Driving through Colorado Springs is like turning around through the greatest successes of the 50 -year project portfolio of GE Johnson Construction Co. The contractor has built, expanded or renewed (sometimes three) some of the most prominent structures in the city, including the Broadmoor Hotel, World Arena, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Museum, Pikes Peak Community College, the judicial county of the judicial county County of El Paso, Colorado Springs Fine Fine Center of Arts, several hospitals and two centers of visitors awarded in ENR: One at the top of the Pikes Peak summit and the other at the Historical Aerial Academy.
“We grew up as Colorado Springs grew,” says Jim Johnson, talking about the firm that his father Gil Johnson founded in 1967 and became president and CEO 30 years later.
With headquarters of Colorado Springs with regional offices in Denver and Wyoming, the contractor focuses on projects in health care, education, multifamily, hospitality, advanced technology, commercial office, public and cultural markets. GE Johnson took fifth place on the list of contractors of the Mount 2024 of the ENR with $ 540 million in reported income.
Acquired by DPR Construction in 2021, GE Johnson continued to operate as their own contracting entity under the brand of parents for a three -year transition. From January 27, GE Johnson is now running as a DPR construction. It is at number 7 in the list of 400 best contractors of AR 2024, with income of $ 9.45 million.
GE Johnson built the Broadmoor West Hotel of 150 rooms in the 70’s, the largest project in the history of the firm at that time. The firm returned in 2014 to complete a renewal and addition of 27 weeks.
Image courtesy Geh Johnson Construction Co.
Great time
As GE Johnson grew up, his project also arrived: he fulfilled more than $ 8 billion from Michigan projects in California and Idaho in Nou Mexico, including work for Kansas State University, alma mater. Jim Johnson.
Jim joined the role of CEO at the age of 39 when his father died and says he had to learn at work. “He had spent time on business development, as a superintendent and project manager, but he was still young,” he recalls. Johnson says that as he became his leadership role, he contacted his colleagues and a support adviser, “whether it was sailing 11/11, the financial crisis, the cubic. which was a large construction company. ”
Johnson says he helped him to be willing to listen. “I was not afraid to make difficult calls, but they had to have a purpose and a strategy and to be good for our people, it was not me,” he says.
Johnson did not plan to retire in the near future, so that when an unclear acquisition offer came from the RDP, Johnson says he was surprised. But then he wondered: What if?
GE Johnson built the El Paso County Judicial Complex, Terry R. Harris, in the Center of Colorado Springs, in 2006.
Image courtesy Geh Johnson Construction Co.
“In the past there had been queries, but none had come at a real price,” he says. “So I hired some consultants and asked me,” What would you do to do this? “It made me think of accelerating and improving Ge Johnson beyond what I can do and helping the next wave of leaders exposing them to different leaders and [larger] Markets. “”
GE Johnson is a company owned by employees and his CEO says that if he had to make this movement, he knew that he should find “someone like us who are a builder not an agent, who likes the projects of the assistance Health and technical projects. ” When Johnson deepened his investigation, he said he realized that the DPR “took her out of the park.”
“We have to do this because it will become a better builder,” he says. “I am healthy and we had a succession plan, but there was always a day when I’m not here, and we have this opportunity [right now] for a transition. It was a great time. “”
The village of Northstar, near Lake Tahoe, in Trukee, California, is one of the many high -end mountain projects in GE Johnson.
Image courtesy Geh Johnson Construction Co.
Community builder
“Jim is known to always do what is correct, regardless of the result … he has shaped this behavior for us,” says Scott Miller, leader of the RP Mountain State Business Unit and a member of the team of team GE Johnson 25 years old. “Jim taught us how to invest in relationships and [as a result] Relationships take care of the business. Returning to the communities we are working on is rooted in our culture and that is why it works so well with the RDC: it is the same culture, our values are aligned.
“We also maintain our distinctive commitment to our communities, dealing with all projects, regardless of scope, as a community project,” he says.
“DPR was looking for the opportunity to grow, coming out of Covid,” says CEO George Pfeffer. “One of our strategies fits a lot with this. We had expanded in the states of the mountain [and]When the name Geh Johnson appeared, we said, “Oh, Gosh, it’s a great company!”
Pfeffer adds that “it has been one of the best [business decisions] Because we are so aligned at so many levels. “He says:” Jim’s reason to want to do this is all that his people have other opportunities, greater than the one they obtained as a large company in the local market, but 1740423872 nationally. ”
Pfeffer says Johnson can now focus on his passion: hiring new employees. “But of course, it is so well known in the area and with the customers that is still involved. He just doesn’t do everyday things. “”
“Jim did a lot of diligence due to selecting the right company” to be his father, says Justin Horsch, a general superintendent, who, like Miller, graduated from Kansas State and has spent his entire career. 25 years in GE Johnson.
Pikes Peak Visitor Center was appointed ENR project for Colorado/Wyoming in 2022.
Image: The unfounded door
“When Jim interviewed the people and brought experts and our leadership team, culture was always at the top of the dashboard; as they treat with their employees to carpenters and field workers. [With DPR]Feel like going to another job by Ge Johnson; So far, it has been great, “says Horsch.
“My biggest joy is when teams get something exceptional did not think they could do,” says Johnson. There have been several of these projects and recalls the satisfaction of rebuilding the Kansas State Football Stadium in two seasons.
“No one thought it could be done and our team took it out of the park,” he says. “It was so fun, doing something different and making our team exceeds their expectations.” GE Johnson worked for eight years on the University Campus.
Miller recalls that while working on the expansion and renovation of Broadmoor West Hotel in 2013, Johnson stopped at the place several times a week. GE Johnson had built the original building in the 70’s, returning 40 years later to this update. “We undressed it in the pegs, we started the roof, increased the footprint of the building, and incorporated two floors, all in 26 and a half weeks,” says Miller.
GE Johnson also built the original Summit House at the top of Pikes Peak in the 1970’s, returning 50 years later due to its replacement, the Pikes Peak Visitor Center. “So much energy and innovation was needed to find out how to make 11,000 feet,” says Johnson. The firm took over the transport and logistics for all subcontractors in an extreme high altitude environment.
“The project represents so many parts of the company; It’s amazing to see what this team got, “he says.
GE Johnson rebuilt the Kansas State University Football Stadium in two seasons.
Image courtesy Geh Johnson Construction Co.
Busy between racks
The passion for the community extends to its participation in local causes. He is a member of the Council of the System College Community College in Colorado, has several leadership functions for the Kansas State University and serves the YMCA councils in the Pikes Peak region, Colorado Business Committee for the Arts and discovering good will. of the south and west of Colorado. He was appointed business citizen of the year by Colorado Springs Regional Business Alliance, received the Citizenship Medal of the Governor of Colorado and was introduced to the Fama Hall of Colorado.
“My biggest joy is when teams get something exceptional, they didn’t think they could do it.”
—Jim Johnson, President and Chief Executive Officer, Geh Johnson Construction
“Jim has done so far behind the stage and has been essential to carrying projects in Colorado Springs,” says Mike Trapp, President of Olson Plumbing and Co. Calefaction. “If there was not enough money to earn [a project progress]I would help, “says Trapp.” It has a lot of influence and has done more for the community than anyone who will ever know. “
In 2018, Jandel Allen-Davis became Chief Executive Officer and President of the Craig Hospital, the renowned Neuro-Rehabilitation Hospital in Englewood, Colo, in the same way that Geh Johnson ended his expansion of multi-year capital. “I thought,” Oh, I will meet a giant, a titan from the industry. “But you couldn’t meet a more pleasant boy if you try,” he says. “It is humble and the earth, and this has been my impression since then. It’s a good man.”
Craig Hospital is about to launch a new expansion project with Geh Johnson. Allen-Davis says: “One of the things that makes Jim so remarkable is that he sees the importance of how each person is imported and how each of the puzzle pieces are adjusted. If a piece does not fit, erodes culture of the company. “
“The legacy of the collaboration and confidence that GE Johnson has built in the mountain states is enviable,” adds Miller. “We will continue to base on this basis while unblocking new opportunities for growth and innovation.”
