Leadership is an attribute that comes naturally to the Houston Methodist Hospital System.

Combining a booming construction market like that in Texas and Louisiana with a strategy to maximize opportunities in the right places is working out well for Baton Rouge, La.-based electrical contractor The Newtron Group. Related Links: ENR Texas & Louisiana's Top Specialty Contractors: Main Ranking ENR Texas & Louisiana's Top Specialty Contractors: Rankings by Sector The firm posted regional revenue of $282.25 million in 2013, a gain of nearly $100 million over 2012, placing it at No. 6 on ENR Texas & Louisiana's annual ranking of Top Specialty Contractors. That's up five spots from last year. The firm was ranked

With several megaprojects located in the North Texas area, two of which together total nearly $5 billion, Ferrovial US Construction Corp. is leading the way on transportation infrastructure in Texas. The firm is a new addition to ENR Texas & Louisiana's annual ranking of top contractors. The company, an internationally based transportation contractor, saw strong growth in 2013, gaining nearly $270 million in regional revenue. Ferrovial was ranked third on this year's list of top contractors with regional revenue of $1.471 billion in 2013. Related Links: Top Contractors Ranking Top Contractors by Market Sector Innovation Drives I-635 Managed Lanes Project

Burns & McDonnell experienced dramatic growth in Texas and Louisiana in 2013.

As the Lone Star State's economy and population have exploded in recent years, so too have the demands on its transportation infrastructure.

Expansive growth in the chemical and industrial sectors, fueled by a wave of cheap natural gas, has carried Baton Rouge-based MMR Group Inc. along for the ride. That boom, along with the electrical and instrumentation contractor's ability to serve diverse clients across multiple sectors, boosted the firm's regional revenue by nearly 130% in 2012 to $302 million from $133 million the previous year. That year-to-year gain is the largest posted by any company in this year's ranking of the largest specialty contractors in Texas and Louisiana, pushing MMR up five spots to fifth place. Related Links: MMR Group, Inc. 2013

Low-cost natural gas is playing a major role in the boom of industrial and energy-related projects across the Gulf Coast region, and that has meant more business for specialty contractors in Texas and Louisiana. Companies across the region are moving to build additional storage, infrastructure, processing and extraction facilities, all to the benefit of local markets and contractors. Related Links: 2013 Top Specialty Contractors Ranking 2013 Top Specialty Contractors Ranked by Sector Six of the top 15 firms on this year's list of the largest specialty contractors reported an energy-related project as their biggest project to break ground in the

With $2 billion in revenue last year, Turner Industries Group LLC skyrocketed to the top on this year's ENR Texas & Louisiana regional contractor rankings. While the Baton Rouge industrial contractor reaps the benefits of rising oil-and-gas sector prospects, relationships forged over decades are the foundation of its success. Turner's long-term contracts with petrochemical clients illustrate its performance consistency, earning it accolades from owner groups such as the Construction Users Roundtable. Based on recent results and its history of success, Turner Industries has been named Contractor of the Year by ENR Texas & Louisiana. Related Links: Ample Bookings Prepare Contractors

Zachry Engineering Corp. burst out of the recession with a full head of steam. On the heels of a tough couple of years, the design arm of Zachry Holdings is back among the region's powerhouse firms. After its regional revenue dropped from $124.5 million in 2009 to $41.4 million in 2011, the company more than doubled the total in 2012, reaching $90.4 million. That secured it eighth place on the current list of top design firms in Texas and Louisiana. Related Links: Best Industrial Project of 2009 - NRG Cedar Bayou, Baytown View Rankings of Top Texas & Louisiana Firms

Despite an overall rise in combined revenue among the region's top design firms, executives continue to take a cautious view of the market. The top 75 design firms in Texas and Louisiana saw regional revenue hit a combined $2.97 billion last year, up from $2.57 billion in 2011—a nearly 16% increase. Notably, the top three firms in this year's ranking all performed a significant amount of work in the transportation sector, which has been robust in recent years. Related Links: Power Player Zachry Named Design Firm of the Year Engineering News Record "It's a stable to strong market," says Todd