US
Developers Journal
WInter 2010
www.usdevelopersjournal.com
M. Ross Inc.
Quality Construction Sweeping Down the Plains
THE MAGAZINE FOR CONSTRUCTION EXECUTIVES
Quality Construction Sweeping Down the Plains Produced by Matt Duncan & Written by Shelley Seyler Located in the heartland of America, M. Ross Inc. has been serving the eastern third of Oklahoma since 2000 and is on an upward trajectory to continue working throughout the state. Headquartered in Muskogee, Okla., the general contractor operates with just six employees who provide all the inhouse trades M. Ross needs to be successful. M. Ross is an independent company that is owned 100 percent by Indian descendants. To that end, the company is certified with the Cherokee Nation Tribal Employment Rights Organization. “We do a lot of work with them,” says Mike Ross, founder
2|
US Developers Journal
Winter Edition 2010
and president. The company is also involved with the Native American Contractors Association. The company’s niche is in completing projects in the commercial and industrial sectors in the $1 million to $5 million range. Running average annual revenue of approximately $8 million, Ross says without hesitation that his biggest expense aside from labor is insurance. But Ross knows how to manage resources, as he has been in the industry for an impressive 31 years, and previously worked for WW Enterprises as a partner and at the construction giant Flintco as a project manager.
In-house, M. Ross performs rough carpentry, from the Oklahoma State University’s construction doors, frames, hardware, accessories, specialty management program. “It’s a great program,” he comments. Retaining items, some earthwork, his employees is also and metal buildings. straightforward. “Taking The company partners care of them” is the with subcontractors formula, he says. M. for concrete, HVAC, Ross provides benefits, mechanical and wages and a bonus plumbing. “We have a system. pretty good following of subs,” says Ross when Thanks, at least in part, asked if he generally to these programs, uses the same ones. the company provides “But we also look for service that keeps low bid.” customers coming back for more. M. Ross, With a relatively small staff, it is that much more therefore, does not do a lot of marketing, but important that each employee on the team enjoys word-of-mouth recommendations and knows the ropes well. To that end, Ross trains working with clients of projects past. all his employees in-house. “We give them some education … I like to train them in the way I do business,” he explains. Ross recruits new employees
|3
Working and Reaching High One of M. Ross’s most recent projects was completed for the Choctaw Nation Hotel and Casino located in Durant, Okla. They furnished and installed all the hollow metal frames, doors, wood doors, and hardware and toilet accessories. This project had over 400 doors and included 330 hotel rooms. One of the most interesting projects the company has completed is the complete renovation of the City of Muskogee Civic Center. “They gutted everything,” emphasizes Ross. This was also one of the company’s more interesting projects as it required renovations of the main floor ceilings. Working 45 feet above the floor to finish the project, the company installed acoustic blankets designed by Bose. “It is hard to get up that high and re-do everything,” Ross admits. “Making that work was really interesting” for the company, reflects Ross,
who reflects on how the company had to build a rolling scaffold for the safety of all trades. M. Ross is also currently working on some metal buildings in Oklahoma and waiting for new projects to come down the pike. Keeping up with the trends, M. Ross is becoming increasingly involved with LEED projects. Also in the works is Contractor’s Commercial Doors and Hardware, a new subsidiary of the current M. Ross that will focus on supplying and installing doors, frames and hardware. Another future addition to M. Ross is the integration of pre-engineered buildings to the company’s services. In the next two years, Ross hopes to grow the company to a $10 million to $20 million enterprise. “There are a lot of things on the planning board that I know about; I think in the first quarter of [2010] we will see things start to pick up,” Ross predicts.
Having already maneuvered the rugged downturn, M. Ross is certainly through the worst of it. Though Ross worries most about business decisions in the face of this challenge, he has done well thus far. “It’s been a good roll,” he admits. And the future promises to hold more of the same.•
COMPANY AT A GLANCE Established : 2000 President : Mike Ross Annual Revenue : $8 Million Employees : 6
|5
M. Ross Inc. Winter 2009
3441 W 46th Street Muskogee, OK 74401 United States
www.usdevelopersjournal.com
www.usexecutivejournal.com