Heathman arrived in Portland about 1921 and became a general building contractor. He constructed the Red Men Hall, a lodge operated by the
Improved Order of Red Men, at SE 9th and Hawthorne in 1922. The building was designed by architects
Claussen and Claussen, a firm Heathman would employ on other projects. Heathman's other early buildings include the L.E. Fairchild Building at SE 11th and Hawthorne, the M. Pallay Building, occupied by S. & S. Auto Wrecking, at SE Lownsdale (15th Avenue) and Alder, and the Badley-Smith Auto Company building at SE 9th and Madison. In 1924 Heathman completed construction of the Roosevelt Hotel at SW Park and Salmon. He formed a partnership with Virgil Crum and Earl Smith, the Roosevelt Hotel Company, and became a hotel executive. Heathman formed the Heathman-Crum Hotel Company and built two more hotels. In 1926 he opened the Heathman Hotel at SW Park and Salmon. The Heathman Hotel was renamed the Park Heathman after the New Heathman Hotel opened at SW Broadway and Salmon in 1927. ==Death==