The title of this blog certainly doesn’t apply to my height. At 6′-2,” I’m not exactly the shortest guy in the room. Unless I’m standing next to my brother or my son, who are both 2″ taller than I. The title actually refers to the style of our company – the small-scale approach in how we do our business and treat our people and clients. There’s something about the service and attitude you receive from a small business that elevates their level of appreciation, wouldn’t you agree?

I suppose by most standards, a company that captures $100 million per year in revenue would not be considered small. Maybe that’s medium-sized, but let’s not get caught up in the numbers. This discussion is based around our management style, how we solve problems, and our ability to change and improve more fluidly than the big boys, ultimately increasing our ability in building long-term relationships.

One of the things I like most about smaller companies is the management accessibility. The owners, leaders, and other decision makers are available and present. In many cases, you’re dealing with the founder or partner when conducting business with a small firm.

As President and Managing Member of WPC, I’m typically the one who introduces the company and tells our story to potential clients and customers. Having been here for 35 years, I have a varied perspective of our capabilities I am able to communicate more genuinely about who we are and what we do.

With our robustly staffed competitors, the initial introduction to their company usually comes from someone hired to make their pitch; they have little “real” exposure to the true culture of the company and may have minimal industry experience. And, sadly, you will rarely see that person again – if ever. You may never meet the actual owner or partners of the company, who may live in another state or in some cases, another country.

On the contrary, all of the WPC partners work inside the walls of our Maitland office, and within just a few short steps of each other. We participate daily to ensure our clients are satisfied with our product and service. That small company management style is what makes us different and better, regardless of the size of our projects.

WPC Partner, and Vice President of Estimating, Chuck Reynolds, is in charge of pricing our projects. He is committed to making sure that our prices include everything that is needed to build our projects and not just what is needed to get the contract. His 19-year tenure, as well as his ownership, adds to his commitment to our clients, giving them a familiar face that they know and trust.

Kevin Corrado, WPC’s Chief Operating Officer and partner, is responsible for running the overall operations and making sure the WPC team provides an outstanding experience and lives up to our reputation. Having also been here for 19 years, Kevin knows how each person in our team ticks and what it takes to be successful. His ownership means he will be able to make decisions without having to go through the layers of bureaucracy that typically exist in conglomerate companies.

Finally and certainly not least, WPC’s founder and CEO, Tracy Forrest, provides the wisdom and leadership that has put WPC on the map for almost 4 decades. His presence is felt throughout the company and he reminds us regularly what it was like to struggle as an even smaller company and lives by the creed that the customer is always right.

As for the problem solving of a small-scale business, it’s all hands on deck. Regardless of the position at WPC, if an issue needs attention, everyone jumps in to help reach a solution, quickly and efficiently. If a client wants any of WPC’s owners to be a part of that solution, we are able to step up and meet that need. Some of the larger general contractors most likely would have to fly someone in from their corporate office. That person probably knows little about the project and has had little to do with the client relationship.

Being able to change and be fluid in difficult economic times is also an advantage in a small company mentality. As our client’s needs change, our ability to change with them is seamless. Without multiple departments and divisions spread over multiple states, we’re not limited to building projects of a certain size or product type. If a developer who has blessed us with a $10 million dollar project asks us to do a $100,000 project, we’re happy to oblige. Our experience is not based on what another satellite company has done in other part of the country. We learn quickly from our success, as well as our mistakes, and communicate that knowledge efficiently.

This doesn’t mean we won’t travel. Quite the opposite, currently there are WPC team members in many different states. We are on these projects because our clients enjoy the experience they have received from WPC in a local arena and want that capability elsewhere.

Most importantly are the relationships that we build with our clients. WPC’s leadership, including the partners, directors and senior managers play an intimate part in every project we complete. Our clients know they can reach out to us at anytime and will have contact with someone who cares about their interests and will do whatever it takes to exceed their expectations. We’re not perfect; no company is. Our goal, however, is to earn the next project. We feel that by treating every client with a little something extra is what makes us different and will help us reach that goal.

By following this approach, we’ve been able to keep our small–scale feel, while being one of Central Florida’s biggest contractors. We are proving that little things have big impact.

I suppose the title of this month’s blog might conjure up images of me sitting on the sand with my computer, drinking Mai Tai’s. Although that would be fun, I’m actually sitting in the lobby of the Westin Diplomat Hotel in a suit taking a break from attending ARDA World 2013 in Miami Beach, FL. Technically, I’m in Hollywood, FL, but it sounds so much more chic to say Miami Beach. This is the American Resort and Development Association’s (ARDA) annual conference and one I truly enjoy. It gives me an opportunity to see old friends and clients, and meet new ones. If the activity in the main lobby area is any indication of how the timeshare industry is doing, then I’m very optimistic.

WPC has been involved in the timeshare and resort industry since 1981, and I’ve been attending ARDA’s conferences since the early 90s If my memory serves me correctly, Tracy and I attended our first ARDA conference just a bit south of here at the Fontainebleau hotel. In the past 30+ years, WPC has constructed over 12,000 timeshare units equating to 624,000 vacation weeks. I think that makes us (unofficially, of course) the largest timeshare builder in the world. We are very fortunate to have worked for so many great clients, many of whom we are building projects for today. In addition, our renovations division has remodeled over 2,100 units. It’s no surprise that the hospitality market is one in which we stay well connected.

In just a few short days I’ll be leaving Miami (I mean, Hollywood) and heading to Austin, TX – one of my favorite cities for food and music. There, I will be attending the Interface Student Housing Conference. WPC has made quite an impact on the student housing market over the past few years and currently have off-campus projects under construction near UCF, in Orlando, FL as well as near FSU, in Tallahassee, FL. It has been our privilege to work with these two new clients and look forward to being a part of their team for many years to come.

As I head back into my next session here at ARDA, I realize how lucky I am to be able to travel the country telling the story of a truly solid construction company. I’m able to do that because of the many dedicated men and women that help keep our reputation strong and who work hard everyday to exceed our client’s expectations.

The tide is coming in and my towel is getting wet, so I better dust the sand off my computer and put some lotion on this sunburn.

A special thank you to last month’s ghostwriter, Bethany, who will remain anonymous. I truly appreciate her stepping in for me while I was exercising my brain during the month of February. At age 49, I can finally say I graduated from college…kind of.

A few weeks back I completed a program called Owner/President Management, or OPM. This is an executive education course where I spend 3 weeks a year, for 3 years, in a dorm on-campus at Harvard Business School reading case studies, talking about successful (and not so successful) companies, and going to classes on leadership, control, finance, marketing, negotiation, strategy, entrepreneurship, sales/operations and wine. The wine education usually happened around 8 pm when I got together with my study group for a few hours, opened a bottle of wine and talked about the case studies, our lives and received amazing advice and feedback from truly smart people on how to make WPC better. The relationships I built with my 160 classmates were half the value of being there. They are all owners and/or presidents of their companies from all over the world including China, India, Brazil, Thailand, Australia, Jordan, Nigeria, the Philippines, Canada, Bulgaria, Egypt, and Denmark. I could go on and on. Our professors are some of the smartest and brightest people around and challenged us to participate in an environment that encouraged us to learn and think beyond our comfort zone. Regardless of the subject matter, I found value in the process, gained key insights into our company, and myself, and hopefully will translate that into a strategy to implement now that I am home. In short, I realized that life is a constant learning process and I gained the tools to raise my intelligence level a few notches. It is a life changing experience to say the least.

If I were asked to say two things about what I learned while being at Harvard, it would be a self-awareness of both my strengths and, more importantly, my weaknesses. The second would be how proud I am of the culture that exists at WPC. During the many conversations, both in and out of the classroom, it became clear to me that WPC’s distinctive competitive advantage is it’s people and their passion for providing an experience that is unique to our industry. Doing the right thing, taking care of our customers and vendors, providing exceptional customer service, having fun (check out WPC’s Instagram account to see some of that @WPCCo) and protecting our reputation are a few of the cornerstones of that culture. By living up to these values, we live up to our motto of Building Beyond the Blueprint^TM. Maintaining and improving this culture will always be a critical part of preserving our advantage.

Although I graduated and was greeted by warmer weather when I came home, the learning process will never end and my hope is that it will translate into actions that will benefit all of us by improving our company and ensuring our sustainability. Tracy is an Harvard OPM graduate as well and we see everyday the threads he has sewn into the fabric of our company to get us where we are today.

A special thank you to all of the WPC staff for letting me sneak away from work these past 3 years and accomplish a little something that will make my mom proud…kind of.

{WPC President, Jeff Forrest, is traveling the frozen tundra of the northeast, his fingers too frostbitten to blog this month. Normal rants, raves, and ramblings from Jeff will return next month. In the meantime, enter ghostwriter – who shall remain nameless – to offer you a different perspective from the inside.}

WPC recently broke ground on a new student housing development at University of Central Florida in Orlando. You may have read about this project, Plaza on University, on our website and social media. It’s pretty substantial and an incredible addition to the Knight campus…or should I say, off-campus. Said ghostwriter is UCF alum, and though this is certainly a great job for WPC, I don’t say this out of pride, rather of sheer coolness because this type of housing didn’t exist when I was a student. Way back when, you know – the 90s – UCF had Fox Hunt, which in comparison to this project should be condemned and demolished. You either lived in, knew someone who lived in, or had been to a party at Fox Hunt. I have the luxury of claiming all three. What can I say? I was committed to my UCF education.

Anyway, I digress. Plaza on University is huge and it’s pretty. Yes, it looks good –something 90s UCF didn’t have. And, it got me thinking I wanted to go back to school just so I could live there, above one of the fancy stores that will reside underneath. And, then I snapped out of it and realized I’ve already been there, done that. And, I have a job. Here at WPC. If I went back to school, there would be no one to write this blog. Believe it or not, that brings me to my point. Wait for it, wait for it…personal growth is critical to your relevancy. And stagnancy is stupid. Okay, so that’s two points. UCF peeps are overachievers.

Fortunately for me, I am employed by a company who encourages growth, both in the organization as a whole and individually among staff. Not only is it encouraged, but provided on multiple levels. There is a consistent theme revolving around achievement within the walls of this building. Personal growth is less of an option and more of an essential principle in the culture of WPC. Training courses for employees, OSHA certifications, conferences and seminars for continuing education, and acquiring the latest software to manage projects with ease and accessibility for our clients are just a few of the ways WPC stays on top of internal growth.

Why is this important? WPC is interested in sustainability as a company, relevant through all climates of economy and change, as well as in fair weather. It’s easy to sit on your hands and do nothing, especially if things are working. But, WPC doesn’t want to just be… we want to be the best, giving our clients not only a quality product but an experience unrivaled by our peers chock full of the greatest technology and best business practices.

Just like other businesses, WPC measures growth by revenue. Simple concept. If you are making more money, you are usually busier, which indicates augmentation of your business. The truth is, or so WPC feels, the business is only as effective and relevant as the people who are driving the bus. Smart people do smart things, ultimately leading to smart business. Smart, huh? Who needs to go back to school???

Kidding aside, seeking excellence and industry advancement is something WPC has strived for, attained, and offered to all who walk through the shiny, glass front doors. The goal is to provide our clients with a top-tier experience and deliver projects with innovative technologies. And for this ghostwriter, its one of the reasons I was attracted to WPC.

I guess I will just have to resort to a PhD in Vicariously Living by watching the progress pics of Plaza on University. And you can, too! (Shameless plug >> Plaza on University at UCF )

As was the case many times in 2012, I am writing this month’s blog while traveling. It is my first trip of 2013 and it’s a great way to kick off the New Year by checking out a fresh project opportunity.

As we head into 2013, the vibe is definitely changed and one many companies haven’t had in many years. Just one year ago, many in our industry were still trying to endure the economic impact of the past four years. It was an unpleasant period of time, though we never abandoned our optimism.

Due to market changes, rising costs present a new set of challenges for 2013. Lumber, for example, has risen in price more than 30% over the past 3 months. Labor costs are also going up and quality labor is becoming difficult to find for certain trades. It is yet another reminder that we trade one challenge for the next as we experience the ebb and flow of business in an economy that’s not quite yet stable. And although the tests of 2013 will be different, we’re hopeful that the industry is showing signs of recovery.

As for WPC, we’re blessed to be working hard on new projects throughout our target segments. Two premier student housing projects have broken ground for new clients near University of Central Florida and Florida State University. We have multifamily projects in Celebration, Bradenton, and Tampa well underway and we’re wrapping up two senior housing projects in Lake Mary and Winter Garden, while preparing to start two more in Ocala and Lake Wales. In addition, we’re building two new timeshare buildings in Kissimmee, which is a positive indicator of growth for the hospitality market. Last, but certainly not least, our renovations division continues to work diligently on projects in Florida and Las Vegas. I can’t thank our clients enough for placing their trust in us and I promise we’ll live up to our reputation and exceed your expectations.

Although we’re busier than we were last year and market conditions are improving, we still haven’t reached our capacity. Estimating is working hard on many promising opportunities and we remain steadfastly competitive while adding the value our clients have come to expect from WPC.

WPC has yet to be deterred by a challenge, and the trials of 2013 will be no exception. We are positive and eagerly anticipating the opportunities that we know the New Year will bring, poised and excited for every chance we get to Build Beyond the Blueprint™.

Signs of a changing market have been apparent to us for several months. Within our respective communities, we see emerging developments breaking ground and we are experiencing our own uptake in new and potential projects. No doubt, it is a much better feeling than the economic tone of the last few years, however, the market is still a bit fragile and we continue to exercise caution in our business practices.

Regardless the state of the economy, WPC will continue to strive to be the best general contractor in the industry. In order to do so, we are beginning a reinvigoration process with our staff to remind us of what built our reputation of excellence. This reputation was built by the multiple processes and procedures already in place that promote a safe work environment and efficiency in our daily tasks. This framework illustrates effective communication (upstream, downstream and laterally), elevated levels of customer service, optimal relationships, exceptional product quality, proper time management and sustained profitability. Though these principles seem simple in nature, it is these fine nuances that make WPC stand out in the business. Combined with our quest to constantly improve, this strategy will allow us to stay ahead of the game.

Executing excellence is a simple strategy that speaks volumes about what we must do everyday in order to live up to our obligations to our clients, consultants, vendors, and fellow employees. For those of you who have experienced this level of excellence from WPC, you have seen how this makes us different.

As 2012 comes to a close, the pulse of WPC is stronger than ever. We truly appreciate the trust our clients place in us by inviting us to be part of their construction teams. We do not take these opportunities lightly and we will work diligently to maintain your patronage by providing unwavering dedication and outstanding quality.

I hope all of you will have time to be with family and friends during the holiday season.

Have a safe and happy holiday!

I know we’ve all felt it – the pain we feel when we hear of someone passing at an age that is far too young. The reality is, no matter what age we almost always wish for a little more time to say goodbye, I love you or thank you. I was reminded of this the other day when I learned of the passing of J.P. Ottino; he was 57. J.P. was a long time WPC supporter and friend. As a client, he put his trust in us for more than 14 years. As a friend, he always greeted me with an energy and smile that defined him. He was an intelligent, decisive and loyal businessman. His love for his family and friends was unquestioned; especially the love for his nieces and nephews, one of whom gave a eulogy that will not be forgotten by those of us who were there to hear it. I can only hope that I am thought of and spoke about in this way when my time comes.

The following quotes came to mind when I heard of J.P.’s passing:

“The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively.” -Bob Marley

“What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal.” -Albert Pike

J.P. affected so many people in a positive way, including those of us here at WPC. He will long be remembered for his kindness.

2012 has been a hectic year and the third quarter has been nothing short of crazy. Our estimating and pre-construction team have put in some very late nights for the better part of three months, preparing budgets, estimates and proposals. The good news is that it has paid off with no less than five contracts and job starts – a refreshing change after a slow start to the year.

With all this budgeting and estimating, we sometimes get too busy to thank those that help us get the work – the subcontractors and suppliers who bid our jobs. The acknowledgment and appreciation goes to both those who have the best prices and those who continue to be competitive. Without every one of you working hard on each project, we would not be successful. We truly appreciate your efforts and they do not go unnoticed.

The new construction market is showing subtle signs of turning in the right direction. Our recent contracts and upcoming jobs that appear to be headed towards contracts are refilling our backlog, as well as the backlog of our competitors. Thank you to the private investors, banks, RIETS and lenders who are putting their trust in developers and funding these projects. Although it takes longer to vet out the right deals, without money we wouldn’t be able to stick a shovel in the ground.

Our appreciation must also be shown to the many design consultants who we’ve worked with on these projects. The desire shown by these architects, civil engineers, MEP engineers, and others who work with us to accurately massage the numbers are so important to the success of the deal. Today’s market requires a cooperative approach to value alternatives and we’ve been fortunate to realize that cooperation.

And, without question, we need to thank our clients and developers who have put their trust in us and appreciate the value that we provide. Our goal is always to provide a construction experience that exceeds our client’s expectations and we will work hard everyday to show our gratitude for the work we’ve been given.

Finally, but certainly not in the least, we thank the WPC staff that fight day-in and day-out, in all departments of the company, to keep the machine running and prove why we’re one of the best contractor’s in the business. Building Beyond the Blueprint means many things and is defined by the WPC team doing the best job they can to maintain our reputation.

In a few short weeks, a few of us from WPC will be heading to Houston for the annual fall meeting with our construction partners. Although this collection of 8 General Contractors from around the United States began as an industry peer group, after 10 years of crying on each other’s shoulders, providing advice when times were tough, sharing lessons learned (some of them hard) and working together on projects, the relationships have blossomed into much more than that. Calling them partners is a more appropriate description.

Without question, these are some of the finest companies and people I’ve met along my professional journey and without them WPC would not be the company we are today. Allow me to introduce you to the group:

Anslow Bryant Construction, Houston, TX www.anslowbryant.com
Aristeo Construction, Detroit, MI www.aristeo.com
Bayley Construction, Seattle, WA www.bayley.net
Dimeo Construction, Providence, RI www.dimeo.com
Lechase Construction, Rochester, NY www.lechase.com
Nibbi Brothers, San Francisco, CA www.nibbi.com
Penta Building Group, Las Vegas, NV www.pentabldggroup.com

As a member of this alliance, we leverage our collective strengths, resources, local and national knowledge, and individual relationships to address the ever-evolving service requirement of our clients. This group allows us to consider projects with clients from southern California to New England.

Each company has a different skill set, and in some case market reach, but all them have a culture that is consistent with ours. That culture allows us to feel comfortable recommending them or even better, working side by side, to serve our clients.

As we celebrate 10 years of shared knowledge, laughter, good food and wine, it is my hope that we continue to grow together and find personal and professional happiness and success for many years to come. I cannot thank James, Joe, Ron, Brad, Steve, Bill, Bob, Jeff, Ken and Blake enough for putting up with me and for being such good friends and partners. A special thank you as well to Kevin, Rick and Irenka with FMI for keeping us all organized and on track at every meeting.

This past Saturday, I was honored with an invitation to a small get together in celebration of the fourth Home at Last project we are co-building with Hensel Phelps Construction in Oakland, Florida. This gathering was exceptionally significant in that all four recipients of the homes we’ve built for Home at Last were there together, and being honored by a visit from Sergeant Major Bryan Battaglia, the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The hope is that this esteemed visit will bring awareness to the amazing work that the Home at Last team has done for wounded combat veterans – at the highest levels.

Although I get to speak at the groundbreakings and dedications, the real work comes from people like John Russo and Paul Caruana, both employees of WPC. John and Paul have been involved with putting together the teams of subcontractors and vendors who have donated so much of their time and material to make these projects possible. We cannot thank these subs and vendors enough for their dedication to make a difference in the lives of these veterans and their families.

If you’d like to see the impact firsthand, I encourage you to attend the upcoming dedication of the home for U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Jeffery Kelly this coming Saturday, August 11th at 9:30am.

Sergeant Kelly joined the Army Reserve in 2000 and transferred from the Reserves to the Regular Army in 2006. He served three tours in Iraq between 2003 and 2008. In 2008, while traveling in a convoy, Jeff was injured by a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) and mortar fire. Despite a severely injured left leg, he completed his mission. Back at base, it was determined that his posterior tibial tendon was ruptured, so his leg was put in a cast and he was medevaced to the Army hospital in Landstuhl, Germany. From there he was transferred to Fort Benning, Georgia. The mortar and RPG blasts also left Jeff with back problems, a brain injury and extreme chronic pain in his leg. He can walk short distances with the aid of a cane, but otherwise must use a wheelchair.

Jeff’s home was built to accommodate his injuries and he has been involved in the design and construction of the home from day one. SGM Battaglia said it best, “Projects like these are a hand up, not a hand out.” WPC is proud to be part of giving a little something back to those who have given so much for our freedom.

Although I’ve written about this project before, for those of you not familiar with Home at Last, here is a little recap:

Home at Last, a special project of West Orange Habitat for Humanity, a 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization, was the idea of William C. Criswell, a World War II veteran of the U.S. Navy Seabees. West Orange Habitat for Humanity established the project in 2007 to meet the special housing needs of permanently disabled combat wounded veterans of the Iraq or Afghanistan wars. The project is dedicated to presenting at least one mortgage-free home each year to a veteran. The projects are completed entirely by donations and in-kind contributions of construction labor and materials.

Mission
For battle-weary wounded soldiers, sailors, marines, or airmen, who have experienced the horrors of war first-hand, being Home at Last has its own special meaning. To those who wait – wives, mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers – the long period of worry and anxiety for the safety of their loved ones ends when they are Home at Last. To the young son or daughter –gleefully jumping into the arms of a father or mother screaming, “I love you! I’ve missed you! You really are Home at Last” has to be a welcome home a parent will long remember. Home at Last was chosen as the project’s name because it portrayed the vision for this special project.

Team
William C. Criswell, Founder and Chairman; William T. Curdts, Home at Last Co-Chairman, John Russo, Construction Manager, Gary Atwil, Events Planning. Jim McQuillan, Fundraising.