THOMAS

Aaron Thomas
Has led minority firm he started 14 years ago to national recognition
37, President, CEO
Metcon Inc., Pembroke, N.C.

At the age of 23, after growing up in a family construction supply business in the Native American community of Pembroke, N.C., Aaron Thomas started his own contracting firm, Metcon Inc. The firm started out building panelized metal-framed housing for the Lumbee Indian Tribe of North Carolina, of which Thomas is an enrolled member. Now a commercial builder, the firm he founded 14 years ago has grown considerably, with 2013 revenue topping $51 million. Last year, Metcon completed the Sandy Grove Middle School in Lumberton, N.C., a net-zero, LEED-Platinum-rated school project that recently won ENR's Best of the Best award for K-12 schools. Also in 2013, the U.S. Dept. of Commerce's Minority Business Development Agency recognized Metcon as its 2013 Minority Construction Firm of the Year.

 

WATFORD

Brad Watford
Earned status as go-to engineer for mission-critical projects
36, Senior Electrical Engineer
Clark Richardson & Biskup Consulting Engineers, Cary, N.C.

The son of an electrician, Brad Watford developed an interest in electrical engineering at an early age. For the past 10 years as senior electrical engineer at Clark Richardson & Biskup, he has earned a reputation as the firm's go-to lead engineer for mission-critical projects, such as data centers. And for the past two years, Watford has co-led CRB's electrical expert team, an internal group that works to advance best practices companywide. As part of this effort, the 36-year-old engineer has been charged with updating CRB specifications related to electrical work and providing in-house training and mentoring to the electrical group. Watford also helped initiate the firm's arc flash study initiative, with one goal being to determine the appropriate personal protective equipment required by contractors when working with energized equipment.

 

WHITE

Kevin White
Helped create contractor's newest division focused on power projects
36, Vice President
Brasfield & Gorrie, Birmingham, Ala.

With extensive experience in fossil, nuclear and hydro power projects, Kevin White recently helped create Brasfield & Gorrie's power division. Since then, White has helped the Birmingham, Ala.-based contractor make the most of the contractor's opportunities in this active market, such as winning a contract for the Kemper County concrete and underground piping component of Mississippi Power Co.'s $2.9-billion Plant Radcliffe project.

Of White's expert leadership within this sector, Brian Barr, a president with Brasfield & Gorrie, said: "Kevin's ability to understand, manage and lead our power projects [appears] effortless. Whenever he is responsible for a job, I know it will be completed on time and within budget, and the client will be more than satisfied."

Additionally, White is involved with the Construction Users Roundtable and its local affiliate, the Southeastern Construction Owners & Associates Roundtable.

1/13/14: This file was updated to correct the name of a third-party source cited from the original nomination form that was submitted for one of this year's Top 20 Under 40 recipients, Chris Heggen.