Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise SPOTLIGHT-Late Fall 2010

Gaddis and Sons, Inc. – A Brief History

Gaddis & Son, Inc. was founded in 1971 by Willie and Vivian Gaddis. Willie was a concrete foreman for a local concrete paving contractor when he and his wife stepped out on faith and began the company. The company’s first public works contract was the City of Worthington’s (Ohio) 1974 Street Improvement Program. Gaddis & Son, Inc. had a role in pouring concrete on many of the major projects that shaped the central Ohio landscape. In 1994, Randal L. Gaddis Sr. became president. He attended The Ohio State University (OSU) and is a graduate of Mount Vernon Nazarene University with a Bachelors in Business Administration. He represents the second generation of Gaddis leadership and ownership. Under his leadership, the company received SBA 8(a) certification and began the process of seeking ways to make the company multi-disciplined within the concrete construction arena. Matthew Gaddis, one of Randal’s four sons that elected to work in the family business, graduated from OSU in 2006 with a degree in Construction Systems Management (CSM). Prior to Matthew joining the company, he worked as an intern with Messer Construction Co. on the Bio-Medical Science Research Tower on OSU’s main campus. While there, he gained valuable insight into the world of construction, as well as established many meaningful relationships with key Messer Construction Co. staff members.

Why was this company selected for the Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise SPOTLIGHT?

In order for a small company to grow, there needs to be opportunity and exposure for growth. Gaddis & Son, Inc. found that Messer Construction Co. was willing to provide this type of opportunity through access to the procurement process. Our company was challenged with trying to submit bids on every job for which we received notice. This was not always possible, however, the bid opportunities have not ceased. We have control over what jobs we bid and the types of jobs as well. After being awarded our initial project at Ohio Dominican University (ODU), we worked closely with site staff to understand the “Messer Method,” enabling us to develop some of our own internal practices and policies.

Matthew Gaddis
Project Manager/Estimator
Gaddis & Son, Inc.

How has Messer impacted the growth and development of your company?

With similar interests and values, Messer Construction Co. and Gaddis & Son, Inc. formed a strategic relationship in 2004. Matthew Gaddis completed a co-op session with Messer at the OSU Biomedical Research Tower where he was an integral part of the project team. Upon graduation, Matthew decided to return to the family business,further strengthening the connection between the two companies. In 2010, both companies completed their first project together at the ODU Battelle Hall Science Facility. The project was a great success.As we look forward to partnering with Gaddis & Son, Inc. we also look forward to strengthening and building a long-term relationship that is mutually beneficial to both Messer and Gaddis & Son, Inc.

– Kenneth Miller
Project Executive,
Columbus Region,
Messer Construction Co.

You can also choose to use cobblestone, slate and other stone materials in the concrete work that you plan of adding. Bear in mind that the total cost of the improvement will depend on the materials used as well as the expertise of the contractor. It is also better that your Columbus concrete contractor is expert in installing the material that you have plan of using to prevent waste of time and resources.