Tate & Son Construction Inc.

Curt Tate has worked in the construction industry for more than 35 years. After graduating from the University of Nebraska Lincoln with a bachelor’s degree in construction management and a minor in psychology, he worked in the field managing a variety of projects and completed over $800 million of construction throughout his career.

“I always liked designing things,” Curt explains. “I like thinking on my feet to solve problems. After I had been working in this industry for more than two decades, I wanted to create a niche where I could meet with clients and offer better control over a project. I wanted to take a positive approach to helping customers make their visions into reality.” In 2004, Curt established Tate & Son Construction Inc. (TAS) to fill that niche.

Today, TAS operates on the philosophy of treating clients as individuals. Curt recognizes that every project is different and strives to offer the customer the personalized attention that many general contractors lack.

“We invest a lot of time, energy and soul into each project,” he explains. “We offer the personal touch that yields better results. We spend time with our clients prior to construction commencing, talking about what they envision, what they want and the overall budget. We build a plan and a schedule that allows us to control quality, costs and efficiency. We continually communicate with our clients to maintain control of scope, budget, and schedule.”

A diverse portfolio

Curt notes that his team does a little bit of everything. Mainly focused on the commercial market at present time, TAS has built medical offices, dental offices, bars, restaurants and retail spaces, among others. Much of the company’s work comes through referrals and repeat customers. “Whenever we are working on a project, we know that we are working for the next job, as well,” Curt says.

A particular recent project is near and dear to Curt’s heart, who spends a lot of time volunteering with the Special Olympics. “We constructed The Sheltering Tree in Belleview, Neb.,” he elaborates. “This is a housing community for 10 residents who have Down syndrome or fall on the autism spectrum plus one manager unit. These are young adults, who at the facility will be able to live on their own and independent of their parents. The facility is 11,000 square feet with a commons area, a dining room, managers unit and units for residents. The people who live there have access to an interior courtyard, common corridors and security. It’s a very beautiful project.” Curt and his team will be doing more work with The Sheltering Tree, commissioning phases two and three in 2015 and 2016.

The team has also built several churches, including the one where Curt’s son was baptized. While some projects are more rewarding than others, Curt takes pride in all of his team’s projects. “New projects that are helping the community are always at the top of the list,” he notes.

The company has constructed several sports complexes, including the Cat Osterman Baseball Complex in Belleview. The company has been involved with several unique retail and food service projects, including a New York style cigar bar called the Copa Cabana. In the health care field, TAS has worked on a repeat basis for Premier Dental, one of the largest dental practices in the Midwest.

Pulling together

Working from a single location in Omaha, Neb., TAS employs between five and 12 people. The small company serves primarily as a general contractor on projects throughout Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota and Missouri. TAS focuses on project management, though Curt says his crew performs an average of 15 percent of labor on each contract. An estimated 85 percent is subcontracted to a network of reliable repeat subcontractors, dedicated to working together and turning around a quality finished product on time and on budget.

These strong partnerships have helped the business grow, despite the challenges weakened by the recent economic downturn. “The recession hurt everybody,” Curt recalls. “We had to lay people off and that was tough. We were forced to reanalyze what we were doing and find a new market strategy. The way I see it though, if you don’t want to change, then there is no point in getting up in the morning. Every day is an opportunity to look for a different way to do things.”

With a number of new growth opportunities opening up for the company, Cut and his team are excited to explore new markets. The business may move into the residential market in the near future, although Curt says nothing is set in stone. “We want to grow a little, but we do not want to outgrow our talent,” he explains. “Things are getting better.” With that, he says the main plan is to stay the course. Wherever the market takes the crew, Tate & Son Construction Inc. will continue to build quality structures and build lasting relationships with clients throughout the Midwest and beyond.