Building┬áAmerica from the ground up┬áKeith Regan learns how Sterling Construction CompanyÔÇÖs approach enables it to win jobs through competitive bids but remain viable through efficiencies gained from experience. Sterling Construction Company, Inc. got its start half a continent away, in Michigan, where a pair of brothers, Richard and Jim Manning, founded it in 1955.

Driving new opportunities┬áTarpon Energy Services has grown rapidly during its five-plus years in business, evidence of the strong demand for its electrical products and services and its related expertise. With its six-year anniversary on the horizon, Tarpon is eyeing growth in the US and other markets. Even with oil prices well off their historic highs of a year ago, energy companies remain active in the exploration and production of both alternative and traditional sources of fuel for power.

Building high and┬ágreen┬áKeith Regan learns how the unique blend of office and hotel space, innovative construction techniques and green elements of Suffolk ConstructionÔÇÖs Met2 project help it stand out in a competitive market. Just a few short years ago, construction cranes towered over much of Miami, as developers pushed to bring high-rise condominium projects to a then-booming housing market. This year the landscape is starkly different, with the only active projects now all in the commercial category.

Motoring down the lean road┬áSL Montevideo Technology owes much of its success to its efforts in the fields of quality and lean, vice president of operations Dave Scott tells Andrew Pelis. SL Montevideo Technology Inc., a division of SL Industries, has been involved in the design and manufacture of high-performance precision AC, DC, BLDC and stepper motors, power electronics, controllers and windings for aerospace, defense and industrial markets worldwide since 1949.

Opportunity meets innovation┬áSimon Fraser University has been changing its campus to address the future growth areas for the school. Keith Regan learns how innovation has kept key projects moving forward.  Simon Fraser University (SFU) has a history of rapid growth and of being responsive to the changing needs of the students it serves. The university, named after explorer Simon Fraser, literally sprung up in 1965 when, after just 18 months of planning, the campus opened with 2,500 students.

Time management┬áPhoenix College is updating its campus with three new building projects. Director of facilities and construction Doug McCarthy gives Linda Seid Frembes some insight on how they were completed without disrupting classes. Phoenix College (PC) in Phoenix, Arizona, is the flagship college of the Maricopa County Community College District. Situated in downtown Central Phoenix, the college provides a central location for more than 10,000 students on its 52-acre campus.

On┬ásolid ground┬áThe Panama City campus of Florida State University has nearly doubled its student capacity with the construction of a new academic center. Linda Seid Frembes talks to Peter R. Brown Construction about the uniqueness of the project. Two years ago, the Panama City campus of Florida State University (FSU) embarked on an ambitious construction project for its new Alfred P. and Mamie V. Holley Academic Center. Dedicated in January 2009, the 105,000-square-foot Center effectively doubles the amount of capacity and space for FSU students.

Peak performance┬áAs the economic crisis rattles the US oil and natural gas industry, one company is poised for peak performance when markets recover, reports Brendan A. Smith.  Peak USA Energy Services helps oil and gas firms reach optimum production levels. Specializing in rig moving, custom heavy hauling, crane and rigging services, general freight, hot shot deliveries, and oilfield transportation, Peak offers more than 20 years of experience backed by a world-class fleet of over 250 trucks.

Off the beaten path A longtime joint venture is tackling a new challenge: building an upscale condo and hotel project hours from a major city and between two active ski mountains. Keith Regan learns how PCL Construction Services and CFC Construction are using their individual and collective strengths to do everything short of moving mountains.

Building on a reputation Pavarini McGovern is a mid-sized construction management firm with the capabilities of a larger player and the senior management involvement of a smaller one. As Keith Regan learns, the soon-to-be-completed Smyth Hotel is a glittering example of what can happen when those attributes are combined.