G.A. Johnson Construction
“You name it, we do it.” This can-do attitude has allowed GA Johnson to exhibit strong, consistent growth even in a rough economy.
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Building With Diversity Strength
by Rebecca Rodriguez
With a “you name it, we do it” objective, company president Corey Johnson has made G.A. Johnson Construction, Inc. into a business that has exhibited strong, consistent growth. And customer satisfaction through honesty, integrity, and competitive pricing is what has propelled the company into a business that is successful as a jack-of-all-trades. “We have happy customers,” Johnson said. “We have a lot of experience. We’re hands-on, well-educated, and well-rounded people. Our carpenters are the best in the business.” The Sioux Falls, S.D., company’s projects range from small residential renovations to multi-million dollar complexes. Its slate of offerings include commercial, industrial, and residential projects, including jails, schools, hospitals, restaurants, banks, and high-end custom homes. Repeat customers make up about 40 percent of the business. “We like doing anything. We’re big on value engineering and can make projects cheaper than most folks,” Johnson said. One such large project is the Hughes County Jail overlooking the Missouri River in Pierre, S.D. The $10 million juvenile detention center is a 180 bed facility and is in its final stages of completion. Johnson Construction has a host of local subcontractors they work with, but also bring in specialty subcontractors as far away as Florida and California. “We know a lot of the industry suppliers in the areas we go in and we know who’s doing quality work,” Johnson said. “A lot of our clients pay to have the right people on the job.” Johnson stressed the importance of saving his clients money.
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“We work hard and we work smart,” he said. “We’re saving our clients money and they’re happy and with the economy the way it is we are all looking for a way to save a dime without sacrificing quality.” The company completes between three and five custom homes a year ranging in price from $300,000 to about a million. “We’re trying to do top-notch, high-craftsmanship work,” he said. Johnson, active in the The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) and the Home Builders Association (HBA) of South Dakota sees staying on top of legislation part of what makes his company strong, especially in the area of home building with new government laws being passed down. “Home building is huge with helping the economy and the more houses you build, the more schools you need,” Johnson said. “We watch for laws coming out. Some could cost us a lot of money.” A recent project involving a 40,000 sq. ft. addition to the Freeman Elementary School in Freeman, S.D., presented some challenges. The crew had to work around underground aquifers and erect structural steel in 20 degrees below zero weather with 40 mile an hour winds. “We don’t stop,” Johnson said. Getting a project competed efficiently and at low cost while maintaining quality is the company’s signature objective. A million dollar project in Rapid City, S.D., which entailed building a Sonic drive-in restaurant was completed in 65 days, a company record. Johnson’s company has built several Sonics in the Midwest.
Corey Johnson | President of G.A. Johnson Construction, Inc.
We work hard and we work smart. We’re saving our clients money and they’re happy and with the economy the way it is we are all looking for a way to save a dime without sacrificing quality. 2 Construction Leaders Today
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“Trustworthiness is big in our line of work. We need to be on our ‘A’ game all the time and that’s why people like us,” Johnson said. The company came out strong in 2009, with revenues at about $28 million. And it tackles projects in the multi-state region, including Wyoming, Nebraska, Minnesota, and North Dakota. Branching out is something Johnson has his sights set on. The company is currently looking into a project in Arkansas. “We’re starting to do a lot of out-of-town jobs. We’re not afraid to travel,” he said. The family-oriented company started in 2002 when Johnson joined forces with his father Gerald Johnson, CEO of the company and his brother Michael Johnson, who acts as vice president. Gerald Johnson spent more than 26 years managing a top 500 Architectural, Engineering and Construction firm where he was president and CEO of the construction division. Corey Johnson said he and his brother grew up surrounded by the construction business and likes to say he was born with “a hammer in one hand.” Before 2002, Michael Johnson ran his own contracting business. Corey Johnson worked his way up completing various jobs, such as carpenter, plasterer, estimator, and project manager. It helped groom him for his position of president of the company. Johnson graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in construction management in 1998. In 2007, Corey Johnson was promoted to president and oversees the company’s operations. Corey Johnson said it was always in their sights for the father and two sons to form their own company. “We joined forces. We knew it would happen sooner or later,” he said. Johnson said he wakes up every morning looking forward to going to work and feels lucky to be able to work with family each day. “Not everybody can do that,” he said. With about 30 employees, the company is striving to grow each year. “We want to be one of the top general contractors in Sioux Falls and we keep moving up each year,” Johnson said. With last year being an “outstanding” year, Johnson strives to continue the company’s growth. “Our goal is to match it (revenue) or beat it. That’s my goal every year,” he said. Johnson sees 2010 as being a “challenge” for the industry in general. ”But I think things will bounce back soon. I’m on the positive end of thinking,” he said. And Johnson has a lot to be positive about. His company is seeing consistent growth and his customers are happy and keep coming back for more. CLT 4 Construction Leaders Today
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