GroundBreaker: Keith Wayne, Wayne Brothers Inc.
People make the construction industry what it is today. GroundBreak Carolinas is excited to share the story of yet another member of the inaugural class of GroundBreakers – individuals who are shaping our industry in a variety of ways.
Keith Wayne is President and CEO of Wayne Brother’s Inc., a specialty contacting firm which he co-founded more than 30 years ago. In 1985, he was a laborer who had a vision of building a construction company rooted deep in values. Over the last three decades, Wayne has grown the company to over 500 employees and four offices across the Southeast. Wayne Brothers is based in Davidson, N.C., near Charlotte.
Keith Wayne is what people affectionately call the salt of the earth. Because he started the business with his bare hands working in the field, he is the first to say that he has a “true appreciation and love for labor.” His deep gratitude for those working in the field creates a great work culture. He speaks to and treats everyone the same whether he is engaging with someone in the field, in the office, or beyond. The way he treats everyone with respect has spread through the organization and has become the standard.
“Visionary” is another word commonly used to describe Wayne. In 1995, a discussion was forming around building a ballpark in Kannapolis, N.C. Many thought the project would be a failure (read newspaper article). Wayne new it would be a home run for Kannapolis and decided he wanted to be part of the project. And he was right. The project was a major success. Almost two and half decades later, Kannapolis is building a larger stadium with the help of the same “visionary builder”.
The combination of Keith Wayne’s visionary leadership and forward thinking has been a major contributor to the company’s success. His vision for a grander Wayne Brothers has led the company into new, profitable services. Wayne Brothers added Grading & Excavating in 1996, Industrial Contracting Group in 2013, created Preferred Construction Supply in 2016, and acquired a process piping company, InteSpec, Inc. in 2018.
Keith Wayne’s commitment to quality has been widely recognized across the industry with numerous awards honoring both him and the company. These include: Carolinas Associated General Contractors (CAGC) Hall of Fame inductee, CAGC Pinnacle Award, 2018 ENR Southeast Specialty Contractor of the Year, ENR Top 600 Specialty Contractor for six consecutive years, 2017 SmartCEO’s Corporate Culture Award, and 2015 Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Excellence in Construction Eagle Award.
In his spare time, Wayne enjoys golfing and spending time with his wife Michelle on their farm where they raise beef cattle.
About GroundBreaker Awards – This annual GroundBreak Carolinas awards program was created in Fall 2018 to recognize people who are making a significant impact on the construction community in the Carolinas. Our panel of judges reviewed a pool of nominations for men and women representing the entire spectrum of our industry – architecture, engineering, construction, academia, government, economic development, real estate and more.
