A reputation good as gold - Clients and subcontractors sing the praises of builder

Birmingham Business Journal

February 27, 2004

Geoff Golden guards his reputation carefully. After all, he rates reputation as his key business asset at Golden & Associates Construction, the general contracting firm he founded in 1997.

"Being a contractor in Birmingham is a very competitive environment," he says. "You must protect your reputation."

He's proudest of accolades from subcontractors, who execute 80 percent of the work on a Golden project. For two consecutive years, Golden has received the General Contractor of the Year award from the Birmingham American Subcontractor Association.

Those strong relationships have helped the firm become a 50-person powerhouse, projecting $15 million to $20 million in revenue this year. From projects ranging from the Five Points West Municipal Center to an expansion at the Birmingham Zoo, Golden is gathering business, and praise, from across the community.

Roy Swindal, president of Birmingham-based Masonry Arts Inc., says Golden delivers on his promises.

"He's always treated us and all the other subcontractors that I know very fairly," Swindal says. "He likes to work as a team instead of work like the boss. It makes you feel good about a project."

D.M.I. Tile & Marble Inc. president Jim Isaminger says Golden knows how to keep subcontractors happy. Isaminger says Golden returns calls, pays bills and prepares a job well - the sterling attributes of a general contractor.

"If we have a problem, we know those lines of communication are open," Isaminger says. "We don't do business with every general contractor, but (Golden is) high on our selective list."

Lots of talk early on

Before Golden starts a project, he has a detailed discussion with the owner about its scope and goals. If the owners need the building quickly, or are extremely price-sensitive, Golden wants to know up front. If the architects are going for something special, he wants to be briefed. He says attention to detail comes from his previous experience as a project manager. The more he knows, the better the project will run.

"To do all that comes naturally to me," Golden says. "If you really have an understanding of what the owner is trying to accomplish then you can almost always do it." Then it's a matter of selecting the right subcontractors for a job. "You match them up and get the right people on the field," he says.

Golden's listening skills came in handy in creating phase one of the Children's Zoo at the Birmingham Zoo, says Bayard "B.T." Tynes, board vice president of Birmingham Zoo Inc.

Golden and his team had to battle tricky soil conditions - and consider child and animal safety - throughout the complex project. The job was done on time and in a professional manner, Tynes says.

To express its gratitude, the zoo hosted Golden employees and their families as part of grand-opening ceremonies last summer.

"I think they did beautifully," Tynes says. "I can't think of a better way to say 'job well done.' "

A shift in thinking

An Auburn grad, Golden began his career at large contractor firms. While working for other people, he began to notice the need to serve smaller and mid-sized clients. When he founded the company, he had to adjust to an entrepreneur's mentality, zooming from project to project and building his business and reputation. Over the years, his firm has worked on everything from new construction projects to historical renovation and restoration.

Golden has maintained a conservative approach to growth. During the late 1990s boom, he anticipated a downturn. Rather than growing quickly in the last few years of the high-flying economy, he instead focused on projects for municipalities and educational systems, where the lowest bid wins.

Now, with the economy picking up a bit, his firm has a balance of negotiated and bid work.

"It is a lot more comfortable for me to grow the company in a controlled manner," he says. "You don't want to have inexperienced people on large projects because that can really damage your reputation."

He says the key to his success has been treating owners, architects, developers and subcontractors fairly and concentrating on detail.

"It's just hard work," he says. "It's follow up and follow up and follow up." The company may add to its 50 employees this year if the economy cooperates and Golden finds the skilled managers he needs to handle big projects. In 1999, Golden hired Gregory Pyburn as vice president to handle the operations side of the business.

Reflecting on his move from middle manager to entrepreneur, Golden says it's been the experience of a lifetime.

"It's daunting," he says. "It's been the most fulfilling thing I've ever done in my life. It's also been the hardest thing."