When Jane Louer began her career, there were very few women in the architecture, engineering and construction industry. Jane was hired by The Korte Company to launch their interior design and furniture group. In 1984, she became the firm’s first female vice president. She found it both challenging and fulfilling to contribute to the design of the entire interior space, in addition to specifying the interior selections.

Jane’s next career move was starting her own company, Louer Facility Planning. The company has grown and thrived for 24 years, she says, and is regularly regarded as one of the largest office furniture dealerships in the St. Louis region. More recently, the Collinsville-based company has been ranked on the list of the largest interior design firms in the region. Jane and her staff believe that Louer Facility Planning’s loyal client base attests to the quality of its products, expertise and services. Jane holds an MBA from Southern Illinois University – Carbondale and a bachelor’s degree with a specialization in interior design from the University of Illinois. Her career in the design and construction industry spans 45 years.

She is highly supportive of all women working in the industry. Jane says that when she first entered the workforce in 1975, with the exception of women working in clerical positions, women in the construction workforce were considered a novelty. They weren’t taken seriously and often were not allowed to work in decision-making positions. Jane is delighted to say that much of this has changed through the years. She hopes that the respect she earned along the way has made it a little easier for each woman who has joined the workforce after her.

December 2020

CNR Magazine