EMJ Corp.

Burt Odom began his construction career when he served under EMJ founder, Edgar M. Jolley, after graduating from Auburn University. Having worked more than 30 years in various positions including as an estimator and project engineer, Burt’s unique perspective in all facets of the construction process is an asset to the entire EMJ family of companies.

Burt helped establish EMJ’s Dallas office and played a key role in growing its client base, project diversity and revenues to become one of the most successful construction offices in the southwest. Burt now serves as the Chief Executive Officer and President of EMJ Corporation, his role since October 2016.

Burt’s favorite part of leading the organization is growing our talented team and inspiring them to do great things. He instills a servant leadership mentality by leading by example and is actively involved in EMJ’s mentoring program.

Burt is active in his local community and connected to the construction community nationwide. He is on the committee of International Council of Shopping Centers and attends events for the organization annually. He is on the board of Coppell Bible Fellowship and Faith Christian School’s Building Committee. He is a former Awana leader and an Associated Builders and Contractors Advisory Board Member. He lives in Coppell with his wife and enjoys spending time with his four children.

Chas oversees and directs the day-to-day operations of EMJ’s Chattanooga office. His more than 16 years of construction experience in a variety of roles, including estimator, project manager and construction manager, serve as a valuable resource to all aspects of the company’s operations.

Chas earned a bachelor’s degree in construction science and management from Clemson University, and in 2017, he was named both a Top Young Professional by Engineering News-Record and among the International Council of Shopping Centers’ Top 40 Under 40.

Chas serves on the Board of Directors for East Tennessee’s chapter of Make-a-Wish, and he is Vice President of the Board of Directors of the Miracle League of Chattanooga.

Deron leads the EMJ Corporation marketing and communications team in internal and external marketing and communication strategy and business development support. 

He has 20 years of experience as a consultant and in-house communications and marketing professional. Before joining EMJ in 2015, Deron served as the National Director of Communications for the Boy Scouts of America and held positions with notable public relations firms Edelman, Publicis Dialog and The Gooden Group.

He is a graduate of the University of Central Oklahoma, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in oral communications and public relations. Deron is an avid golfer and enjoys spending time with his family and serving his church. 

As Senior Vice President of People, Heather works with executive leadership to implement changes that positively influence EMJ’s employee culture and resources. She provides overall leadership to departments within the corporation that directly impact EMJ’s culture, including benefits, learning and recruiting.

Heather has more than 20 years of experience in employee resources-related fields and received a Master of Arts, Training, Development and Human Resources from the University of South Florida and a Bachelor of Arts from Stetson University. She is a national member of the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) and is designated as both a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) and a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR).

Heather is a DDI-certified trainer and an accomplished speaker. She has spoken at SHRM national conventions, the Southeast HR Conference and events for the Environmental Financial Consulting Group (EFCG), Mountain States Employers Council, Great Place to Work Institute, BioWorks Memphis and SHRM-Memphis. She also served as a guest lecturer for undergraduate business classes at the Fogelman College of Business at the University of Memphis.

Heather lives in Chattanooga with her husband and three children. In her free time, she enjoys home renovation projects, walking, cooking, and sporting events, especially Florida State University football and Red Sox baseball.

Jack leads EMJ Construction across the U.S., working closely with the Executive Vice Presidents of the Boston, Chattanooga and Dallas offices. With more than 21 years of construction experience in a variety roles, from job site superintendent to vice president of construction, Jack is an exceptional leader and problem solver. He excels at strategically marshaling teams to achieve results and provide predictable execution to EMJ’s clients.

A graduate of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Jack’s construction experience includes retail developments, industrial facilities, office buildings, hospitality projects, healthcare and educational facilities—including some of the largest jobs completed by EMJ.

Jack lives in Chattanooga, Tenn., with his wife and two children. In his spare time, Jack volunteers as a board member for Big Brother Big Sisters of Chattanooga.  He enjoys being involved with his church, spending time with family, traveling, deep sea fishing and reading history.

Neil Pratt’s lifelong mission has been to help others reach their goals, and as Executive Vice President of EMJ’s Boston office, he takes steps toward this daily.

Neil has nearly 15 years of experience in construction and has been with EMJ Corporation since 2003. In 2015, Neil assumed the leadership role of EMJ’s Boston office, having previously led Accent Construction Services in Chattanooga. With his move to Boston, Neil hopes to “deepen roots” in the New England area and grow the Boston office’s client base.

Neil’s favorite part about working at EMJ is its entrepreneurial culture and the opportunities that are given to employees. He appreciates the collaborative spirit of EMJ and the team’s desire to “go the extra mile” for both clients and colleagues.

In Neil’s spare time, he is involved with First Thing’s First, an organization dedicated to strengthening families, where he serves as a board member. He frequently attends industry-related learning events, including those of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), to continue to grow in his profession. A graduate of Auburn University with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, he lives in Boston with his wife and their two children.

Philip utilizes his more than 38 years of construction experience in teaching, training, mentoring and leading the construction team in Chattanooga. His experience across offices and teams offers a unique perspective and enhances his ability to connect with project teams.

He joined EMJ in 1990 as a Carpenter Foreman and soon began the company’s first safety program as the Corporate Safety Director in 1992. Over the years, Philip served in many roles, from Warranty Manager, Assistant Superintendent to Senior Project Manager. In 2005, he spearheaded the opening of EMJ’s Sacramento office, later moving to the Dallas office before settling down in Chattanooga.

A graduate of Middle Tennessee State University, Philip lives in Chattanooga with his wife. His oldest son is married with two sons, and his second son is in nursing school in Phoenix. When not at work, Philip enjoys spending time with his family, hiking, exercising, racquetball, landscaping and sun and fun vacations.

As advisor and strategic partner to Burt Odom, CEO and President, Steve leads the accounting operations of EMJ’s family of companies. He works closely with executive leadership to establish financial strategies, maximize financial performance, protect company assets, and allocate capital in alignment with the overall purpose, vision and strategy of EMJ Corporation.

Steve is a CPA and earned his M.B.A. from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. He graduated with his M.S. in accountancy from the University of Denver and advanced his specialization in strategy through study at the Executive Education Program at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College.

Before joining EMJ, Steve authored the book, Delivering Value, and founded the Coltivar Group where he counseled large and small construction clients on a broad range of services including strategy, organizational structure, financial management, and operational effectiveness.

Steve is active at his church and in the community. He has served on the Associate Council of the AGC, State Board of Directors for the green industry, as an active member of CAMPC, and as a leader in Impact Denver. He is an accomplished runner and enjoys spending time with his wife and two children.

As Executive Vice President of EMJ Construction’s Dallas office, William provides day-to-day leadership and management to the Dallas-based construction teams, overseeing the operations and success of the office.

Born and raised in Dallas as part of a construction family, William has a lifetime of industry experience. Following his graduation from Centenary College of Louisiana in 1998, he joined the EMJ team and has served in various roles from project engineer to director of construction. In his 20 years of experience, he has led a variety of projects from retail developments and office spaces to hospitals and resorts, including River Spirit Casino Resort—EMJ’s largest project to date.

William and his wife of 18 years, Tyler, have four children, Grace, Hatton, Lyle and Pate. A resident of the Park Cities, he is active in his community and stays involved in the three HPISD schools at which his children attend.

Alex leads the Chattanooga team’s preconstruction efforts, including general oversight, planning, conceptualizing, budgeting, bidding and design coordination.

A member of the EMJ team since 2005, Alex joined the company as a Co-op while earning a civil engineering degree from the University of Tennessee. After graduation, he was hired as a project engineer, climbing the ranks to Estimator and Director of Preconstruction prior to his current role.

Alex is based in EMJ’s Chattanooga office and lives in Ooltewah. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family, Tennessee Football, snowboarding, hunting and working on cars.

Chris leads planning, conceptualizing, budgeting, bidding and design coordination of EMJ Chattanooga’s projects and provides day-to-day guidance to members of the preconstruction team.

Chris has more than 22 years of experience in project estimation and value-generating solutions and has been with EMJ for nearly 12 years. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Purdue University at Indianapolis.

Chris lives in Chattanooga with his wife of 26 years and three sons. He stays active in the community by volunteering with Junior Achievement of Chattanooga and is a member of St. Stephens church.

In his spare time, he enjoys coaching his son in basketball and baseball, watching Notre Dame football and IU basketball along with bike riding with his wife.

Jeff works closely with the Chattanooga team to build client relationships and pursue new work in various sectors in the southeast region.

Jeff has more than 20 years of experience in the development, real estate and insurance industries. He received a Bachelor of Arts from Appalachian State University and completed Stanford University’s Executive Program in Mergers and Acquisitions.

Jeff lives on Signal Mountain with his wife and has three grown children.