T H E M A G A Z I N E F O R C O N S T R U C T I O N E X E C U T I V E S

US DevelopersJournal

WInter 2010 www.usdevelopersjournal.com

M. ross Inc.Quality ConstruCtion sweeping Down the plains

Located in the heartland of America, M. Ross Inc. has been serving the eastern third of Oklahoma since 2000 and is on an upward trajectory to continue working throughout the state. Headquartered in Muskogee, Okla., the general contractor operates with just six employees who provide all the in-house trades M. Ross needs to be successful.

M. Ross is an independent company that is owned 100 percent by Indian descendants. To that end, the company is certified with the Cherokee Nation Tribal Employment Rights Organization. “We do a lot of work with them,” says Mike Ross, founder

and president. The company is also involved with the Native American Contractors Association.

The company’s niche is in completing projects in the commercial and industrial sectors in the $1 million to $5 million range. Running average annual revenue of approximately $8 million, Ross says without hesitation that his biggest expense aside from labor is insurance. But Ross knows how to manage resources, as he has been in the industry for an impressive 31 years, and previously worked for WW Enterprises as a partner and at the construction giant Flintco as a project manager.

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Quality Construction Sweeping Down the PlainsProduced by Matt Duncan & Written by Shelley Seyler

In-house, M. Ross performs rough carpentry, doors, frames, hardware, accessories, specialty items, some earthwork, and metal buildings. The company partners with subcontractors for concrete, HVAC, mechanical and plumbing. “We have a pretty good following of subs,” says Ross when asked if he generally uses the same ones. “But we also look for low bid.”

With a relatively small staff, it is that much more important that each employee on the team knows the ropes well. To that end, Ross trains all his employees in-house. “We give them some education … I like to train them in the way I do business,” he explains. Ross recruits new employees

from the Oklahoma State University’s construction management program. “It’s a great program,” he

comments. Retaining his employees is also straightforward. “Taking care of them” is the formula, he says. M. Ross provides benefits, wages and a bonus system.

Thanks, at least in part, to these programs, the company provides service that keeps

customers coming back for more. M. Ross, therefore, does not do a lot of marketing, but enjoys word-of-mouth recommendations and working with clients of projects past.

Having already maneuvered the rugged downturn, M. Ross is certainly through the worst of it. Though Ross worries most about business decisions in the face of this challenge, he has done well thus far. “It’s been a good roll,” he admits. And the future promises to hold more of the same.•

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Established : 2000President : Mike Ross

Annual Revenue : $8 MillionEmployees : 6

COMPANY AT A GLANCE

Working and Reaching High

One of M. Ross’s most recent projects was completed for the Choctaw Nation Hotel and Casino located in Durant, Okla. They furnished and installed all the hollow metal frames, doors, wood doors, and hardware and toilet accessories. This project had over 400 doors and included 330 hotel rooms.

One of the most interesting projects the company has completed is the complete renovation of the City of Muskogee Civic Center. “They gutted everything,” emphasizes Ross. This was also one of the company’s more interesting projects as it required renovations of the main floor ceilings. Working 45 feet above the floor to finish the project, the company installed acoustic blankets designed by Bose. “It is hard to get up that high and re-do everything,” Ross admits. “Making that work was really interesting” for the company, reflects Ross,

who reflects on how the company had to build a rolling scaffold for the safety of all trades.

M. Ross is also currently working on some metal buildings in Oklahoma and waiting for new projects to come down the pike.

Keeping up with the trends, M. Ross is becoming increasingly involved with LEED projects. Also in the works is Contractor’s Commercial Doors and Hardware, a new subsidiary of the current M. Ross that will focus on supplying and installing doors, frames and hardware. Another future addition to M. Ross is the integration of pre-engineered buildings to the company’s services.

In the next two years, Ross hopes to grow the company to a $10 million to $20 million enterprise. “There are a lot of things on the planning board that I know about; I think in the first quarter of [2010] we will see things start to pick up,” Ross predicts.

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M. Ross Inc.3441 W 46th Street

Muskogee, OK 74401United States