How Haselden Construction surpassed its founder's dreams

How Haselden Construction surpassed its founder's dreams

When Jim Haselden started his construction company in 1973, he never dreamed it would grow into the fifth-largest general contracting company on the Front Range.

By last year, the company had grown to $241 million in revenue and 311 employees between Colorado and Wyoming. Haselden Construction has worked on some of the biggest projects in the region, including the $260 million University of Colorado Hospital expansion and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) – the world’s first zero energy office building.

The business’ portfolio is diverse – from hospitals to apartment buildings to hotels. It also has an On-Call Division designed specifically for quick response to its clients’ needs, covering everything from minor renovations to major remodels and new construction of projects ranging from $200,000 to $500,000.

Haselden also promotes diversity among its employees. Its Lean In Circle focuses on encouraging women to pursue their ambitions in the construction industry.

“I’m a real proponent of women in construction, particularly because I have two nieces in construction,” says Byron Haselden, the company’s president and a member of the Colorado Diversity and Inclusion Think Tank, which meets quarterly to enhance diversity in the workplace.

The company also is active in the community, sponsoring organizations that benefit veterans, cancer research and hosting clothing drives.

Today, the company is run by Jim Haselden’s sons Byron, Ed and Mike, and the third generation is starting to make its way into the business. Ed’s son Brant recently began working for the company. Byron’s eldest son plans to attend the construction management program at Colorado State University, with the hope of someday joining the family business.

But it’s not a given that the next generation will be welcomed into the fold. The Haselden brothers’ children must work elsewhere before they can join the company.

“It makes them more well-rounded,” Byron Haselden says. “Our kids need to earn it, they need to learn it. The construction industry is a tough business. You can’t learn it right away. It’s a school of hard knocks. Our dad always told us that you can’t tell somebody what to do if you can’t do it yourself.”

Changes in the industry, including virtual design and construction and execution of Building Information Modeling (BIM), require the next generation to use technology that hasn’t been prevalent in the industry until recently.

“My kids coming into this will be building things so much differently,” Haselden says. “I think by the time they get into it, they’ll be building with holograms.”

The company is in the process of succession planning, which Byron Haselden says is critical to keep the family business viable.

 Though he can foresee limited ownership outside the family, he adds, “I would see our family still being the majority shareholders. The next generation wants to know how they can invest in the company and have a future there.”

(Editor's note: This sponsored content was paid for by Haselden Construction.)