Selected and awarded by the ENR staff, the Contractor of the Year designation is based on a variety of criteria, such as a track record of business success, excellence in building, community outreach and philanthropic efforts, and company culture.
“Atlanta-based Choate Construction Co. stood out in several ways,” says Scott Judy, editor of ENR Southeast. “Choate has been steadily growing over the year. Likewise, the contractor has racked up numerous Southeast Best Projects Awards in recent years. Perhaps the company’s biggest news in 2016 was its becoming 100% employee-owned as of this past December.”
Choate reported a year-over-year revenue gain of approximately 35% in 2016 from the previous year. In addition, 2016 marked the second year in a row Choate took home ENR’s National Best of the Best award for the Interiors/Tenant Improvement category (Carters, Inc., 2015; Atlanta Tech Village, 2016), among other Southeast Best of the Best awards (Synchrony Financial Renovation, Interiors/Tenant Improvement; Chick-fil-A Corporate Campus, Office/Retail/Mixed-Use Award of Merit; and Fiserv Alpharetta, Interiors/Tenant Improvement Award of Merit).
Other large announcements marked 2016 as a pivotal for Choate. On December 13th, the organization announced it transferred ownership to become 100% employee owned; a major milestone for the 27-year-old company. Choate also opened two new divisions, autonomous Interior Construction departments in the Savannah and Raleigh offices. The company also raised record funds for its main philanthropy, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, having raised over $350,000 through its annual events across the Southeast.
“What an honor,” says Dave Priester, President & COO of Choate. “To be recognized in the industry by this premier publication as Contractor of the Year is the highest achievement. Thank you to ENR, our employee-owners who have made this company what it is, and to our valued subcontractors, clients, and business partners for their support. We vow to continue serving our employees, clients, and community with excellence into the future. Reputation is Everything.”
