Looking Forward to a Year of Promise

Happy New Year! I’m not sure those words have ever had as much meaning for me as they did at midnight on December 31.

There’s no nicer way to say it: 2020 was a gut punch to our country, our industry, our clients, our Associates, and our business.  But, as they say, adversity doesn’t build or change character, it reveals it.  You learn what you are made of when you go through a period of intense adversity and 2020 was certainly revealing for all of us.

At Miller-Valentine, 2020 confirmed that we are, above all, resilient.  We remained focused on continuous improvement and learned how to be even more effective at building certainty for our clients. We saw our teams embrace technology and new processes.  We saw new leaders emerge from our ranks.

To be sure, 2020 will be remembered for its unprecedented uncertainty. However, as I look back, I find much for which I am grateful. From our Associates who pulled together despite being apart to our clients who continued to trust us to build their dreams, many silver linings emerged in 2020.

Our Associates Hit the Ball Out of the Park

When asked to pivot on a moment’s notice, our Associates didn’t blink. Even as many states shut down in the spring, our teams were on the job, building certainty for our clients. What they accomplished last year—while making personal sacrifices, while juggling work with children at home, while not seeing family for weeks on end—is nothing short of astounding. They are the definition of resilience, and that set the tone for every success we celebrated in 2020.

We Accomplished More with Less

Our culture of continuous improvement is always pushing us to seek new, better, and more effective ways of doing our work. In the midst of the pandemic, we had to adjust overnight to new jobsite requirements, a tighter labor market, and supply chain slowdowns. We successfully field-tested many strategies and methods for working smarter and faster that we will continue to build upon as we grow into the future.

The Shift to Digital was Accelerated

Another positive outcome is a new era of innovation in the construction industry. We all had to learn how to do more with less virtually overnight. As a result, the adoption of new technologies has picked up steam. From the field to the back office, we have become more streamlined and efficient. That benefits everyone, from our customers to our project partners to our internal teams.

We Celebrated Multiple Wins

In 2020, Miller-Valentine jobsites could be found in Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and West Virginia. We entered into a mentor/protégé agreement and partnership for joint pursuit of new projects with Vazquez Commercial Contracting, a minority-owned business enterprise based in Kansas City, Missouri. And we hired more than three dozen new Associates across our construction and residential market sectors.

We wrapped up a number of high-profile projects including:

• 78,000 SF office renovation of the Dayton Motor Car building in Dayton, Ohio
• 32,000 SF warehouse expansion for P&G in Martinsburg, West Virginia
• 704,000 SF corrugated paper plant for Pratt Industries in Wapakoneta, Ohio
• 522,000 SF industrial logistics warehouse, NorthPoint Dayton V, in Vandalia, Ohio
• 38,000 SF Office/Manufacturing/Lab addition for Excelitas in Miamisburg, Ohio
• 30,000 SF headquarters expansion for Post Glover in Erlanger, Kentucky
• 380,000 SF manufacturing addition for Pratt Industries in Conyers, Georgia
• 122,000 SF office expansion for Total Quality Logistics in Union Township, Ohio
• 145,000 SF production and product development project for Henny Penny in Eaton, Ohio

We have also commenced new construction and renovation projects on more than 5 million square feet in a number of markets, including:

• 74,000 SF renovation for the AES Corporation Smart Operations Center in Dayton, Ohio
• 350,000 SF new construction for Saica Group—the Spanish company’s first investment in the U.S.—in Hamilton, Ohio
• Two logistics warehouse facilities totaling 866,000 SF for NorthPoint Development in Columbus, Ohio
• 26,250 SF office renovation for Terracon in Cincinnati, Ohio
• 15,600 SF expansion for The Humane Society in Dayton, Ohio
• 95,000 SF Climate Controlled Self Storage facility in Ormand Beach, Florida
• 938,828 SF renovation project for Pratt Industries in Carlisle, Pennsylvania
• 50,000 SF warehouse renovation for Ring Container in Chester, South Carolina
• Multiple projects for Festo in Mason, Ohio
• 14,600 SF facility for Caliber Collision in Summerville, South Carolina
• 22,250 SF renovation for Pratt Industries in Hebron, Kentucky
• 400,000 SF warehouse addition for Red Rock Development in Orangeburg, South Carolina
• Building modifications on a 1.8 million SF facility for P&G in Vandalia, Ohio
• 103,500 SF production and warehouse addition for P&G in Inwood, West Virginia
• 392,000 SF tenant improvement projects for Red Rock Development in Woodruff, South Carolina

We Continued to Serve.

Going beyond our goal of “Best in Class” contractor, we continued to fulfill our mission of being a good corporate citizen through monetary donations and engaging in community service.  Our Associates contributed their time and talent to organizations such as Adopt A Class, Rebuilding Together Dayton, and Palmetto Place.  Construction efforts also extended to community restaurants via the “Pop Up Patio” program, allowing these establishments to serve more customers safety through outdoor dining.

What the New Year Will Hold

We are emerging from 2020 even stronger than when we entered, which speaks to the ingenuity and resilience of our team.  I appreciate the lessons we’ll take with us from 2020 even as I’m excited to return to more normal circumstances.

Our Associates can expect exciting opportunities at Miller-Valentine as we continue to grow with intention and focus.  Our customers can expect that we will continue to Build Certainty; they can trust that we are THE choice for reliability and predictability.  Our Associates, clients, and project partners can also expect that we will continue to expand our teams in terms of diversity and knowledge such that we are always improving the outcomes and the experience we deliver.

Thank you to everyone who persevered with us throughout the past year. Now, on to bigger and better in 2021!

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