Each year, millions of people all over the United States get together on the Fourth of July to celebrate our country’s independence. It is a time of great joy and satisfaction and a time where traditions bring families together.

This summer, our W.M. Jordan family will also be gathering together at Busch Gardens Williamsburg to celebrate a milestone of our own – 60 years in business.

Reflecting on Independence Day reminds me of what our company’s 60th anniversary really means. Making it to 60 years isn’t easy for many businesses. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, less than 50 percent of businesses make it past the 10-year mark and only 12 percent make it past 50 years. The construction industry, as a whole, also has one of the lowest survival rates for business longevity.

While beating the statistics is something to celebrate, the numbers don’t tell the story. We celebrate a clear vision, strong growth, empowered employees, a unique corporate culture, and consistent leadership.

Here are some of the things that have guided our company’s success for six decades.

Together We Embody Our Mission

Our philosophy – the relentless pursuit of excellence – permeates everything we do. It continues to carry us into the future, along with the legacy our founders Bill Jordan and Bob Lawson left behind.

Our founders, as well as current CEO John Lawson, have been instrumental in cultivating a company based on integrity, excellence and a commitment to our people and community. Focused on a culture of excellence, W.M. Jordan’s dedication to its mission has been evident year after year.

We Embrace Growth

Since starting in Newport News, Virginia in 1958, W.M. Jordan Company has grown into a multi-regional business working across Virginia and the Carolinas. Over the years, we’ve grown our reputation for excellence, diversified our portfolio, and expanded our employee base. The local Carolinas’ office has grown exponentially since its formation in 2013 to six times the size we were when we first opened our regional doors five years ago.

We Invest In Our People

Our employees are one of our greatest assets. Fifty percent of our full-time employees have been with W.M. Jordan for 10 years or more and more than 20 percent of our full-time employees have been with the company for over 20. 

With that in mind, we believe that encouraging life-long learning and development, health and wellness and advancing innovation, leads to happier employees and more productive and efficient project teams. 

We believe in empowering all our people. By giving them responsibility, authority and support, we are able to help employees help themselves through intrinsic motivation. In the past year, W.M. Jordan has sent several company leaders, including me, to some of the most respected leadership programs across the country.

Involvement in advanced programs at Harvard University, Stanford University and the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business helps us cultivate our leadership skills and continue to add value to the company.

We Foster A Creative, Fun And Hard-Working Culture

While we work hard, we also enjoy each other’s company. This includes our employees and their families. Incorporating our employees’ families into company events has always been an integral part of our company culture. 

Our 60th anniversary celebration includes all employees and their families in a full day of fun.  Busch Gardens is a perfect place to celebrate our “work hard, play hard” company culture, as it signifies our team- and family-oriented mindset.

We have fun throughout the year with sporting events, employee appreciation days, intramural teams, field days, paint parties, holiday parties, themed lunches, fun at four gatherings, stand-up paddle boarding, and comedy club shows. By incorporating fun times into our culture, we encourage hard work and commitment to quality.  This leads to happier teams and, in turn, happier clients.

We Are Committed To The Communities We Serve

Adding value to the communities where we live and work is one of the cornerstones of our corporate existence. Giving back to our local communities builds relationships in the communities we serve and gives our people the chance to work together to make a difference in their communities. This creates a fun team-building environment and leads to increased employee satisfaction.

W.M. Jordan proudly gives back to over 200 charities a year, including the Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters, United Way, Work on Wilmington, Heart Walk, Relay for Life, Boys and Girls Club, Virginia Peninsula Food Bank, the Virginia Living Museum and many more.

While many things have contributed to our success over the past 60 years, our guiding principle has been the driving force – a relentless commitment to excellence.

Rob Beale is Vice President at W. M. Jordan Company, leading the company’s efforts in the Carolinas region. W.M. Jordan Company provides construction management, design build, development, virtual construction, sustainability and contracting services to a diverse clientele.Rob opened the company’s Wilmington, NC office in 2012 with only five employees. Six years and two office expansions later, he has grown his staff to 34, with a regional revenue of $85 million in 2017. Rob started with W. M. Jordan Company in 1996 as the company’s first college intern. After earning a BS in Construction Management from Virginia Tech, his career at W.M. Jordan Company quickly accelerated, including nearly every aspect of construction service delivery. As a true believer in life-long learning, Rob continues to develop professionally and personally. He is currently completing an Executive Education Program for Leadership Development at Harvard University. Other past pursuits include the Disney Institute’s Leadership Excellence Program, FMI Construction Executive Institute’s Project Executive Course, and AGC of America’s Advanced Management Course. Rob is also on the Board of Directors for the Association of Builders and Contractors (ABC), Carolinas chapter and serves as a member of both the Board of Directors and the Fun Committee for Wilmington Downtown Inc. (WDI).