THS Constructors on a Fast Track: Q& A with Dana Emberton, President and CEO

THS Constructors, Inc., based in Greenville, S.C., provides design-build, design-bid-build, and construction management services to clients in the industrial, distribution, healthcare, office, research and development, and retail markets. The company serves clients in North and South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida.

Upstate S.C. native and construction industry veteran Howard Suitt founded THS Constructors in 2005. The employee-owned firm is self-described as “a relationship-focused construction services company, built on repeat business and committed to our clients, constantly improving for the benefit of our clients, suppliers, and stockholders. We deliver projects of value with integrity and commitment.”

In 2018, THS Constructors celebrated being named one of the 40 fastest-growing companies in South Carolina, ranking No. 2 on SCBiz News’ statewide Roaring Twenties list in the Large Company category (over $10 million in revenues). THS was formally recognized as a member of the Roaring Twenties Class of 2018 at a special event held in downtown Columbia last October. The annual Roaring Twenties list ranks companies based on both dollar and percentage increases in revenue for the previous year. THS revenues more than doubled during the specific time period measured (2016-2017) while the number of employees also increased.

GroundBreak Carolinas recently spoke with THS President and Chief Executive Officer Dana Emberton to find out what’s behind the company’s success. THS Chairman Howard Suitt announced Emberton’s promotion to CEO in August 2018. This followed Emberton’s three-year tenure as President and Chief Operating Officer, during which time the company grew over 60 percent in revenues and 70 percent in employee growth.

Describe your business philosophy.

I am are very blessed to be afforded the opportunity that Howard Suitt has provided for me, and others, to build a great company. My goal is to provide support and leadership to all our team members and maintain a work environment that is based on trust, respect for each other and a common goal to provide excellent construction services for our clients and partners.

Tell us about your vision for the company…. where it’s been, where it’s going.

I rejoined THS a little over five years ago. We have worked extremely hard to build our team. This has been the critical difference to build our team – rowing the same direction in the same boat. Additionally, we focused on building our brand identity to successfully serve clients in such a way that we would be able to serve them again. Our team is focused on always doing “the right thing.” We understand that our clients have committed to their clients to deliver their products and we are a trusted partner to deliver on what we promised.

You started out in the Carolinas, then spent a few years in Florida. Glad to get back to the Carolinas?

After graduating from Texas A&M, I worked in Houston for several years until I was given an opportunity to move to Raleigh. Within a few years after relocating to North Carolina, I elected to join Suitt Construction in 1990. I held multiple positions in multiple offices, spanning from Richmond (Virginia) to Orlando (Florida). This is my second time to live in Greenville. I am glad to be back in the Upstate and am proud to be part of building a great company.

Who’s had a major influence on your career?

I have been very fortunate to work with some legends within the construction industry; obviously, Howard Suitt is the first that comes to mind. He has confirmed my beliefs in a high level of integrity and honesty. Actually, some of my best career influence was gained from working with and for “bad managers.” These non-leaders helped me see what “not to do” as a leader. As I recently read, “Leaders set out to make a difference. It is not about the role, it is about the goal.”

Why do you love the construction business?

I have always enjoyed being part of a team with measurable outcomes. The construction industry provides an opportunity to work together as a team for a common goal, whether it is growing a company, winning a bid or delivering a project.

Talk about work/life balance.

Working to achieve a balanced work and personal life is a large focus for me. It has always been important to be the best husband and father that I can be. One of the proudest moments for me as husband and father is when my brother shared with me a post on social media. My oldest daughter posted that “Parents aren’t the people you come from, they are the people you want to be when you grow up.” To me, that validated what we as parents are working towards.

Projects/achievements you are most proud of?

From a personal standpoint, I believe it was being able to be the first person in my family to earn a bachelor’s degree. Graduating from Texas A&M was a major accomplishment for me as I paid for my college education by working as a welder and a journeyman plumber during each break throughout my college education. Professionally, I believe it was when we were awarded a medical device manufacturing clean room for our German client’s first U.S .manufacturing facility. THS and our partners worked in concert with the client to design and build their production facility in less than 12 months after contract award. This project has led to multiple others due to our client’s recommendations endorsing our efforts for cost, schedule and quality.

Tell us about your staffing and recruiting efforts.

As THS was preparing our strategic growth plan, we made the conscious decision to provide benefits and career opportunities that are second to none. Having a truly motivated team working towards a common goal has provided a foundation of growth. We utilize these items when we are looking to add to our team, never losing focus on finding the “right person for the right seat.”

What are your priority markets? Elaborate on the state of the company.

Over the past several years, we have seen a large increase in the number of opportunities available for THS. We are well positioned in our markets and have developed a large repeat client base built on being able to deliver on what we promise. Most of our work is for industrial, manufacturing, warehouse and biotech projects. In looking to the future, we want to work to diversify our clientele. This means more strategic focus on healthcare, higher education, and the food industry. We are very proud of the work we continue to do for all of our clients, and we look forward to expanding our scope of work. (Read recent project announcement about The Citadel’s new Business School.)

Tell us about your company culture.

Our culture, as it was at Suitt Construction, is family oriented. We want someone who is dedicated and wants to be part of the whole. We move at a fast pace, but we also recognize that family is important – in work, and at home.

Describe the community involvement of THS and its employees.

It is our civic duty to be involved. Our employees are involved in many ways in their communities. Recently, we, as a company, decided to champion breast cancer research. In 2018, we worked with Susan G. Komen-South Carolina and participated in the Race for the Cure. THS raised over $6,000.00. During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, all of our superintendents and employees in the field wore pink THS hardhats to help bring awareness to the cause. Another cause close to our hearts is Mesothelioma. Our VP of Business Development, Jack Brown, lost his daughter to this awful disease over two years ago. In 2017, he and his wife organized the ‘Em for Emily,’ a golf tournament and dinner celebrating their daughter, designed to raise funds for the fight against mesothelioma. We are very proud of all of our employees and their contributions to our community.