James May-June 2023 web - Flipbook - Page 31
S
INCE ITS FOUNDING 29 YEARS
AGO, ATLANTA-BASED INTEG-
RA CONSTRUCTION COMPANY HAS
STOOD THE TEST OF TIME AND HAS
UNDERGONE A STRATEGIC EVOLUTION— EVEN MORE SO NOW WITH W.
SCOTT HENWOOD JR. AS PRESIDENT
OF THE FIRM. THIS EVOLUTION HAS
RESULTED IN INTEGRA BECOMING A
THRIVING COMPANY LICENSED IN 24
STATES AND EXCELLING IN COMPLETING LARGE, COMPLEX PROJECTS.
Henwood says he’s especially fortunate to work
with David Blackmore, who he refers to as a mentor.
Blackmore is a well-connected construction industry
veteran who serves as chairman of the company’s board
and who founded Integra in 1994.
Henwood’s story is an interesting one, since it has
been a long and winding career road before getting to
Integra. But first some background. The Atlanta native
(a husband and father of two children) received his
bachelor’s degree from the University of Mississippi
and then earned his master’s degree from the Georgia
Institute of Technology in building construction
and facility management.
My first interview question,
of course, was to ask how he
got his start in business after
graduation.
“I began with New
South Construction in the
fall of 2001 as a project
engineer,” he said. “I was
first assigned to projects
at Hartsfield-Jackson
International Airport
and worked with New
South until 2005. Then I
went to work with R.J.
Griffin & Company
and stayed with them
until 2011. I had a
great experience at
T H E G RAY D O N BUCKH E A D , A H I G H - E N D CO N DOMINIUM
F I N I SH E D I N 2 0 2 2 .
both companies but had an opportunity to be a business developer at Integra in April of 2011. I joined them
and have been at Integra since. And I became company
president in July of 2021.”
His work as a senior project manager, he continued,
“really built my communication skills in tandem with
striving to keep within budget and scheduling goals
while striving to provide first-rate, on-time customer
service.”
That was then, though, and this is now. One of
the top states in the nation experiencing construction
growth is Georgia “That’s good news,” he says, “and we
are keeping busy.” Yet as a president/CEO Henwood
faces the challenges that the entire construction industry faces— from supply chain problems to inflation.
“The supply chain issues a year ago involved
structural steel and roofing material. That lead time is
now back to normal,” he said. “Electrical switch gear
that powers the building is 52 weeks. It’s a nightmare.
Air conditioning units are about 26 weeks. It’s a nightmare trying to get that right now. We think it will start
getting better. It’s a problem which makes it hard to
schedule a building.” continued
M AY/J UNE 2 0 2 3
31