2100 years in business is a remarkable achievement, particularly in the con- struction industry, a fact that family- owned Ball Construction knows well. Ball Construction proudly celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2023 after decades of success in Ontario. The company has built a sterling reputation for high-qual- ity facilities and comprehensive, skilled, and consistent service. Dedicated to excellence, the firm is actively involved in all aspects of business development to guarantee every project is delivered to the highest standards and client satisfac- tion. The firm’s five principals continue to build on a long and impressive family history of quality craftsmanship. Ball Brothers General Contractors was offi- cially established as a firm in 1923 by Frank and Harold Ball. Not long after, the firm became Ball Brothers Limited in 1930. Following the Second World War, Harold’s three sons Jack, Jim, and Thom, and Frank’s son, Bill, joined the family business. Written by Allison Dempsey It was then in 1997 that current President, Jason Ball, and current Vice President, Cameron Ball, represented the third generation of family members (cousins) leading the Ball Construction Limited team. Eight years later, Ball Construction Ltd. was established, and during that same year, current Vice President and Estimating Manager Gary Hauck joined as the third partner. In 2016, Rod Aitken became the fourth partner as the Vice President and Preconstruction Manager. Recently, in 2022, Brent Cochrane, the Small Contracts Manager for Ball, joined the partnership as the fifth partner. The Ball team is proud of the company’s history and is thrilled to see the lineage continue so successfully. “We can self-perform the key components of the job, move it along and control the schedule better.” “For our 90th celebration we had a huge customer and partner party, with 350 to 400 people at a large function,” shares President Jason Ball, adding he hopes the upcoming 100th will enjoy the same large attendance, unham- pered by COVID’s lingering effects. The company will be hosting several func- tions throughout 2023 with partners and clients, along with fundraising for a charity still to be determined. In the meantime, the hard work continues. Offering multiple services for design- build projects, Ball Construction works directly with clients, acting as a one-stop shop for all facets of the design and con- struction process. Ball has been perfect- ing this service for decades, allowing clients to trust the company and have peace of mind while the team turns their vision into a reality. “We look back to the core values that we inherited from our previous generations 4 of honesty, integrity, and quality, something we learned as we were raised in this industry,” says Gary Hauck. He goes on to add that, “The previous generation laid the groundwork for us, and that’s certainly a key contributor to our success.” To be sure, the company has weathered several economic upheavals over its long tenure but has remained steadfastly upright throughout. “We’ve gone through many recessions, as you can imagine,” says Jason. Naming off previous challenges, Jason mentions that, “We got through the recessions of the ‘80s and the ‘90s, and we met those challenges because of our core values.” Ball focuses on looking at specific projects that fit the team’s skill set, knowing they can complete a quality project while creating a relationship with the client. Jason proudly adds that, “We’re not volume hunters; we promote client satisfaction, so we don’t bid every job out there.” This mindset means, in part, focusing on repeat business during recession periods, and building on the team’s strong relationships and reputation. “We’re still working for those repeat customers and we have a lot of repeat customers and a lot of referrals. That helps during tough times,” says Jason. For those clients, that means increased value and efficiency, reduced waste, personalized service, and top-notch workmanship to accomplish the project to complete satisfaction. “We’re basically of a size where we can adjust fairly quickly with our staff,” explains Gary. He goes on to say that, “Through one of those recessions, there weren’t a lot of big institution- al projects on the go. We ended up doing a series of Home Depots for quite a few years, and we’re known in the industry for doing recreation centers and ice hockey arenas. We special- ize in certain areas and become experts in them.” Indeed, the recreational facilities built by Ball Construction are unparalleled and publicly showcased throughout Ontario communities. The company has constructed more than 45 ice surfaces—many of them multi-pad—and several multipurpose “We look back to the core values that we inherited from our previous generations of honesty, integrity, and quality… The previous generation laid the groundwork for us, and that’s certainly a key contributor to our success.” facilities. These facilities boast aquatic features, ice pads, fitness centres, gymnasiums, spectator areas, entertainment spots, and libraries. A number of these facilities had additions con- structed, all while Ball was able to maintain facility access. Along with big box stores like Home Depot, Ball also constructs complex projects such as the University of Waterloo School of Pharmacy. The ability to pivot is a skill that the company has acquired during its longevity. Currently, Ball has started construction for York University, where a new Neuroscience building is coming to campus. The Ball Construction team is confident that they will be able to complete this complex project leaving York impressed. “Over the years we’ve built the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Waterloo, a very high-end building,” says Gary, “and right now we’re also constructing a huge warehouse, so we’re very adaptable. At certain times certain projects are more prev- alent than others and we focus on those and just get good at them. We can be very competitive on those repeat projects.” Cameron Ball is impressed with how Ball and the entire con- struction industry have been able to adapt; “When you’re talking about adapting and adjusting to the times, I’m thinking about all the technological adaptations that our industry has embraced over the years. It’s taken us from the “When COR™ was brought into Ontario, we were one of the first dozen general contractors to become COR™ certified.”1920s horse and buggy days to where we are today with our computer technology.” This adaptability is reflected in the company’s long-term business outlook, which includes a focus on long-term training and mentoring young staff as opposed to simply recruiting. As Cameron says, “A lot of our senior people now have been here a long time. It’s served us well over the years. We look at training and mentoring our young staff as one of our keys to success.” Another big change over the years is the advent of social media, which Ball Construction uses avidly, particularly LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter. “We have a full-time person who works on [social media],” says Jason. The Ball team will highlight interesting projects with short videos or drone footage from the site. Jason believes it is essential that, “We try to throw little teasers out there every day on active project sites. We also feature employees, superinten- dents, and office staff every week.” 7 CONSTRUCTION IN FOCUS Jason adds that, “It’s not because we’re using social media to get new work; it’s more so awareness to the community, as perhaps we’re going to be able to recruit young professionals out of the commu- nity to join Ball. Social media can be seen as a recruiting tool.” There are no headhunting services used at Ball construction, as the company prefers to hire out of colleges and uni- versities, bring potential employees into the company, make them part of the team, and then mentor them through their careers. This is especially “Ball Construction works directly with clients, acting as a one-stop shop for all facets of the design and construction process.” 8 important in the wake of a recent wave of retirees who have spent an impres- sive 40 to 50 years with the company. Finding new employees can be chal- lenging after careers like that come to an end and when facing an ongoing labour shortage. In regards to hiring new individuals, Jason believes that “some of the social media helps with that, as we try to make people aware of the construction industry and how fun it is and how rewarding it is to be part of that industry.” He adds that it would be nice to reach more people while still in high school so they can make more informed career decisions. “There’s nothing more exciting and dynamic than the construction industry,” Jason says. “It’s the greatest industry in Canada by far. Every day is a challenge. Next >