A Drive to Dig
Cooley Construction Sets Groundwork for Family Legacy
Anthony Cooley started his career as a laborer for a concrete contractor when he was just 20 years old. He learned how to operate equipment and lead as a crew foreman, superintendent and project manager—but it was one aspect of the construction business that captured his interest. Looking back, Anthony recalls, “I worked closely with the civil crews who did the grading, subgrade stabilization and pad work. I thought earthwork was way more interesting than pouring concrete.”
In 2008, thanks to an old friend, Anthony had the opportunity to go out on his own. With plenty of entrepreneurial spirit and a strong passion for excavation, Anthony formed Cooley Construction, LLC in his hometown of Magnolia, Texas. With help from his twin brother, Jamie, Anthony has since established the company as one of the top civil construction contractors in South Texas.
Paving the Way
Like most new small business owners, Anthony performed every task in the early days—from estimator to superintendent to project manager and sometimes as a part-time operator. He remembers his first project as a business owner, mostly because of the timing. He and his crew were paving an auto dealership in League City when Hurricane Ike came ashore in nearby Galveston, flooding much of Houston and South Texas. Anthony adds, “That was an eye-opening experience for me and our crews. But we safely completed the job and established ourselves as a trustworthy operation.”
Soon after, the company won several other civil projects for public and private clients, from Houston to Austin, that kept it moving forward even through the recession. Specifically, a large park project carried Cooley Construction into 2010, and provided the foundation it needed to survive the economic downturn and prepare for growth. By 2012, the company had grown to 30 employees with multiple sub crews. Anthony saw potential for even greater opportunities, if he had a little help.
A Brother’s Backing
What started as a casual conversation in early 2014 led to a new partnership with a familiar and trusting face in the form of his brother, Jamie.
Anthony explains, “I knew together we could grow the company in ways that I couldn’t do on my own. Key to that expansion would be building a good balance of clients in both the public and private sectors.”
The team effort is clearly paying off; the pair has experienced significant increase in revenue and staff over the past three years. They’ve added multiple grading crews, utility crews and a road paving crew.
Jamie comments, “We are very proud of the growth we’ve achieved in the last few years. Through new opportunities, we’ve been afforded the ability to bring on some really talented individuals. In the office and in the field, every business owner knows how important it is to find those special individuals to perform key roles. I can say with confidence that we believe we have some of the best people in the business working beside us each and every day.”
Their fleet of equipment has expanded as well to include off-road trucks, dozers, maintainers, rollers, excavators and mixing machines. They hired a dedicated equipment manager to handle rentals, purchases, maintenance and logistics of the company’s heavy haul trucks—trucks that now run six to seven days a week, moving equipment as needed to job sites around the Houston metropolitan area.
But it’s the technology aspect of the industry that really impresses the Cooley Construction team. Keeping up with and employing the latest technologies, such as GPS grade control systems, has really helped streamline excavation and grading operations.
Anthony adds, “In the early days, we were using simple rotary lasers to set grades. Today, we employ some of the newest equipment that positioning technology company Trimble offers, allowing our crews to perform the jobs faster and more accurately.”
“I can say with confidence that we believe we have some of the best people in the business working beside us each and every day.” Jamie Cooley, Owner, Cooley Construction, LLC
Streets to Subdivisions
Quality crews and advanced technology have helped Cooley Construction take on more challenging and higher-profile earthwork contracts that range from large subdivisions and apartment complexes to major thoroughfares in the Greater Houston area. One memorable project in terms of scope and scale was the Fish Creek Thoroughfare widening for Montgomery County, which required crews to expand the highway from two to four lanes.
One of the company’s more unique projects was the construction of a county airport runway addition in rural North Texas near the Oklahoma border.
The Texas Department of Transportation-funded project required the Cooley Construction team to work through challenges that ranged from the remote location, which made access to asphalt batch plant and rock suppliers difficult, to the comprehensive specifications and guidelines required by the state transportation agency.
Anthony says, “We pulled it off and the airport project was a great success for our team.” The jobs since then have grown in both scope and scale. This year, Cooley Construction crews began work on the Morton Road detention pond for the city of Katy, which requires the excavation and hauling of 300,000 cubic yards of soil. In another part of the Houston metro area, they’re working on the Research Forest Drive expansion project that includes the addition of divided concrete roadway for a two-mile stretch of county road.
Anthony and Jamie are also continuing to build a strong base of private-sector projects, such as multiple townhome and apartment developments, that include complete site development through the concrete portion of the projects.
Next-Generation Legacy
Back in the office, the two brothers have seamlessly divided responsibilities. Anthony runs the day-to-day office operations overseeing estimating and project management duties, while Jamie has become the face in the field working closely with the superintendents, scheduling crews and communicating with general contractors, architects and engineers.
“Communication is one of our strong points—we’re available seven days a week to resolve any issues that might come up. It’s our transparency and responsiveness that our clients really like,” adds Anthony.
Looking down the road, he and Jamie have put in place a strategic plan for growth, which to their satisfaction includes the next generation.
“We’re really excited for the next 10 years—both for the opportunities ahead, and the chance to share our success with our children,” concludes Anthony. “My kids, even at such a young age, show a great interest in joining and working for the company. I look forward to watching them learn the business, sharing the challenges and experiencing the fun of excavation and site development.”