NEWS
Chris Eccleston of Delmarva Veteran Builders featured in this month's edition of "At Ease" magazine
DVB Founder Chris Eccleston gets candid with writer Brian Shane about the last five years of business.
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Story by Brian Shane | photos by Todd Dudek
Chris Eccleston's pinch-me moment came in 2016 when the Department of Defense had honored his still-growing construction firm with the Secretary of Defense Freedom Award, the government's highest honor for companies that support National Guardsmen and Reservists.
"I was like, 'wow. I can't believe it.' I mean, I was on the stage with the CEOs of Lowe's and Alaska Airlines," he recalled. "For me to be in the same room and give the same speech on the same stage as these high-powered CEOs? We'd been in business three years at this point. It was unreal."
Eccleston, 37, is a navy veteran who founded his own construction company with the explicit goal of hiring fellow service members- and has skyrocketed to remarkable success in just a few short years.
His firm, Delmarva Veteran Builders, handles multi-million-dollar commercial and military contracts in Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia. In 2017, they did $18.5 million in business; in 2018 that figure rose to $25 million. More than half of the company's 25 employees have past military service or currently serve in the Reserves.
Eccleston's goal of having 50-60 percent veterans on the payroll came from his own experiences of being told he was overqualified for construction jobs because of his military resume.
"I knew the potential that was there," he said. "Construction's the easy part. The attitude, showing up to work every day, the tenacity, the innovation - that's the stuff that's hard to find. So, if you have a bunch of people with a winning mindset, you can harness that, and teach them."
Eccleston joined the Navy out of high school in 1999, and expected to one day extend his enlistment to officer candidacy, followed by a career in a the Navy. But the game plan changed after the terrorist attacks of September 2001.
The first of his three deployments embarked exactly one week after that fateful day. He would go on to spend more than four years aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt, where he last served as a machinist mate second class in the nuclear reactor room.
Being deployed, he said, "gives you a much different perspective on things" when you're back in civilian life.
"It hardens you," he said. You have this ability to handle adversity and this kind of resolve that you get. You can embrace and live through the suck, if you will - that's a Navy SEAL term, 'embrace the suck' - while you're in it. You can live in the world of 'this isn't pleasant right now' because you've done it and you've been overseas."
After his service ended in 2006, Eccleston earned a college degree in construction management, a field to which he was drawn because he wanted to be a part of a team that could deliver tangible results. Back in his hometown of Salisbury, Maryland, he found work with the firm Gillis Gilkerson, where he spent seven years climbing the ladder from laborer to project manager.
"Construction became very easy for me," he said. "I'm not trying to brag, but one the process clicked for me, I could handle multiple projects at one time. And so I wanted to take on more, and do that kind of stuff."
in 2013, the nation's economic recession had just ended, and pent-up demand for construction projects began to take shape. Eccleston, at age 32, decided to leave his employment, and start his own company.
"We gained traction really fast, and that kind of compounded on itself," Eccleston said. "It seemed like the community waned to support it. And timing to the market, with the economy kind of taking off, helped as well. It was kind of like the perfect storm."
Delmarva Veteran Builders now boasts a track record to rival any long established construction firm. Their average project size is $2 to $3 million. They've constructed five Royal Farms stores, and built two major hotels, with eyes on a third. The firm continues to grow in 2019 and hire more veterans.
Another major milestone for Delmarva Veteran Builders was landing at number 456 on the list of America's 5,000 best companies for 2018 from Inc. Magazine, which reported its three-year growth at a staggering 1,114 percent.
"You're doing great locally, but when you're up against everybody in the country? For me, it was like, holy cow. You're talking about the top 10 percent of businesses in the country. That's something I'm really, really proud of," Eccleston said.
"I think it's a testament to our workforce, who and what they are."
Eccleston admits he already had drive and energy, he he credits the military with giving him discipline and focus to achieve the goals he set for himself.
"I'm ready for more, really. It's what's next, don't stop. I'm really and truly blessed. It's just fun and exciting. There's a lot of opportunity out there right now, and it's cool to see that activity and that spirit alive here in Salisbury," he said.
Team DVB pulls out the big guns for the Hero's Challenge Fire Truck Pull.
Watch the video to see the team dig in and pull some heavy machinery.
The DVB team showed up in full force to participate in the charity again this year.
Read the full article on Delmarva Now about the event.
Read Full Article, click here.
DVB supports teachers at Pinehurst Space Conversion Project
Watch the video of delivery day with Principal Kevin Smith.
Daniel Mills and DVB team up with Junior Achievement to participate in the very first JA Inspire event.
The local event drew a crowd of over 1200 area students.
Over 1,200 students learned about the vast array of careers available right here on the Eastern Shore!
Delmarva Veteran Builders exhibits at Junior Achievement "Inspire" event at the Wicomico County Civic Center.
DVB sets out to inspire middle-schoolers considering a career in the commercial building industry.
We had so much fun yesterday at the Junior Achievement of the Eastern Shore Inspire event. Attempting to convey the steps of the building process, our creative and marketing team put together a Stack challenge using giant color-coded Jenga blocks. Students had to follow directions, work as a team and race to stack the blocks correctly in the shortest amount of time with out toppling the structure. Some kids were determined to get the best time, and the winners from Mardela Middle completed the challenge in 24 seconds, where the average time overall was over a minute, thirty seconds! Way to go! We were honored to exhibit at this wonderful career fair for the 8th-grade students of Wicomico County! Thank you to Sherry Eiseman of United Rentals - Branch #321 for donating the use of the Mini Excavator. We can’t wait to come back next year.
ABC 47 features the women of Delmarva Builders.
“It’s a male dominated field and I think women bring a whole new market to the existing construction world..” says Senior Project Manager, Kathryn Ellis.
As part of their segment on “Women in Construction”, ABC 47 came to our headquarters for a round-table discussion with all of the women that are an integral part of what makes DVB so successful.
Delmarva Veteran Builders selected for Pinehurst Elementary project
Delmarva Veteran Builders hired by the Wicomico County Board of Education for the Pinehurst Elementary Space Conversion project.
SALISBURY, Md. – January 22, 2019 – Delmarva Veteran Builders, the region’s only commercial construction firm dedicated to bringing employment to U.S. Armed Forces Veterans, announced it has been hired by the Wicomico County Board of Education for the Pinehurst Elementary Space Conversion project.
3700 square feet of the East Wing will be repurposed to host the school's new administrative suite and auxiliary offices. A portion of the renovation also includes a new guest entrance. Years ago, the wing housed a therapy pool that was later filled-in and currently serves as a storage facility. The space will be completely gutted to make way for much-needed improvements for faculty, teachers and staff. Pinehurst Elementary was established in 1937 and currently enrolls over 580 students from Pre-K to 5th grade.
“Pinehurst is known throughout the county as hosting the largest special-needs student population, so it is important that we keep the learning environment as unspoiled and safe as possible during the construction phase. Our primary concern is delivering on-time so the incredible educators at Pinehurst can continue to create a positive impact with our local students. We are thrilled to be chosen on such an important project for Wicomico County.”
According to Delmarva Veteran Builder project manager Kathryn Ellis and superintendent Brian Sanders, the project is scheduled to be completed by August 2019.
For more information, visit DelmarveVeteranBuilders.com
DELMARVA VETERAN BUILDERS ADD FOUR NEW EMPLOYEES TO THE TEAM.
Delmarva Veteran Builders add Gen Chamberlain, Daniel Burton, Jenny Kerr Schroen, and Patrick Spence to the team.
SALISBURY, Md. – January 25th, 2019 – Delmarva Veteran Builders, the region’s only commercial construction firm dedicated to bringing employment to U.S. Armed Forces Veterans, announced the addition of Gen Chamberlain, Daniel Burton, Jenny Kerr Schroen, and Patrick Spence to the team.
“We invest in people.” said Chris Eccleston, Delmarva Veteran Builders. “I believe that each new team member can bring their talents to the table in order to make the customer experience even better.”
Gen Chamberlain
Gen Chamberlain will be diving right in with the accounts division, working alongside Office Manager Heather Welch. Gen is a native of Salisbury and an Alumnus of Salisbury University where she received both her bachelor’s and master’s degree in Education. She taught for 10 years at St. Francis de Sales and three years at Woodson Elementary in Crisfield.
Although embarking on a new carrier path, she is no stranger to the construction process. “My Father’s a custom-home builder.” Gen says, “I grew up in the building business, and I am glad to be a part of it again.”
Gen and her husband Nick live near the university with their two children, Bella and Beckett. In her spare time, Gen loves spending time with family and friends.
Daniel Burton
Daniel Burton started on January 18th as DVB’s new Project Manager. He medically retired after serving for 12 years in Army Aviation, where he completed three deployments to both Iraq and Afghanistan. Relocating to Salisbury, he brings his wife and three daughters while currently finishing up a degree in Psychology. Growing up in Stone Mountain, Georgia, his father was in the commercial construction industry where Daniel would oftentimes accompany him to job sites. He has since worked as both a foreman and superintendent for a residential construction company in Athens, Georgia.
“I wanted to work for this company.” Daniel says. “We moved here because I wanted to be a part of a business dedicated to helping veterans.”
In his spare time Daniel enjoys watching sports and outdoor activities like camping, hiking, hunting and fishing.
Jenny Kerr Schroen
Jenny Kerr Schroen began 2019 as DVB’s new creative and marketing developer. Jenny is a native of Covington, Kentucky and received her B.A. in graphic design from Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida. She has 16 years of experience in the graphic design industry. Out of college, she designed for a leading real estate design firm in Jacksonville, Florida. Jenny’s career has taken her throughout the country, including Cincinnati, Los Angeles and San Francisco. For the past three years, she has been designing for Close Quarters Defense in Vienna.
“I am thrilled to be working in downtown Salisbury for the first time." Jenny says. "We have a dynamic team of people that I know are motivated, fun, and ready to make a difference.”
Jenny lives in Salisbury with her husband, J.D. and their four children, Olivia, Ethan, Gavin and Braden. She enjoys traveling with family, mid-century modern furniture and extreme sports like surfing and wakeboarding.
Patrick Spence
Patrick Spence joined DVB on January 21st as their new estimator. Pat has a rich history of military service, joining the Navy right out of high school. He was deployed on the USS Enterprise as an Aviation Ordnanceman. Already overseas during 9/11, he had the honor to be a part of the first global response to the attack, which came to be known as “Operation Enduring Freedom”.
After leaving the Navy in 2003, he joined the elevator trade as a project manager. His past experience led him to construction estimating while earning a degree in construction management before making the move to Delmarva Veteran Builders. “I love the idea of working with fellow service members again.” says Patrick.
Pat has a 15 year old son named Ethan and enjoys spending time with friends and family.
For more information, visit delmarvaveteranbuilders.com
Delmarva Veteran Builders Welcomes Rich Hertzog and Amanda Hagan to the Team
DVB announced the addition of Amanda Hagen to the administrative team and Rich Hertzog as a project manager.
Amanda Hagen
SALISBURY, Md. – September 21, 2018 – Delmarva Veteran Builders, the region’s only commercial construction firm dedicated to bringing employment to U.S. Armed Forces Veterans, announced the addition of Amanda Hagen to the administrative team and Rich Hertzog as a project manager.
“As we continue to grow and expand our team, DVB is positioned to keep up with the market, plan ahead and provide quality construction for all of our clients,” said Chris Eccleston, Delmarva Veteran Builders.
Amanda started at the beginning of September as an administrative assistant. She is responsible for assisting project managers and the estimator, handling operation and maintenance manuals, submittals and requests for information. She has two years of work experience in construction administration. Prior to her work in construction Amanda worked as a medical secretary for 6.5 years.
“It is nice to work for a company with a great reputation and team,” said Amanda. “Everyone has been so helpful and nice to work with. I am proud to say I work for DVB and am looking forward to learning more about the trade.”
Out of the office Amanda enjoys camping, hiking, boating and travel. She has a daughter, Kayla, fiancé, Brian and cat, Winnie.
Rich Hertzog
Rich started in August as a project manager and is responsible for running several job sites to completion and delivery. He comes with 15 years of running his own hardscaping business and was also a project manager for a concrete restoration company. He also has roofing experience from when he lived in Pennsylvania.
“I was welcomed with open arms,” said Rich. “I’m honored to wear the shirt and be known as part of the DVB team. It is nice to feel like you are part of a family when you’re at work.”
Rich lives in Salisbury with his wife Danielle and two daughters, Riley, 11 and Laci, 8. The
family also has a dog, three cats and a couple Guinea pigs. He enjoys paddle boarding, going to Assateague and taking in a good hockey game.