GET DAILY REPORT FREE
The Luster Group is an emerging company making a big impact in the construction field in Baton Rouge. With a portfolio that includes big-name clients such as LSU, Southern University and the BREC parks system, the company has earned a reputation for taking a hands-on, detailed approach to projects.
Founded in 2013 by Floyd Luster, the company performs general construction as well as disaster management, program management and design services. Luster launched the company after a decade of practicing architecture and working in program management. Many current projects involve site, concrete and infrastructure work.
AT A GLANCE
Top executives: Floyd Luster, Founder and Partner in Charge; Gregory Daniels, Construction Foreman; Cliff Bailey, Project Manager; David Crocram, Project Manager
Phone: [225] 636-2414
Website: thelustergroup.com
Luster grew up in Clarksdale, Mississippi, where his mother, an educator, emphasized the importance of learning. After graduating from Southern University’s architecture program in 2001, he considered starting his own architecture firm. “My dad was in business his whole life,” he says. “It was in my blood to be an entrepreneur.”
But starting a new business in the architecture field can be challenging, especially as a minority, Luster says. Many firms that start locally end up moving to big cities like Dallas and Atlanta where there are more opportunities for work, he says.
Luster eventually was drawn to construction, where he saw plenty of entrepreneurial potential and a way to put his architecture skills to use. “I have a successful construction company because I’ve been on the other side—the design side. I know there’s no perfect set of plans,” he says, adding that adapting to problems as they arise is critical.
“Architecture and construction are very unique,” he says. “One thing I like about the field is there’s never a dull moment. When you’re practicing architecture, you’re always solving problems. It’s a different problem that we face each day, whether it’s working with different clients or working out design issues—and it’s the same thing with construction.”
He’s proud to have worked with BREC on several efforts, including a cart barn at the Webb Park golf course and more recently, project management for the Baton Rouge Zoo and the Greenwood Park revitalization initiative.
“We’re excited about that one,” Luster says. “It’s a very unique and challenging project.”
Being a young, emerging company brings advantages that have helped The Luster Group succeed.
“I have five employees. We’re small. We’re hands-on with each project,” Luster says. “I visit each site two or three times a week. On a management level, we’re on site daily. That’s what sets us apart—we pay attention to the details.”
