Contegra Construction’s growth municipally focused
GODFREY — Contegra Construction’s scope broadened exponentially in the last year increasing economic impact in all of the municipalities in which the company is involved.
The multi-pronged company started with founder Eric Gowin, who is a co-owner along with Godfrey resident Brad Barnard, Russ Henke, Bobby Klucker and Dennis Araujo. Not only are they set to complete Godfrey’s first student housing complex, Trailblazer Commons, but also are the general contractor for Roxana’s water plant project, Roxana School District air-conditioning project and West Star Aviation’s expansion project at St. Louis Regional Airport in E. Alton. And, about eight months ago, the core Contegra group bought Capri Pools and Aquatics, for which it has $12 million in municipal and institutional pool projects already under contract.
“Capri folds in nicely into our core business,” Contegra partner Barnard, of Godfrey, said Friday to The Telegraph. “A lot of aquatic centers have nice building components and this compliments our core construction business very well. It’s really working out well so far.”
Contegra will allow Capri Pools and Aquatics to operate as usual, which has the founder and 20-year aquatics industry veteran, Cary Dennis, significantly involved in the management of the business. Cary spent 10 years commercial aquatics designer with the St. Louis firm Counsilman Hunsaker.
“We kept everything the same,” Barnard said. “We revamped the web site and marketing materials, and incorporated the day to day management it into our processes. We’re seeing a lot of municipal pool opportunities out there and also pool projects in the education sector.”
Barnard credits Contegra’s growth to the company being open to diversification.
“We’ve diversified. That’s what we’ve done,” he said. “We are more things, to more people. It’s a tough climate. There are a lot of good contractors in our area and we compete against these contractors regularly. You have to differentiate yourself.
For more information about Contegra’s Capri Pool interest visit www.capripool.com.
