According to world-leading scholars and psychologists, true expertise is a multi- faceted phenomenon involving continuous learning, deliberate practice and practical intelligence. This is a fitting portrayal of Frederick “Art” Barthlow, a lifelong…

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From building submarines to troubleshooting rides at waterparks to developing a live-action role-playing game enjoyed by children around the country, Dave Pherson has had a unique career. The President of the specialty construction company Tech…

Mario Montes, owner of Bella Stone, Inc. in Jacksonville, Florida, knows what it’s like to embark on an unknown path and get established in a new country. In 1993, he came to the United States from El Salvador, went straight to Boston and started…

Architects, general contractors and land and building owners keep Terminus Surveying, LLC busy every day. The Terminus team of Tampa, Florida, is a disabled combat veteran-owned-and-operated business that has a proven record in providing expert…

In the 1970s, the federal government under President Jimmy Carter was developing the national Community Reinvestment Act, which aimed to provide funding and programs to build affordable housing while also providing training and employment opportunities…

When Hurricane Michael hit Mexico Beach, Florida, in October 2018, the Category 5 storm leveled entire neighborhoods. But many of the buildings that had been constructed using insulated concrete forms (ICF)—designed to withstand the more than…

At Skyline Construction, Founder Sam Ramkissoon knows his way around a set of blueprints. And for good reason— the plans his company receives from clients, which often exceed 500 pages, must be transformed from 2D diagrams into the real thing.…

Morris H. Adkins Jr. doesn’t like surprises. As President of Adkins Construction Company LLC (Adkins) he goes to great lengths to learn the ins and outs of a project’s parameters before the subcontractors, tools and equipment arrive on a construction…

With more than 1,100 registered air conditioning contractors in the Jacksonville, Florida, area, Wayne Estes makes sure his company, 
Estes Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc., stands out from the crowd. It’s about more than providing quality…

High Mark Construction, LLC (High Mark) is a general contractor with a strong understanding of how buildings are operated. The company, based in Winter Garden, Florida, specializes in commercial construction, light commercial construction and…

If you want big ideas and big results, you need a firm that invests in people first, according to Domenic Scorpio, President and CEO of Scorpio. “I am passionate about building people. When employees come to work inspired by what they do, they…

Few accounts of company origins inspire as much hope as the storybook beginning of LPC Scaffold Services, Inc. Several years ago, Cynthia Santa, a minority single mom was in the right place at the right time. A fateful encounter at a networking…

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Not even the threat of a hurricane could keep Ishaq Hugger from tackling a big project—and getting it done on time and done right. It was October 2016 when Hugger’s Lawn & Landscape, Inc. was called on to clean, prep and lay sod for a big event…

If you play shuffleboard or tennis in Florida, chances are you have played on a court either originally built or resurfaced by Nidy Sports Construction. And your favorite collegiate or high school sports team may be playing on a field built…

In 2014, a shared love of authentically restoring old houses led Michael and Annie Murphy to found Eco Relics in Jacksonville, Florida. The company offers a vast number of services, including “deconstruction-light”—strip-out services—and the…

The precision and care needed to work in a hospital environment can’t be overstated.

Having been born and raised in the family cabinet business, Bill Oxley, President of Oxley Cabinet Warehouse Inc. in Jacksonville, Florida, has gained abundant knowledge about cabinets from 50-plus years of being in the industry.

If you want to keep customers’ business, always be ready to add services they need, says Mimi Freeman, President and CFO of Asphalt365, Inc. After doing just that, the Kissimmee, Florida-based paving and pressure-washing company is celebrating…

Imagine waking up in a cozy, elegantly designed space, fully equipped to meet your needs. The artwork, furniture, bedding and flooring are all designer quality. You step out your front door to hear the calming sounds of water cascading from…

In 1973, Joe Miorelli, a trained civil engineer, left his career as a consultant to NASA and decided to launch his own company, now called MEC Contractors-Engineers (MEC), a general contractor and civil and structural engineering firm based…

AMH Construction Inc.’s Aaron Hope, founder and President, and Doug Miller, co-owner and Vice President, are on a multifaceted mission to build a company that improves the lives of employees, customers and community.

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In 2005, with minimal notice, the large corporation that Stanley Courtney Jr. was working for announced that it was closing. Stan declared, “I’m starting my own company,” and asked co-workers David Gencarella and Alex Kirkpatrick to go with…

Leon Cruz doesn’t know how to lose. He also understands that it’s all about perception. Owning a company with a five-star rating is of the utmost importance to him. Cruz imparts that to his employees at Orlando’s House of Glass, Inc., with a…

Martin Roofing Services, Inc. (Martin Roofing) is enjoying tremendous growth by focusing on specialization among staff members and integrity throughout its processes.

The hands-on, deep and diverse experience of Mainstream Construction Group, Inc.’s (Mainstream) leaders has clearly influenced its bold embrace of innovative technologies and new opportunities for growth.

Sixteen years ago, what started out as a hobby for a college grad has transformed into a career filled with passion and purpose. Today, as the owner of Good Neighbor Fence Co., Jeffrey (Jeff) Bognolo strives to deliver high-level service to…

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Knocking down walls, blasting through ceilings, bulldozing entire structures and hauling off hundreds of thousands of pounds of debris certainly have all the makings of chaos. But with carefully orchestrated choreography, demolition doesn’t…

Let’s face it—everyone loves to watch a building implode. How many times have TV newscasts shown us sports arenas, office buildings or manufacturing plants reduced to rubble in seconds? Perhaps the appeal is in the visual explosion, or the noise,…

When he was 37, Gary Boyer, a professional construction manager with a decade of experience, knew two things: 1) the construction business can be turbulent and 2) he wanted control over his career.

The Greater Orlando Chapter 73 of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) is more than a group of women with a common profession. It’s much more than a networking environment defined by gender, more than a community outreach…

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In 2009, during the Great Recession, Joanne Caccamisi lost her husband, Danny, to cancer and found herself taking over his role as owner of Central Food Equipment, Inc. (CFE) in Lakeland, Fla. The company outfits commercial kitchens, a specialized…

Out of the Florida sun, inside of Pine Castle, Inc. in Jacksonville, white lengths of cotton are placed onto mop heads and passed down the line to adults who are finding purpose through work.

Two self-made women have combined talents to create and run one of the top roofing companies in the state of Florida. While the roofing business as a whole is male-dominated, this hasn’t stopped Camille Austin and Kim Sanford from collaborating…

“People here know my kids; they see them grow up; they see them at the office with me or participating in company events. I would 100 percent encourage my kids to come into this company.” These are the words of Juan Garcia, the Chief Estimator…

Just over 30 years ago, the Sander family founded its business with a simple handshake in a gentleman’s agreement. Today, owners Jason and Scott Sander continue to operate Tailored Foam of Florida, Inc. (Tailored Foam) with a similar approach…

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The Florida Green Building Coalition (FGBC) has been the driving force in a widespread effort to generate awareness and credibility of green building in the state. The nonprofit corporation, founded in 2000, is dedicated to improving Florida’s…

Highway work zones are one of the most dangerous environments in construction today. Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that, in 2010, there were 32,999 work zone accidents, resulting in 586 deaths. By 2014, the…