in hundreds of projects using her strong organizational, problem solving, and communication skills. She addresses contract execution, project documentation, direct correspondence with owners, status updates, scheduling of meetings with stakeholders, and work coordination details in support of our project managers. She has assisted with projects such as Three Rivers Greenway Extension, Spring and Cannon Streetscape, Lower Richland Athletic Field Project, and Knox Abbott Drive Improvements. Mandi is currently Vice President of NAWIC (National Association of Women in Construction) and has served on the board as well as in other leadership capacities. In her spare time, Mandi enjoys going to the beach, the gym, kayaking, hiking, fishing, shopping, watching baseball, and living life.