Jacqueline Crane Hansen’s involvement in the construction industry began in her childhood. Influenced by her father, Jimmy Crane, who established Crane Builders first in New Orleans, Louisiana, she spent her formative years growing up in close proximity to the business. After working alongside her father for a decade, Ms. Hansen ascended to ultimately acquire the remaining stake in the company from him in 2019 and accepted her current role as president and owner of Crane Builders, today based in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.
Possessing an enterprising mindset from her youth, Ms. Hansen started seriously involving herself in Crane Builders during her public school education, working part-time on weekends, summers, and holidays throughout her middle and high school years. Later, while pursuing higher education in construction management at Louisiana State University, she continued garnering experience with the family business. In 2010, she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in construction management and started working for Crane Builders full-time. In 2016, Ms. Hansen rose to the rank of a partner with the company, and three years later, upon gaining the last stake from her father, she took the company’s reigns. Under her leadership, the company’s portfolio is comprised of diverse projects ranging from custom-built constructions, historical renovations, restorations, kitchen upgrades, and more. Still a family venture through and through, Ms. Hansen welcomed her husband, Chris Hansen, into the business as the project manager, and she is proud to have led the company to receive multiple awards for exceptional work.
Ms. Hansen takes pride in, and is thankful for, her career success. At the helm of Crane Builders, she is particularly committed to delivering outstanding results by employing immaculate attention to detail. She believes her accomplishments are the result of her sustained passion for construction, long-term exposure to the industry, and staying dedicated to her craft throughout her career. To this day, Ms. Hansen enjoys the challenge of meeting her clients’ expectations, relishing in perfecting every detail of her custom homes and working hard to continue refining her skills. With a focus on high-end homes, she takes on projects of various scale and proportion at Crane Builders and notes that her team meets every unique assignment with competence and mastery. Looking to the future of the company, Ms. Hansen plans to continue tackling projects and delivering unparalleled results for her customers. In validation of her excellence, Remodeler Magazine recognized her with inclusion in the publication’s Top 40 Under 40 list.
As a woman in the mostly male construction industry, Ms. Hansen has made significant strides as a trailblazer. She was one of four women who graduated from Louisiana State University with a degree in her field, and she has persevered through numerous obstacles in her career. She never allows her gender to play a role in how she communicates with her team but notes that she has fought against a steady undercurrent of underestimation and doubt from some customers simply because she is a woman. Known as a more detail-oriented and observant person than most, Ms. Hansen strives to serve as a role model for aspiring female construction professionals to help them achieve their dreams.
Staying on top of developments in her industry, Ms. Hansen is a member of the National Association of Home Builders and the Home Builders Association of Mississippi. Moreover, she is continually connected to her business community through the Hancock County Chamber of Commerce. To aspiring construction management professionals, she offers sage advice and stresses the importance of keeping all team members involved and focused through active, consistent communication. In her leisure hours away from her many duties at Crane Builders, Ms. Hansen cherishes spending time with her children, Amelia and Andrew. She is also the proud owner of multiple dogs and is a faithful supporter of the Hancock Animal Shelter and Take Paws Rescue.