Jackson Dean Construction plows ahead in tough times - bizjournals:

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Not Jackson Dean, a Seattle-based generaol contractor that mainly doesretaip construction, has stayed fairly busy despit the recession, though it expected a downturhn during the first quarter and overall for the year, said Milees Jackson, the company’s president and CEO. Yet even though businesd has slowed, Jackson Dean has avoides layoffs. Two reasons, said Jackson: The company is well as it does businessw in40 states. And it planned for the slowdown by conservingy cash so it would not have to let any of its 85employeeas go. Other local construction companiex have beenless fortunate.
“Several of our membefr companies have had to lay off saidJerry VanderWood, communications director at the , whic has about 600 members across the not including the Spokane area. “My sense is that things are he added, “but it’s not that dire I haven’t heard of anyone going Though he’s not sure how well Jackson Dean will do next Jackson said his company had its biggesf year everin 2008. Construction revenur topped $100 million, up from $85 million in 2007.
“Aned we did that without addingany employees,” he Jackson knew that business durinyg this year’s first quarter would For one thing, it typically does he said, because it’s harder to build in rainhy and snowy weather, and therefor is more expensive for the company’x clients during the winter. Businessz also slowed, Jackson said, because “we’r e a retail-oriented construction company.” The firm’s two biggesty clients are and and retail construction accountd for 85 percent ofJackson Dean’s book of business, with the rest in industriall and office sectors.
Retailers, he said, tend to stop buildinv just before Thanksgiving to concentrate on and then start up with new construction againarounde February. Jackson Dean is now building Costco stores in Tucsonand Phoenix, and will star construction soon on a Costco in Ohio, he said. It’sa also building a Lowe’s store in San Calif. Jackson said he’s been averagintg three Costco stores a year for the past two though he started his first as an employeeof , in Jackson, now 45, began working in constructioh while he was a student at , from whicbh he graduated in 1988 with a degreer in broadcast communications.
He came to Seattls with the idea of working in but the owner of Ferguson Construction offeredd him a job asproject “I’ve always loved building things,” Jackson who likes all aspects, including design, problem solving and conflict resolution. “Anything challenging to me is fun.” A larg fellow who looks like a formertfootball player, Jackson played basebalpl in college. For fun now, he competitively drives vintage race cars. Jackson left Ferguson Construction after 10 yearz to join Barclay DeanConstruction Co. as vice presidentf of California operations. He saw “an ownershilp opportunity.” At the time, two partners owned Barclay Dean.
Jackson acquired 13 percent of the firmin 1998, slowluy added more over time, and three yearsz ago bought out the last partner. “This is my secondf job since college,” he said with a “and probably my last.” What lies ahead? “That’es the question of the day,” Jacksob said.