‘We Do the Right Thing’
How White Oak Construction Is Making a Difference
White Oak Construction, located in Indianapolis, started in 1982 in the garage of founder and President Jerry Sobota’s home. It was a company created out of necessity and the need to survive.
“The reality in 1982 was the economy was horrible. I couldn’t find a job, so I put myself out there as a handyman,” Sobota recalls.
From a handyman, Sobota transitioned into construction. He became a licensed contractor and his one-man operation, White Oak Construction, continued to grow over the next 36 years.
Today, Sobota is joined by Sam Luppino, Vice President, and Dave Wilson, Vice President of Custom Homes as the owners of White Oak Construction. The company has grown from zero employees to 110. White Oak Construction also now has three major areas of work: residential, remodeling and commercial.
But the most inspiring part of the White Oak Construction story is the commitment to the company’s vision and values. From a company created out of “trying to survive,” Sobota and the other White Oak Construction owners are now actively working to help others not only survive, but thrive.
The company’s tagline, “We Do the Right Thing,” is the perfect embodiment of its values. In fact, the White Oak Construction vision and values are front and center on its website: “White Oak Construction is committed to being a positive example to the home improvement industry and the business community that adheres strictly to the principles of honesty, integrity and professionalism. We provide high quality products, view every sale as the birth of a relationship and strive to increase our customer’s safety, security, and standard of living. We serve and support the personal growth of all associated with our organization, while delivering the best quality and value for our clients’ construction dollars.”
These values can be seen in everything the White Oak Construction team does–from how they treat their customers, to their relationships with their employees and how they give back to the community.
Providing Quality
White Oak Construction has seen immense growth through the years in its commercial construction business. What originally began as small, local projects—such as building an automotive shop or a warehouse—has expanded to working with large, national brands, particularly in the restaurant industry. White Oak Construction has done work for Yum! Brands, Inc., Little Caesars, Pizza Hut, Marco’s Pizza, Corner Bakery Cafe, and Subway as well as regional brands. They also work for a variety of developers and property managers, such as Simon, Regency Property Management, Washington Prime Group, Sandor and Bradley Company—work that has regularly taken them out of the Indianapolis market and into bordering states—something unique for a construction company of its size.
Sobota credits this increase in national restaurant construction to White Oak Construction’s ability to abide by strict deadlines and finish projects on time and on budget.
“There are three things that drive construction: price, quality and timeframe,” Sobota says. “A lot of contractors have the mentality that the customer can get two of those. We pride ourselves on giving the customer all three.
Working with these national brands has also improved White Oak Construction’s overall project management philosophy and enhanced the quality of work the company provides its customers.
This is perhaps most evident in the company’s recent renovation of The Wine Market at Fountain Square in Indianapolis. The project was part of a revitalization of an older historic neighborhood, considered to be an up-and-coming area in Indianapolis. The building, more than 100 years old, had sat empty for 10 years.
The project itself typically would have taken 12 weeks. The owners of The Wine Market needed it completed in six weeks, in time for an upcoming street fair. It was a risky timeline, given the age of the building but the White Oak Construction team dove right in, confident that they could meet the challenge.
“We met as a team, dedicated ourselves to the goal and decided we could do it in that timeframe, so we organized ourselves and charged ahead,” says Greg Cheslyn, Business Development Manager for White Oak Construction.
And their team delivered, successfully completing the renovation on time while providing a quality finished product that exceeded expectations.
The Wine Market owners were so pleased with the results that they’ve invited the White Oak Construction team to be the sole contractor for the new location they’re preparing to build.
“We’re a very conscientious and fair company when it comes to how we deal with people,” Cheslyn says. “I think we’re a company that does have the best interest of our clients at heart, and we do everything we can do to provide them the product they are seeking.”
Building Up People
The way in which the White Oak Construction team puts people first also extends to the way the company treats its 110 employees. The owners go out of their way to ensure each of their employees feels valued and is taken care of—it’s as simple as having an open-door policy where anyone can stop by their offices to talk or feel comfortable asking for help when they need it.
“Individual people are important, and we build that into our culture at the office,” Sobota says. “I want people to walk in my door and share their lives. I want to know what’s going well, and I want them to ask for help when it’s needed. When we ask employees, ‘How are you doing?,’ they know that we really want to know the answer.” The value Sobota and the others at White Oak Construction place on people also shows up in how the company supports other organizations in its community, particularly those that align with White Oak Construction’s values. One such organization is the Beacon of Hope Crisis Center, which provides support for women and children escaping domestic violence. Another, Compassion International, helps children in poverty around the world.
At the end of the day, White Oak Construction is about more than just building buildings—it’s about building up people.
“We remind ourselves every day that everything we do and every decision we make affects 110 families,” Sobota says. “We believe every person who comes to work here has something to say and something to offer.”
For Sobota, it all goes back to a favorite Ecclesiastes verse: A threefold cord is not easily broken. “Sobota concludes, “When people work together and share their lives together, they have a better chance of success in life.”