Certified General Contractors
Customer Care and Lifelong Service
When Jim Stivers founded Certified General Contractors Inc. twenty years ago his goal was to provide a level of service in the construction industry previously not experienced in Central Florida. Now, after building hundreds of buildings in Brevard and developing a client base of over 250 repeat customers, his goal has been realized.
Stivers, who started in the trades working for $1.75 per hour, moved to Brevard after working his way to the top with the George K. Fuller Corporation out of New York City. When Stivers worked for the Fuller Corporation they were ranked the second largest construction company in the world.
Life has evolved for both Jim and his wife, Jacie, into a joy-filled existence of mentoring the next generation, travel and grandkids. Although Stivers remains involved with all details of the day-to-day activities of CGC he is turning more responsibility over to his partners, Joseyne “Jo” Santacroce and Don Sibert. Santacroce is CFO and runs much of the day-to-day business including contract administration as well as keeping track of job costs, down to the penny. Don Sibert is director of operations. He manages the project managers and superintendents, with his hand on the pulse of every job.
Consistency
Each job and every client is important to the partners at CGC and this sense of “caring more” is instilled in the employees. Sibert has adopted and taught Stivers’ philosophy that CGC’s number one daily priority is to respond to the needs of not only the clients they are building for, but to respond within 24 hours to the needs of clients whose buildings were constructed years ago. This is just one of the many foundations CGC was built on that separates them from their peers. Eighty-one percent of their business comes from repeat clients and referrals.
James Grisham, the senior project manager of the recently completed Melbourne City Hall Complex, mentioned that he has never worked with anyone who has the energy Jim has. “His energy is contagious.”
Sibert and Santacroce have both been with CGC over 13 years and became partners three years ago. Sibert keeps it simple and just gets the job done. “It’s a good place to work. Many of my clients have become my friends.”
CGC’s reputation for quality speaks for itself but the way they stand behind their work, years after completion, is a knowledge usually shared only by clients. The CGC team all treat each job like it is their only job. As a team they care more and it shows in everything, from the caring attitude of each employee to the finished buildings being utilized all over Brevard.
When the current recession was building momentum in late 2006 and early 2007, CGC was signing contracts that produced record years in 2008 and 2009 for the company.
Professional Development
Santacroce appreciates the fact that between her role as CFO and overseeing contract administration her work is “always challenging” and that she is “always busy.” All agree there is no downtime in a day at CGC.
In addition to this strong partnership that includes all the employees, Stivers encourages ongoing professional development and training. Staff meetings continually reiterate that “quality is more important than profit.”
Stivers loves coming to work and interacting with clients. The team he has created is focused and informed about how their part of the work contributes to the company goal of building high quality, cost-efficient buildings. Now, CGC has added “Green Energy Efficiency” to its mission statement of service.
Giving Back
Stivers and his wife both enjoy giving back and mentoring the next generation of entrepreneurs. They appreciate the fact that early in their careers, both have fond memories of mentors in their life.
“My real job is mentoring,” Stivers says. “I’m still involved on all projects on a daily basis; I love communicating with our clients and visiting all jobs once a week.”
“I truly have fun at work,” says Stivers, “my business and personal life have exceeded my expectations.” His optimism and passion will be a driving force behind the company for years to come.
CGC was named one of the Top Contractors in the Southeast United States by Southeast Construction magazine in the spring of 2010.
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