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Description

John Coe and Jim Davis

Bio

JIM DAVIS

PRESIDENT + CEO

As President and CEO since 1988, Jim is truly the heart of the company and views each and every person at DAVIS as family. For over 40 years, his foresight, intelligence, and genuine passion have helped transform a small family business into a nationally recognized construction leader. Jim’s pride in the company’s reputation for honesty and integrity is absolute; a reputation supported by the belief that corporate responsibility extends well beyond the bottom line. He consistently demonstrates this by his commitment to improving the quality of life for all employees and their families, as well as the community where we live and work through his involvement with the National Building Museum, Samaritan Inns, and the DC Students Construction Trades Foundation.

Jim strategically oversees operations and key project development, exemplifying teamwork, and his commitment to quality and excellence in service. As a fourth generation construction industry leader, Jim reflects the principles of hard work and innovation in everything he does. His well-honed instincts are invaluable, and his experience and perspective are essential as the company moves forward. His pride in continuing the good work his father began is abundantly clear and inspirational to all who work at DAVIS.

Show Notes

• Leader for almost 40 years and “day to day” activities- “Old guy that comes in and carries on” (6:20)
• Origins
  • 4th generation Washingtonian (7:00)
  • Great Grandfather became a guard at the Pension Building (National Building Museum) and subsequently started a company which was the predecessor of the Davis Companies (7:15)
    • Was Chairman of the National Building Museum (8:00)
  • Wanted to be like is Dad and went to job sites as a child (8:30)
  • Laborer on Bechtel Corp. site in Gaithersburg- Company doing business with them since 1974 (8:40)
• Went to college at Virginia Tech– Studied Civil Engineering (9:50)
  • Chief Justice of the Honor Society
  • Met his wife
• Felt wanting to work for his Dad in construction was a blessing and gave him focus and direction (10:30)
• Contrast between his Dad and him (11:05)
  • His Dad and Uncle broke up after their Dad handed the company to them in 1966
  • 1960s and 1970s were very challenging for his Dad (11:35)
  • Build relationships with all people he did business with (12:05)
  • “People loved his Dad”- “Honest, Fair, Always did the right thing” (12:30)
  • Credits his Mom for giving him the “happy gene” (13:10)
• Attended Woodward HS in Bethesda, MD (13:45)
• Competition with Clark Construction and Blake Construction– Big dogs in the market and tough to beat (14:20)
  • Build relationships with personal attention to clients (14:30)
  • Dad sold company to a British firm, Isis, in 1985 (15:00)
  • He bought company back in 1990 using an ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) (18:15)
• ESOP (15:45)
  • Important to share
  • Attract people to a company for building a relationship to “success for all” (16:00)
  • People join seeking a long term vision...