2 However, for those looking for an unconventional set of turnkey services where thinking outside the box is the standard, along with a technical builder that is a disruptor in their industry, Connor & Gaskins Unlimited (CGU) is the right builder for the job.Their Vision is to be one of the most admired builders in the construction industry.Their Mission is to prove every day that they are the only endpoint builder their customers will ever need.The world of General Contracting is filled with a sea of construction companies, so trying to find that “one” contractor that is an expert in a specialized field can sometimes be a real challenge.Their Values are…• Being honest, authentic and committed – integrity stands for something • Boldness – thinking big, challenging yourself everyday• Speed• Active listening, building shared context, collaborate and disagree in real time – openness• Being responsible by taking the initiative and owning the outcomes• Believing that their employees and subcontractors are their most valuable asset23 The first thing that struck me is the authentic sincerity that everyone in the company exudes, starting with founders Barry Connor, CEO and Craig Gaskins, COO and all of their employ-ees. During all of our conversations there was always an air of honesty and integrity – active listeners with a passion to tell me their stories of their superb customer care and their pride in their organization and their work. CGU is all about developing and maintaining partnerships, and it shows.The entire team is filled with bullet smart, T-shaped people, capable of taking a client’s project from a conceptual napkin sketch to a completed, five star, 25 story hotel. Billions of dollars are spent every year on construction projects in the country, yet most General Contractors still face the same issues at an alarming rate: over budget, behind schedule, and poor quality. CGU exists to transform that paradigm and not accept mediocrity and complacency as a status quo.To solve these challenges, CGU can’t apply the same people, processes and technology and expect the same results. They bring to bear the best across designers, engineers, consultants, subcontractors, data science, user experience, and academia to challenge industry-standard of what makes a great general contractor. That’s what they’re doing every day at Connor & Gaskins Unlimited. From the day they opened for business with just three employ-ees, their strategic growth plan has allowed them to grow to an industry leader with $145m in revenue in just eight years. 34 “Having said that, we truly don’t want to grow too fast because that can lead to underperformance. Our growth is modeled around our client needs, and we intend to keep growing with our clients,” says Craig. From offices in Naples, Florida; Aspen Colorado; and San Francisco, California, the company’s sixty-seven permanent employees work in sixteen states across the U.S., together with a host of carefully vetted and hand selected subcontractors. The company goes to great lengths to select the best subcon-tractors that have a strong financial history, clean safety records, and depth of bench. This also applies to the design profession-als they select to work with.Today’s construction industry is full of less qualified subcon-tractors that know how to circumvent the building codes and laws that are construction industry standards. Rather than building a taller wall, CGU partners with subcontractors that play by the rules.“Before they can do any work for us, we make sure that our Subs meet or exceed our prequalification criteria, and the ones that can meet them are signed up and become an extension of our team,” says Barry. “We continually assess our Subcontractors’ performance and provide instant feedback loops that helps them perform optimally.”Barry and Craig understand the importance of having partner-ships with their subcontractors. With a lot of hard work and perseverance, CGU has forged strong and long-lasting relation-ships with their subcontractors and in turn their partners deliver a “Best-in-Class” product while still providing their clients with the best deal.In their wheelhouse of projects types, CGU constructs custom homes, commercial buildings, hospitality establishments like restaurants, recreational facilities and resorts, assisted living facilities, medical and office buildings, as well as schools and education centers. Their turnkey services include Cost Intelligence and Analytics used for benchmarking project metrics, Conceptual Estimating, using BIM (Building Information Modeling) for clash detection, using drones to assess land feasibility, and even building their own “in-house” 3D models of their projects. It’s these types of services which just blows away the minds of their clients and wins their trust; knowing that they’re in good hands, their clients approach CGU for assistance with all of their construc-tion and design needs.Their boutique style to preconstruction starts with a range of services at a land developer’s level, including feasibility studies on the land, cost proformas, and land selection. Their clients’ project details are laid out and proposed budgets are dis-cussed. During this phase, the company also ensures that the project is feasible. Once all these details are ironed out, CGU moves ahead and strategically selects the design team which will generate the final drawings for permit submission. This is not only an ingenious approach to streamlining the overall planning process but saves untold amounts of time, money and frustration. Their services also include site sourcing, selection, pre-plan-ning, new builds, renovations, and improvements. In addition, they offer aerial photography and video, architectural design review, consulting, site selection, entitlements. For hospitality and hotel projects, they also offer design, selection, purchas-ing, delivery, storage and installation of furniture, fixtures, and equipment (FFE) for a full decorating and equipping experience. “With such huge responsibility on their shoulders, CGU hires only the best people in the industry and then does everything in their power to retain their employees.”5 To top it all off, they provide a great service warranty after the construction project is completed. Barry Connor graduated from Florida International University with a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Engineering and obtained his Master of Architecture through the University of South Florida. Barry’s behind-the-scenes architectural sketches and three-dimensional mock-ups help their clients visual-ize the end-product as well as identify problems early in the design process. Barry is certified with the National Council of Architecture Review Board (NCARB) while also being certified as a general contractor in Florida and other states. Craig Gaskins holds a Bachelor of Science in Building Construction from the University of Florida and a Master’s Degree in Building Science from Auburn University. He is also a certified general contractor in Florida. Everyone at Connor & Gaskins Unlimited is encouraged to be an active member of local charities and foundations. CGU is currently in the process of setting up a Connor & Gaskins Unlimited Foundation to develop lasting relationships with the organizations it will serve, including Young Life, The Optimist Soccer Club of Naples, Greater Naples Baseball, and Gulf Coast High School. Their Big Hairy Audacious Goal for 2019 is for each Connor & Gaskins Unlimited employee to volunteer at least 40 hours a year to one of their organizations, thereby impacting the young people who use the club’s after school programs.With such huge responsibility on their shoulders, CGU hires only the best people in the industry and then does everything in their power to retain their employees. “It is very important to us that our employees have a work-life balance. We make sure that they use all their vacation time, and we also try to provide a lot of opportunities to engage in activities outside of work. Their quality of life component is very important to us because a happy life beyond the office means happy employees who easily focus on the day-to-day tasks,” says Craig. “If a project is delivered under budget and on time, but we don’t have a raving fan in our client at the end of the project, there is a problem. It is our objective to avoid this and do everything in our power to convert clients into raving fans,” says Craig. Thanks to all its raving fans, Connor & Gaskins Unlimited has had many proud moments over the years, one of which is the complete renovation of the 266-suite Ritz Carlton in Sarasota, Florida which included a club lounge, ballrooms, and common areas. The company was also responsible for the construction of resi-dential complex Artecity in South Beach, Florida. The beauti-ful project included building residential towers, villas, homes, and retail spaces. CGU also installed hardscape areas and water features. The north and south towers combined have around 113 units, while the areas known as Park Villas East and Park Villas West have eighteen townhomes. In addition, the Park Plaza Corner has shop spaces and ten junior suites. Of course, when working across this broad spectrum of fields, correct certification is essential. Apart from holding all general contracting certifications in multiple states, the company is also a certified member of the Modular Home Builders Association and the Modular Building Institute.Business is booming and Connor & Gaskins Unlimited foresees a continued successful run. One thing is very certain: this is a company that is ready to earn clients’ trust through rock solid, visionary partnerships and superb work. As featured inNovember 20181998 Trade Center Way, Suite 2, Naples, FL 34109 | P: (239) 260-5068Next >