Raquel Shohet Floyd

As the president and owner of Rock Solid Project Solutions, Raquel Shohet Floyd always dreamt of building her own company. 

While attending UNLV, Floyd became immersed in the local engineering and construction industry and realized quickly that there were very few women in her classes. The same was true when she worked on job sites in Southern California while interning with a national construction engineering firm prior to attending college. 

After earning her civil engineering degree from UNLV, Floyd worked for multiple large international construction companies honing her construction scheduling, cost estimating, and project controls skills. 

Fast-forward to today, Floyd has surrounded herself with top-notch construction experts whom she has worked alongside for decades. In fact, many of the staff at Rock Solid Project Solutions helped start the multifaceted project controls and construction management firm nearly seven years ago.

Together, the team has delivered more than 500 public and private projects across multiple industries. The cumulative price tag of those projects: in excess of $15 billion.

What initially nudged the 2024 College of Engineering Alumna of the Year into her career field? First wonderment, then aptitude.

“From a young age, I was fascinated with how things are built and knew I wanted to make a positive impact on local communities,” Floyd says. “Math and science were my favorite subjects in school, so there was a natural draw to engineering.”

That draw first took Floyd to Fluor Daniel, a company that was founded in 1912 and today is known as Fluor Corporation, the largest publicly traded engineering and construction company ranked in the Fortune 500.

Cutting her engineering teeth as a post-high school intern at Fluor Daniel, Floyd delighted in absorbing all aspects of the industry and shadowing every mentor willing to take her under their wing. 

It didn’t take her long to realize that the only way to follow in those mentors’ footsteps was to get her engineering degree. So she took advantage of two gifts — a tuition benefit Fluor Daniel offered employees and her soccer skills — and enrolled at UC Irvine as a scholar-athlete.

“I loved my intern work alongside the engineers, estimators, planners, and project managers at Fluor Daniel,” she says. “But I knew the ceiling for growth would be limited without a degree — especially for a woman. Also, I was motivated by my colleagues who were college graduates. They shared stories of their extraordinary experiences with close cohort friends at university, and I longed to have the same.”

Of course, it’s not easy to enjoy those experiences when you’re simultaneously juggling multiple responsibilities — in Floyd’s case, soccer, academics, and a full-time job. So she took things slow at UC Irvine. 

Along the way, she never wavered in her desire to work in construction as an engineer. Eventually, though, another desire entered the picture: being in closer proximity to family.

“Working with Fluor Daniel solidified my desire to study engineering and learn more about the construction industry,” she says. “But I wanted to be closer to my family back in Las Vegas. Knowing the hometown university had a stellar engineering program, I transferred to UNLV to complete my bachelor’s degree in civil engineering.”

Floyd of course completed that degree — but not before first soaking up every last drop of her UNLV experience. 

She was a founding member of the women’s soccer team; student chapter leader for both the Society of Women Engineers and the American Society of Civil Engineers; and, most importantly, developed friendships with fellow engineering students that still exist today.

“Looking back, those are the moments I cherish most,” Floyd says of her time as a UNLV student. “I’m so grateful for those friendships. We’re still part of each other’s lives — the good times and the bad — and those relationships and incredible memories make me so proud to be a Rebel.”

That pride? It continues to manifest in the many tangible and meaningful ways that Floyd has maintained a connection to the university.

For instance, she was an adjunct professor in the College of Engineering from 2015-2019; she has served on the advisory board for the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Construction (CEEC) for the past five years; and she has been a senior class guest speaker with the College of Engineering since 2021.

Additionally, Floyd volunteered for six straight years to train students for the annual American Society of Civil Engineers’ professional engineer prep exam. And she helped start (via sponsorship) the College of Engineering’s first American Public Works Association student chapter.

Perhaps her most enduring and impactful contribution to UNLV, though? Being an employer: Rebels comprise more than half of the staff at Rock Solid Project Solutions, be they alumni or current engineering students.

With Floyd leading the way, that staff tackles client-specific tasks related to cost control, document control, estimating, planning and scheduling, risk management, and a lot more.

About those clients: They’re extremely diverse, ranging from public entities such as the City of Las Vegas, Clark County, the Nevada Department of Transportation, and the Smithsonian Institution to an array of private companies, including T-Mobile Arena, Palazzo Resort and Casino, and the technological wonder that is the MSG Sphere.

“It is true that business ownership is not for the faint of heart,” Floyd says. “However, I’ve been lucky to have surrounded myself with a top-notch team of diverse professionals, including a whole lot of fellow Rebels. Also, many of my early mentors are now dear friends, as are many team members.

“Together, they inspire me and continue to fuel my motivation and drive to thrive in this industry.”

What academic course at UNLV helped set you up for early-career success, and does that course still resonate as you go about your everyday business?

To be honest, all of my classes gave me a foundation — no pun intended — for understanding all aspects of construction that I deal with on a daily basis, including survey, foundations, structures, and open water. 

Narrowing it down, I would say the project controls classes — including cost and scheduling — were a passion of mine at the time.

After being a scholarship soccer player at UC Irvine, you came to UNLV and were a founding member of the Rebels women’s soccer team. How did playing collegiate soccer — specifically, being part of a team — help you later in your professional life?

That experience instilled so many positive character traits. It taught me about teamwork, collaboration, communication, grit, and resourcefulness.

Those characteristics are paramount to my ability to be a leader, mentor, and advocate for our industry. Building teams with a common goal is a passion.

In addition to playing soccer, I was a student chapter leader for the Society of Women Engineers and the American Society of Civil Engineers. Those opportunities also taught me about the importance of working together, innovating, being receptive to others’ ideas, building consensus — all things that are critical to my industry. 

My commitment to professional and community organizations continues today. I am heavily involved in the American Public Works Association and a significant contributor to young professional development and mentorship activities.

Advocating for our industry is important. That’s why I work with K-12 students, educating them about our industry in hopes that it might spark an interest in seeking a career in engineering and construction.

You started your own business, Rock Solid Project Solutions, about seven years ago. What prompted your decision to go out on your own? 

As the vice president for a larger company, I spent nearly 15 years building a Las Vegas-based business around a specialized set of skills in the construction industry. Our team functioned as a nationally recognized set of professionals supporting public and private projects from Washington to Florida. 

When the company offered me the opportunity to separate those services from their traditional offerings, I knew it was the right time to start my own firm. I never considered the risk or the failure potential. Rather, I focused on the niche we had created and the opportunity to grow.

At that point, I had established many client relationships. Just as important, I knew that I possessed the industry knowledge to help public and private clients deliver projects. And that’s exactly what we’ve done since our launch.

Today, I take tremendous pride when I drive around the Las Vegas Valley and see the dozens and dozens of projects that our staff have been involved with — projects that have shaped our wonderful community.

What advice would you give to the young engineering professional who is considering starting their own business?

Be patient and keep an open mind about new opportunities. 

In fact, one of my many favorite sayings is, “Don’t be afraid to close a door and choose another.” Because experience is so important. It leads to knowledge, which leads to respect, which leads to a place in our profession.

Another thing, and this is especially crucial for women with aspirations to be a business owner in a male-dominated industry: Get involved. By that I mean speak up, ask questions, be a mentor, and advance your skills any way you can. 

And don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty!

What has been your most meaningful professional reward?

Being in this industry for more than 30 years, I could answer that question many different ways. 

Certainly learning the “language” of our industry has been meaningful, because it takes time and it’s important. That brings me great pride. So does the fact that my depth of contractor and consulting experience has afforded me opportunities to mentor young professionals both locally and nationally.

These and other rewards have helped me to grow a business.

As you reflect on your UNLV experiences, both as a student and active alumna, what immediately comes to mind?”

UNLV has been responsible for some of the best experiences of my life. From making lifelong friends to allowing me the opportunity to stay involved as a student mentor, instructor, and senior design judge.

My love and appreciation for UNLV is a big reason why half of my staff are either Rebel graduates or soon-to-be alums — and they’re all super talented.