#5 Fastest Growing Private Company: North & South Construction Services | northsouthnh.com
Three-Year Avg. Annual Growth: 33%
Founded: 2009
Rank on Private 100: 36
Headquarters: 19 Nimble Hill Road, Newington
CEO: Pete Johnson
Total Number of Employees: 155
Product/Service: Commercial construction
After acquiring three companies within three years, Newington-based North & South Construction Services has spent the past year focused on building cohesion among the different businesses, according to CEO Pete Johnson.
“There’s been a big, big emphasis on that,” Johnson says.
Some of the work is on the tech side, streamlining software the businesses use. But there’s also an emphasis on creating a people-centered culture that permeates the entire organization. Johnson has been meeting with managers from all sectors of the business at informal gatherings, where they can talk candidly about how the firm is run.
“It’s about treating people with respect, not chasing the almighty dollar at all costs,” Johnson says. While financial solvency and growth are important, that’s not the only way that Johnson defines success at his family business. “I really want to leave a legacy of treating people decently,” he says.
This year, economic uncertainties forced North & South Construction to become more efficient. The company hasn’t been impacted by tariffs yet, Johnson says, but they’re always watching to see how the fees might affect business. While North & South’s revenue continues to climb, the company is doing “a lot more work with fewer people.”
“The change has been for us to seek efficiencies to work in a market that’s not necessarily booming, yet we’ve been able to grow through it,” Johnson says.
One tool that’s boosted efficiency is artificial intelligence. AI is now used for research, legal review, operations, and even estimating, according to Johnson. Before AI, contracts might have been automatically reviewed by a lawyer. Today, the business runs most contracts through AI, and only reaches out for legal assistance on more complicated issues. “It’s saving us time, it’s saving money,” Johnson says.
Johnson has never been happier during his career in business, he says, due to the people who helped make North & South Construction a success. “We’re able to guide this business in a very people-oriented direction,” he says. “We need to get the best out of people, we’ve got to perform, but we can do that within the context of appreciating each other.”
