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DeWitt & Associates' crews are constructing College Station's theater in downtown Springfield. On site, from left, are Project Manager Scott A. Coffman, Superintendent Leonard Gass and President Jerry L. Hackleman.
DeWitt & Associates' crews are constructing College Station's theater in downtown Springfield. On site, from left, are Project Manager Scott A. Coffman, Superintendent Leonard Gass and President Jerry L. Hackleman.

2008 Dynamic Dozen, No. 7: DeWitt & Associates Inc.

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Seven must be a lucky number for contracting company DeWitt & Associates. For the third time in five years, the company has nabbed the No. 7 spot among Springfield Business Journal’s Dynamic Dozen.

Company officials attribute the company’s steady growth to the stability of the local economy.

“The market in Springfield has always maintained itself reasonably well, even in tough economic times,” said Randy Ganz, DeWitt’s senior vice president. “Some of our main clients continue to grow, and we’re continuing to grow with them.”

The Springfield-based company posted revenues of $82.6 million last year, up from $73.5 million in 2006 and $59.7 million in 2005.

DeWitt works within 100 miles of Springfield, Ganz said.

As southwest Missouri continues to build, competition heats up, too, drawing contractors from larger cities, such as Kansas City and St. Louis.

In the last six months, DeWitt has added five employees to keep up with demand, and for the first time, recent college graduates are among the new hires – a move Ganz said is designed to bring new ideas to the table.

“We saw opportunity in our market, and we saw some real qualities in these people,” he added.

Founded as DeWitt-Newton in 1959, the company was reorganized in 1973. Today, the employee-owned DeWitt still performs most of its own work, Ganz said, including concrete, carpentry and demolition that would otherwise be subcontracted. DeWitt considers itself both a “true builder” as well as a contractor, he said.

Doing its own work streamlines the process for DeWitt and allows for “control of quality, control of schedule and, sometimes, control of costs,” Ganz said.

It also allows DeWitt to focus on maintaining the completion date regardless of any changes to the scope of work, said Ramsay Manning, project manager.

Working with both big and small clients, DeWitt’s work is plentiful in Springfield, with a list of projects that includes St. John’s Surgery Center, College Station theater, JQH Arena, Jordan Valley Innovation Center Phase II and Glendale High School’s addition.

Health care has been a large part of DeWitt’s work, and that’s expected to continue with an eye toward expanding its client base, Ganz said.

“As we grow, we’re still going to

maintain a strong health care presence,” he said.

DeWitt President Jerry Hackleman, who was traveling and unavailable to comment for this story, has previously talked to SBJ about the company’s strong relationship of 30-plus years with St. John’s, particularly in terms of staying on top of technological advances.

Added Manning: “Health care is one of our largest strengths. … I would say the demand in the health care market is leveling with some growth projected.”

That’s not to say, however, that DeWitt shies away from growth in other areas, including green building.

DeWitt was the general contractor for the $6 million renovation and addition project at The Discovery Center in downtown Springfield. Following completion, the nonprofit interactive science center’s building became the first in southwest Missouri to achieve gold Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification in April 2007.

Constructed with environmentally friendly materials, the building has a rainwater collection system, large windows and photovoltaic solar panels for interior light and heat.

As DeWitt approaches its 50th anniversary next year, its employees remain one of its greatest assets, Ganz said.

The company has been recognized five times with Superintendent of the Year Award from the Springfield chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

“We have a wide variety of projects, and that’s all about service to the owners,” Manning said. “Their needs are what we follow.”[[In-content Ad]]

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