In 2014, the Flint River became the primary drinking water source for citizens of Flint, Michigan.

After water and pipes were improperly treated, over 100,000 residents were potentially exposed to high levels of lead contamination. In January 2016, this contamination was declared a national crisis. Flint residents have had to filter, boil and buy bottled water in order to avoid illness.

In March 2017, a $97 million settlement was approved by a federal magistrate mandating thousands of pipes be replaced. Four companies were offered a multimillion dollar service contract to replace more than 18,000 lead corroded pipes across the city.

Of those four companies was W.T. Stevens Construction, Inc. under the direction of Iowa State alumna Rhonda Grayer.

A native of Flint, Grayer said her father provided for her and her seven siblings by working construction and eventually starting his own business, W.T. Stevens Construction.

Grayer attended Flint Northwestern High School, and first became interested in Iowa State when her brother, Barry Stevens, played for the men’s basketball team. Until 2016, Barry Stevens was the second all-time leading scorer for the team and his jersey number was retired in 2008 after he passed away. 

“I had visited Iowa State to see [my brother] play. He was two years older than I am and my family and I used to go down [to Ames] and watch him play all the time,” Grayer said “As we would go to the games, I fell in love with the campus.” 

Grayer’s husband also attended Iowa State and played for the men’s basketball team.

Jeff Grayer, Flint native and Flint Northwestern High School graduate, is Iowa State’s all-time leading scorer with 2,502 points from 1984 to 1988. His senior year at Iowa State, his jersey number was retired and he was a first round draft pick for the NBA.

Jeff Grayer played professional basketball for nine years with five different teams including the Golden State Warriors. He also worked for a short period of time as an assistant to coach Greg McDermott at Iowa State. 

Rhonda and Jeff Grayer are both lifetime members of the Iowa State Athletic Association (ISUAA). Jeff Grayer has worked for the ISUAA Board of Directors as a member of the Marketing and Engagement Committees. 

Currently, Jeff Grayer works with his wife at W.T. Stevens Construction, Inc. 

Rhonda Grayer took over W.T. Stevens Construction after her father passed away in 2002, and the company began as a Michigan corporation offering general construction services, demolition, plumbing, utility underground work and other services.

The company has been replacing pipes across Flint for a year now and will continue until all 18,000 have been replaced. It was, at first, anticipated that the project would take three years. However, Grayer said the companies involved are working diligently and hope to wrap up the project within the next year. 

Rhonda Grayer said she has felt like an outsider in the entrepreneurial industry as a woman and minority. However, she encourages women to enter the industry now. 

“[Taking over the business] almost felt like going back to school and learning something new. There was a huge learning curve,” Grayer explained. “This is the perfect time for entrepreneurs altogether. I would say this industry is becoming more woman dominated as well.”

The Grayers still cheer for the Cyclones and try to watch games every chance they get.