Choate Construction Co

Dave earned his Bachelor of Science in Construction Engineering from Arizona State University. During his professional career, he has been an estimator, project manager, director of operations and vice president for general contractors in both Phoenix, AZ and North Carolina.

Dave met Millard Choate in 1992 and they shared an immediate respect for a straight-forward approach to the construction industry. Dave was hired as the Carolinas Managing Principal and given the opportunity to expand Choate into the Carolinas. He started the Charlotte office more than 20 years ago, and the Raleigh and Charleston offices soon followed.

Dave has been a part of the Charlotte community for 27 years. He is an Executive Board Member & Secretary for the Harris YMCA and past Executive Board Member & Treasurer for the Fletcher School. He aspires to be in the forefront of the construction industry and maintains involvement within the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, Urban Land Institute, Association of General Contractors and the Associated Builders and Contractors of the Carolinas, among others.

After graduating Pensacola Christian College and working for Macon Steel as Controller, David joined Choate Construction in 1991 in the same position. At that time David represented the entire accounting department. As Controller, he worked with Millard Choate and established Choate’s first Profit Sharing Plan. In 1992, David was promoted to V.P. of Finance and Chief Financial Officer. In 1993, David oversaw and developed accounting and management procedures for Choate’s first remote office in Charlotte, NC.

These same procedures were continued and expanded as Choate opened additional offices in Charleston, Raleigh, and Savannah. In 1999 and 2000 David spearheaded the search, selection, and implementation of Choate’s first ERP system allowing all Choate employees to log in to the network system and enter and retrieve data. This completely integrated construction operations and management with accounting procedures. In the following years, David has led the accounting department’s growth from a one-man operation to a department that entails an accounting staff of eight, in addition to the other departments he is responsible for.

Outside of work David enjoys time with his three sons and wife, Teresa. His hobbies include motorcycles, antique cars, and guns. He is active in fundraising on the behalf of Choate with Cystic Fibrosis which includes Great Strides, Cars and ‘Q for the Cause, and other charitable events.

Mike began his career as a co-op student from The University of Cincinnati with Turner Construction in Mike’s hometown of Cincinnati. Years of quick advancement and impressive skills both in the field and office earned him positions at prestigious construction firms as well as accolades such as the Turner Territory Employee of the Year and Project Manager of the Year by the American Subcontractors Association.

Leadership roles include leading both individual offices and regional branches for other prominent contractors, until Mike began his role as Division Manager of the Choate Construction Company Charleston office. After three years in Charleston Mike returned to Atlanta as the Chief Operating Officer to lead the Georgia operations. With the conversion of Choate to an ESOP in late 2016, Mike has assumed the role of Chief Administrative Officer with an eye to the future in terms of organizational development and the development of the talent that resides within Choate.

Mike is active with the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce Board of Advisors, The Rotary Club of Roswell, Roswell Inc.’s Economic Development Council, Life University’s Board of Visitors, and is a board member of North Fulton Community Charities and the Roswell Convention and Visitors Board.

William Millard Choate is the Chairman & CEO of Choate Construction Company, one of the largest commercial building contractors in the Southeastern United States. With over three decades of contracting experience, Millard is responsible for the direction of all operations of the firm including marketing, preconstruction, and construction operations. Millard also takes an active role in negotiating and issuing contracts, financial management, and development of construction procedures and policies.

Millard founded Choate Construction in 1989 after first serving as a project manager with a Kentucky contractor and then moving forward to serve for 12 years as the officer of an Atlanta general contractor. A native of Nashville, TN, he is a graduate of Father Ryan High School and Vanderbilt University, where he received a Bachelors of Arts in Economics and Business.

Active in several organizations, Millard serves as a Director on the Board of Fidelity Bank, is an active member of the Business Executives for National Security (BENS), serves on various Chambers of Commerce, and is a member of the Atlanta Rotary. He has been chosen as an Entrepreneur of the Year, sponsored by Ernst & Young, Inc. Magazine, and Merrill Lynch and the Volunteer of the Year by Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Dave champions strategic geographic growth for Choate with a focus on procuring and managing nationwide project pursuits. He will also aid Choate’s senior staff in managing large, complex projects where his vast experience can be leveraged across a broader spectrum within Choate. Dave’s industry experience includes many varied types of construction projects such as corporate facilities, office, higher education, healthcare, laboratory/life sciences, high tech research/development & data center, multi-family, assisted living, parking decks, and commercial/retail.

Dave began his career in the construction business in the 1980’s where he worked summers in the equipment yard, jobsites, and in the office as an intern for a large general contractor in the Chicago area. Dave earned his Bachelors of Building Construction from the University of Florida and has worked for large contractors in Charlotte, North Carolina and Chicago, Illinois. Dave and his family moved to Raleigh in 1994, where he has enjoyed an active role in the Triangle region’s construction industry ever since.

Within the industry, Dave is an active member of the Associated General Contractors and a member of the Associated Builders and Contractors’ Triangle Council. In the greater Triangle business community, he is a Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce Board of Advisors member and a Cary Chamber of Commerce member. He also supports Habitat for Humanity, the Susan G. Komen’s NC Triangle affiliate, and the Fight for 1 in 9 Foundation.

A Savannah native, Kirk Gilbert graduated from Georgia Southern University with his Building Construction & Contracting degree. Starting as a plumber’s assistant and working his way up, Kirk possesses a keen knowledge of all aspects of the construction process and the ability to inspire people, collaboration, and project success.

Since joining the Choate Construction team, Kirk has served as an Assistant Project Manager, Project Manager and Senior Project Manager. With the knowledge and skills developed over the years along with familiarity of Savannah’s construction community, Kirk provides oversight and direction to Choate Construction’s business operations.

Kirk is a LEED Accredited Professional and resides in Savannah with his wife and three sons.

As Vice President and Division Manager for Choate Construction Company’s Charleston division, Matt is responsible for establishing and overseeing the execution of the division’s short term and long term business strategies. Matt has been with Choate for over 13 years and brings over 19 years of experience in construction and land development. Before joining Choate, Matt held an executive position with a development company that successfully established over a dozen residential communities across South Carolina. Most recently, Matt was the Managing Partner of a 140-acre development located in Berkeley County, SC.

Brewer received his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the College of Charleston, and has completed MBA coursework at the Citadel Graduate College and the University of South Carolina.

Matt is an active member of the Charleston community, where he serves in the following organizations:

Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce – Board of Directors

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (SC Chapter) – Board of Directors

US Green Building Council (USGBC) – Member

Urban Land Institute (ULI) – Member

South Carolina Economic Developers Association (SCEDA) – Member

Matt attends Seacoast Church in Mount Pleasant, SC, along with his wife, Fernanda, and their two children, Lauren and Logan.

With over 30 years of experience, Tom provides leadership, direction, vision, mentoring, and oversight to all aspects of the business in the Raleigh office. Tom is particularly known for his commitment to fostering collaborative work environments, inspiring and developing personnel talent, and strategic business development planning.

After graduating from Purdue University, Tom began working as a Project Director in the healthcare arena, developing new construction and overseeing facility improvements around Texas. He further honed his skills and after relocating to the Carolinas area, quickly became a well-known figure in the construction industry.

When not working, Tom enjoys spending time with his family and supporting a variety of philanthropic organizations such as the American Diabetes Association, the Food Bank for North Carolina, and the Ronald McDonald House.