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Throughout his career in construction, Jim Beard has stuck by a simple principle: If the client isn’t satisfied, the project isn’t a success. So when Beard took the helm of a new company 20 years ago, client satisfaction naturally took its place as a top priority. Two decades later, Beard Construction Group’s reputation is one of reliability. Many clients are repeat customers who have aided the company’s expansion, opening doors to project opportunities across the Gulf South.
A regional leader, Beard Construction has grown into a sole-source contractor able to perform nearly every phase of civil construction, including site development, pile driving, concrete foundations, roads, rail and environmental scopes of work. And with all of the safe and successful work completed, the company is able to attract a wide variety of projects.
It all started in 2004 when Beard and a group of partners — each with extensive construction experience — decided to launch their own company. They initially worked out of one of their ga[1]rages, with each person taking a corner, and later upgraded to a trailer in a sugarcane field. Since 2006, the company has called a multi-building campus in Port Allen, Louisiana, home.
In its early days, the company was strictly an earthwork contractor. Within their first year in business, the partners landed a $7.5 million job.
“We took off,” recalls Beard, who serves as company president. “In 20 years, we’ve gone from zero to $100 million in revenue. I think that’s a tremendous feat. We’ve had recessions and low periods in our industry in that time, but we’ve been able to manage our affairs to the extent that we’ve never had to lay anybody off because of a lack of work.”
Thinking back on some of the jobs his company has completed, Beard is proud of helping his clients find solutions. He has enjoyed overcoming challenges of building in this region, such as unique soil conditions.
“I’ve always really liked figuring out how to do something somebody said you couldn’t do,” Beard says.
He stresses, however, that dedicated employees are the main reason Beard Construction has been able to consistently deliver results that clients are happy with. The company employs between 250 and 400 in craft, depending on the time of year, along with about 25 office employees and 25 to 30 supervisors.
“Family is a big part of our business — whether they’re blood kin to us or not,” says Matt Milton, executive vice president and chief operating officer. He and Beard both grew up in the construction business, and both have children who are now following in their footsteps.
But Milton emphasizes that “family” includes the company’s employees. He says great lengths are taken to ensure workers’ safety at job sites, and career development opportunities are available. The company has Beard University, which offers safety and trade-specific training as well as a professional development program, for young employees who’ve shown potential to become the next generation of leaders.
The Beard Construction family also includes longtime, loyal clients who helped the company get off the ground and find success in its first two decades. As they press forward, leaders agree that client relationships and retention will remain the company’s No. 1 priority.
“What Beard brings to the table is a 20-year history of consistency,” says Jason Landry, vice president of business development and marketing. “We have a track record of success. We often win projects based on our historical performance and relationships our teams have with the customer — not just on the initial price. And to me, that is an indicator of doing something really well in this business.”
“We’re going to remain true to our core values and capabilities,” he adds. “In the next 20 years, when clients think of Beard, we want them to think of high project predictability and success — just like they do today.”
3970 Rosedale Rd | Port Allen, LA | (225) 387-2339 | beardconstructiongroup.com
