Pointer Construction Group

Since 2009, Pointer Construction Group (Pointer) has been working for America’s veterans, to better Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities by delivering a full array of design-build, construction management and general contracting services geared toward the health care market. Based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the CVE verified, service-disable veteran and woman-owned firm concentrates on the southeast portion of the state.

Personal service

For Devrie Weliver, LEED AP, owner and president of Pointer, the company’s service and dedication to the VA is personal. “I’m former military. I served as an Army officer after graduating from West Point and am part of a family that has been completely committed to the military for decades,” she shares. “I love being able to provide a service to an organization that cares for our veterans; we take what we do very seriously at Pointer.”

Pointer has been working with the VA and other federal clients since inception. “We’ve been in business since 2009, working mainly with federal sector clients,” tells Weliver. “Pointer has worked with the VA since 2010 with multiple projects ongoing in all of the facilities we support in the southeast.”

After her time in the Army as an ordinance officer, Weliver says transitioning to federal construction contracting was a natural fit. “While my degree is in engineering, I had experience in both the government sector, as well as in the commercial construction industry,” she says. “But in 2009, the federal sector was the only client with work.”

Pointer launched in the midst of the recession; however, Weliver says the young firm found its footing fast. “We started with just one employee and now we have a team of 15 people, of which 30 percent are veterans,” she details. “We’ve been able to grow through tough times because we deliver high-quality work. Our focus on quality and commitment to the VA has allowed us to capture the market share we have now.”

A federal focus in Florida

As Pointer continues to grow its operations in the federal sector, the company has assembled a highly-skilled team. “We have assembled a team of construction management professionals with federal past performance that have an average of more than 25 years of specialized experience on projects with magnitudes ranging from $100,000 to  $40 million,” tells Weliver.

Today, Pointer’s specialties include: construction management, general contracting, design-build, preconstruction, cost estimating, renovation projects and much more.

“We work all over the southeast, mainly from Miami to West Palm Beach, Florida,” details Weliver. “We’ve gone into Georgia, South Carolina and even Texas with the Army Corps of Engineers, but we’re focused on our continued operation in southeast Florida.”

Taking care in active facilities

“We’re a full-service contractor in the facilities we’re in,” adds Weliver. “Pointer often works in active, operational environments, which demand great care in how we operate as a construction contractor. Every single worker and subcontractor we employ shares this patient-focused mentality to ensure our projects are a success.”

Pointer continues to engage top-notch subcontractors and has worked with major clients, such as Toshiba, delivering MRI and CT machines. However, Weliver says one of the firm’s most memorable projects was recently completed at the West Palm Beach VA Hospital.

“Our team performed a design-build fire alarm project that connected all of the outbuildings on this health care campus to the main hospital building,” she tells. “It was a challenging undertaking because when we started our design development, the system that we would eventually tie into was still under construction and all components, once installed, needed to integrate seamlessly.”

Pointer has also been a point-player in many improvements at the Miami VA Hospital. Some notable projects include inpatient restroom improvements, new dental clinic and fluoroscopy operatory rooms, main corridor upgrades and a cooling tower refurbishment project to name a few.

Aside from Pointer’s niche in VA health care facilities, the company has also played a role in the Art Institute Sound Studio in Fort Lauderdale; the Omni Mall in downtown Miami and more.

Managed, steady growth

Weliver notes the small firm has big capacity to do much more. “I think there will soon be more ground-up construction for the VA throughout the southeast that our firm is ready to tackle,” she elaborates. “We have the in-house ability and the established management systems to successfully deliver a quality end-product to our client.”

In the meantime, Weliver is proud of her family’s commitment to serve the nation. “My family has many ties to the military,” she tells. “I was an officer, I married an officer and we now have four children who are serving, as well. One is at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii, another is stationed at Fort Bragg and two more are going to West Point in summer 2015.”

“At Pointer, we also make an effort to hire veterans,” adds Weliver. “Right now, about 30 percent of our employees are veterans and we will continue to improve upon that percentage as we continue to grow. We have a big commitment at Pointer. We have all heard the stories of the VA’s challenges in the news and the services it lacks, but we’re in these facilities daily and the quality of care is there. We are proud to be part of the movement to improve these facilities and co-labor with the Department of Veterans Affairs as they continue to raise the bar.” Pointer Construction Group will continue to be a major player in VA repairs and improvement efforts.