This week, I was in Philadelphia participating in a small peer group of general contractors from the east coast to west coast. We are similar firms, but with our distant geographical locations, we are non-competing. We meet twice a year, with the idea that everyone contributes their best practices, and we’re all better for it. …
There is a new structure in our campus garden. Like most things around here, it has a story. Green beans need a little guidance to grow properly. You’ve heard of “pole beans?” They got their name from their supports. When our beans started to get gangly, our gardener Sam suggested we call his friend Lily …
If “your stitches reflect your character,” as Bettye Kimbrell’s grandmother taught her, then Bettye is imaginative, determined and enduring. We think Grandmother got it just right. Stewart Perry has been fortunate to know the talented Mrs. Kimbrell, a 75-year-old quilter from Mt. Olive, Alabama, for quite a while. Over the years, she’s made us a …
We at Stewart Perry like where we live, and we like our neighbors. Donna Sue Groves believes you can express those feelings through her relatively newfound art—barn quilts. “The barn quilts are public art that celebrates the place people call home. They make people feel good about themselves and where they live.” – Donna Sue …
During his childhood breakfasts, George Barber probably saw wheels where other kids saw Cheerios. He’s had a lifelong fascination with vehicles equipped for power and speed. The passion ran so deep that Barber, whose family built a legacy in the central Alabama dairy industry, decided to make a philanthropic investment in the community that raised …
There’s no better way to bring friends, family or client relationships together than by savoring a good meal in each other’s company. That’s made my interest in the culinary world more personal. An opportunity to explore the field presented itself last Friday afternoon. I was traveling back from one of our Pennsylvania projects and found …
I’ve often thought that most builders strive for one of two major goals—to make the most money possible or to build a legacy. I’m not sure about you, but as a business owner I’d like to think at least some of what we do will go beyond legacy status and have a lasting impact to …
As business leaders, we often get so immersed in our vocation that we forget all about our avocation. I was reminded of this a few years ago when I took a trip to New England. I was driving through Freeport, Maine and happened to see a sign for the Thos. Moser shop in town. The name …
While traveling to project sites, I like to take the side roads “the roads less traveled” instead of the interstate, so I can get a better feel for the communities we are impacting. Along the way, I have come to know and support many local craftsmen and artists. Their unique pieces give me a chance …