Golden & Associates Construction, LLC

Alabama Construction News

Fall 2003

When starting your own general contracting business, says Geoff Golden, the only thing you have going for you is your personal reputation and you protect that at all costs. "We had to make sure that every client we gained in our early days became a repeat client and we became their contractor of choice for future business."

Golden & Associates Construction, LLC has been in operation since 1997, and in those past six years has developed an impressive stable of satisfied clients. Multiple projects have been undertaken for firms such as BioCryst, the Barber Companies, SouthTrust Bank, First Commercial Bank and Equity Resources of Birmingham.

"One of the biggest things we felt we needed to focus on was the quality of the work and the integrity of what we were doing," Golden said. Obviously that philosophy has produced success.

The firm is currently in charge of the renovation of the UAB Hulsey and Humanities building, an addition to the Alys Stephens Center for Performing Arts at UAB, a downtown loft development for Corporate Realty Development called Jemison Flats, the Five Points West Community Center for the City of Birmingham and the construction of offices for architectural firm Giattina Fisher & Aycock.

Principal Geoff Golden worked for 12 years with John and then Bill Harbert before beginning the business. Partner Greg Pyburn was a seven-year veteran of Brasfield and Gorrie and also worked for Doster Construction. Golden is a Building Science graduate of Auburn and Pyburn majored in finance at Auburn.

"It's been rewarding to see the growth of the business and the growth of the people we've hired," says Golden. The company currently employs about 50.

While not a true design-build firm, Pyburn says Golden & Associates Construction does partner with architects and subcontractors to develop concepts in close cooperation with owners. The results are often complex, yet striking structures that meld with their environments.

The most frustrating thing in starting up the firm, Golden says, was being prevented from bidding on work simply because the company was young. "Rather than looking at the experience of the firm's principals and the equity they've invested in the company, a lot of times there's a three- or five-year experience requirement that kept us away from work that we'd liked to have had." That's especially true in public and institutional work, an area the company is now enjoying.

And what about advice for others thinking about starting their own operation? "Gain as much experience in the specific arena that you're planning to operate in as you can," Golden says.

Pyburn adds, "You can't run everything by yourself and so you'll have to plan on hiring good people very early in a start up."

Golden is proud of several awards they've garnered thus far. The company won an AGC Build Alabama award for the Hugh Kaul Children's Zoo project in Birmingham and the Houston Cole Library renovation at Jacksonville State University. And for two consecutive years, 2002 and 2003, the American Subcontractors associateion has voted the firm Contractor of the Year for Alabama. Pyburn laughs, "Its sort of the 'People's Choice' awards in construction and we're happy to be well thought of by the folks we work with on a daily basis."

As far as the future is concerned, Golden hopes to see enough growth to produce multiple offices in the regions, but plans to remain focused on the institutional and commercial markets.