Lonnie Simpson, founder of Debco Construction, has called Clearwater County home his whole life. He lives in Lenore with his wife, Shannon, and son, Evan.

 

Lonnie's work ethic took root in grade school on a local farm. After high school, he sharecropped to save for college, but a poor harvest pushed him toward construction instead. When a nearby road project wasn't hiring, he showed up anyway — working for free until he earned a spot on the crew.

 

Over the next seven years, he rose from laborer to truck driver, operator, surveyor, foreman, and superintendent. The long hours for little pay convinced him he should be building something of his own.

 

In 1991, Lonnie founded Debco Construction with $20,000 in savings and two partners he later bought out. Early jobs were small utility contracts; today, Debco Construction is a leading heavy-construction and general contracting firm in the Pacific Northwest. Based in Orofino, Idaho, the company employs about 70 seasonal workers plus several full-time staff, and handles multimillion-dollar highway construction, large-scale site work, and underground utility projects across Idaho, Washington, Montana, and Oregon.

 

Lonnie's founding philosophy still guides the company: "I was bound and determined to succeed by doing things 'the right way' — quality work, fair prices, and strong relationships." That commitment has built lasting loyalty among customers and employees, and reflects his ongoing dedication to the Clearwater County community.