In 2001, Richard (Tim) Evans, Sr. founded Evans General Contractors. He opened the first office in Alpharetta, Georgia (known as the Atlanta Headquarters) to serve four primary markets: Logistics and Distribution, Manufacturing, Advance Technology, and Corporate Environments. From the beginning, the focus was, and still is, to provide comprehensive preconstruction and construction services. Evans’ differentiator, however, was in their ability to deliver superior technical expertise and service without the overhead and direct cost typically associated with large contractors. Smaller in the early years, success initially came from clients who previously worked with Tim. Along with a few other professionals who joined Evans from larger firms, Evans provided clients, with small to mid-size projects, an opportunity to work with a contractor who could solve challenging design and construction issues without the high price – a philosophy carried forward to this day. One of the most significant impacts on Evan’s future came from the September 11th terrorist attack due to work across the country either being delayed or postponed indefinitely. This created a huge challenge for the construction industry. In a start-up mode, Evans did not have the luxury of a big backlog, and therefore the impact of 9/11 was even greater. Eventually the economy recovered, Evans moved forward and matured as a result.
In the fall of 2002, Chris Hilgeman joined Evans. At the time he seemed like just another bright professional but turned out to be a one of Evans most significant hires. A “game changer” for the firm. His strong engineering background, technical skill sets, and ability to address and solve client problems, perpetuated Evans as a firm that provides comprehensive preconstruction and design-build services, a Hallmark of Evans. That, along with Chris’s code of ethics and people skills enabled Evans to develop meaningful relationships that endure today.
Evans opened a second location at the end of 2007. It was a small office in Savannah, Georgia to support a growing workload as well as develop the small but very important local client base already established. Shortly after opening, the firm was awarded two large manufacturing projects. Those jobs kept Evans productive during the fall of 2008 when the entire economy began to collapse from the Great Recession. Opening a Savannah office, which has since become Evans’ largest operating division outside of the Atlanta Headquarters, has proven to be a serendipitous decision. At the time, no one could have ever envisioned that the Port of Savannah would expand exponentially and become the third largest port in the country, fueling Evan’s distribution capabilities and market expertise.
As business grew, so did the need to give back to communities that helped build the Evans of today. Over the years, it has become a philosophy and mission to help in times of need and to generously give so that others can achieve all that they can!
In 2009, The Silver Lining Foundation, Inc. was established to connect Evans offices with people and organizations making a difference locally, throughout the country, and abroad. Efforts have included “grass root”, local, national, and international financial support, college grants and scholarships for financially challenged students, financial aid to the terminally ill and to economically distressed households, after school programs for inner city and rural communities, support for Veterans and the families of Gold Star recipients, the MD Anderson Leukemia Research Foundation, and national charities.
Outside of The Silver Lining Foundation, personal involvement in the communities that Evans’ lives, and works is encouraged. Annually, employees donate both time and money to local food drives, shelters, health and human service groups, and community development organizations.
Working together for the sake of posterity, Evans is building a better future for all.
In Spring of 2009, still operating in the Great Recession, and recognizing that most commercial construction work was non-existent, Evans invested and expanded their Manufacturing efforts. Having just completed a large, complicated manufacturing project for a German client in Black Creek, Georgia, Evans met and formed a friendship with Christian Hersacher. Having previously served as Owner Representative for three large German corporate clients, Christian expressed a desire to understand the GC side of commercial construction. He submitted a detailed business plan and joined Evans with a goal to grow the manufacturing segment of the company.
Christian’s first step was to open an office in Friedrichshafen, Germany. At the time, the decision was particularly difficult because the world was still in an economic downturn. Opening an office overseas, given the age, size, and limited resources of the company, was daunting. Nonetheless, Christian’s confidence enabled the team to “believe” his decision would bring growth. Within a few months the German office opened. Shortly thereafter, Evans secured its first large, negotiated project for a global German customer. By 2010, the office in Germany had taken hold and began to provide a steady flow of opportunities from large corporate clients planning manufacturing projects in the United States. Opening an international office to serve European clients not only enabled Evans to grow during the recession but became another “game changing” moment that altered the course of the company and left an everlasting impact.
Opportunities and Growth: The Second Decade
In 2012, while most of the country was recovering from the recession, Evans was supporting two young but growing offices outside of Atlanta. With a workload spanning beyond the Southeast and into Texas, Evans needed a senior level manager. The firm hired Jeff Jepson after having a good relationship with him as a client. Jeff’s strong financial background, understanding of the industry, and years’ experience as an officer in the United States Army, were skill sets needed to help Evans fine tune its operations. He oversaw the Savannah Division and grew the management structure, systems, and procedures for the company.
Also, in 2012, certain aspects of the manufacturing world were expanding, retooling, or relocating. Evans recognized this and made a strong push to focus on the corporations leading these efforts. That year, to support and expand a steady flow of work in the Upstate, Evans opened a fourth office in Greenville, South Carolina. The primary opportunities were automotive and manufacturing projects, but over time, and as the economy began to expand, the office became a full-service office pursuing both commercial and manufacturing projects.
From 2012 on Evans experienced rapid growth in Manufacturing, Life Sciences, Corporate Environments, and Distribution market sectors. To accommodate growth, Evans broke ground in 2016 on a two-story, Class A office building located at the Avalon in Alpharetta, Georgia. In the fall of 2017 after completing the build, Evans relocated their Roswell office to the larger building. This new space would become their Atlanta Headquarters.
Growth continued through 2018 and 2019 due in part to a diverse workload and people that encouraged the firm to take on challenging projects. In 2018, Evans opened an office in Charleston, South Carolina, and broke ground on a new, larger, office for their Savannah operations. Since then, the firm has made a strategic effort to be local and to deepen the relationships already established in key markets. Evans continued to take advantage of opportunities in other states, forge new relationships, and invest in people.
Despite an uncertain economic climate, Evans expanded into North Carolina to build on opportunities already present in the area as well as follow a growing workload. By the end of the year, they opened additional offices in Raleigh and Charlotte. As Evans celebrates 20 years in business, the next decade holds much promise. The ideas and guidance of the next generation will usher Evans into new business relationships, locations, and ways of approaching construction projects. RT Evans, as the new President / CEO, in honoring what Tim Evans started, will continue to invest in industry leaders, offer internal advancement for those willing to take the next step, and provide opportunities to learn and grow.
People are the key to all success and are the foundation on which Evans is built.
