Chandlee & Sons Construction Ranked #2 General Contractor in Atlanta by Inc. 5000

​​​In August 2017, Seth Chandlee, Chief Operating Officer with Chandlee Holdings, LLC, received an official letter announcing that Chandlee and Sons Construction Company was ranked #561 by Inc. Magazine out of 5000 of the fastest growing private companies in America. This privately held company also ranked #25 in the State of Georgia, #23 in the city of Atlanta and, as the #2 fastest growing general contracting firm in the State of Georgia.

Inc. was founded in 1979 as a monthly magazine publishing a listing of the top 100 fastest growing private companies in America in its first issue. In 1982, the publication issued the 500 – which was soon followed by the 5000.

Ed Schurenberg, President and Editor-in-Chief with Inc. Media, wrote in the letter, “… this year’s set of winners places the bar very high indeed. Companies that made the list, on average, have grown six-fold since 2013. During a stretch when the economy grew just 6.7 percent, that’s a result most businesses could only dream of. As an Inc. 5000 honoree, Chandlee and Sons Construction shares a pedigree with dozens of alumni that have gone on to become household names. In addition to Chandlee and Sons Construction, the class of 2017 includes such powerhouses as S’well, Halo Top Creamery, Bitly and Orangetheory Fitness. In other words, you are in very good company.”

Every team member worked very hard along with Seth to achieve this honor. Seth’s personal drive and vision that fuel his entrepreneurial efforts paid off as this wave was caught by many of the staff. According to Chandlee Holdings’ Chief Financial Officer, Todd McDougald, “The Inc. 5000 review for 2016 ranked Chandlee and Sons Construction alone at 460 out of 5000 which actually placed us in the Inc. 500! A company must have a minimum of 800 percent growth in three years to be eligible for Inc. 500 and 5000.”

Seth Chandlee formed and operated his own hardwood floor subcontracting firm while in his late teens working on the Reynolds Plantation development at Lake Oconee. Once he mastered the trade, he bought into a PermaCrete dealership to expand his company’s services.

Seth’s dream was to build - and he set out to do just that. In 2006, he founded Chandlee and Sons Construction Company with business partner and father, Jim Chandlee, in Alpharetta, Georgia. Together they worked their way from small projects to a recognizable brand and list of well-known clients. Some of the projects highlighted here are Bethany Bend Village Office Park; the Alpharetta Convention and Visitor’s Bureau; three offices in a John Weiland development; a variety of televised remodel projects for the Spike TV and A&E networks; the Ladybird Grove and Music Hall on the Eastside Trail of the Atlanta Beltline; the award winning Big Sky Buckhead Bar and Restaurant; several projects for Sembler in their Town Brookhaven development; the conversion of a six-unit center into a massive Ace Hardware; a long list of franchise developments including Smoothie King, Beltone, Anytime Fitness, Burger FI, LaVida Massage, 9 Round Kickboxing, Vitality Bowls, Total Nutrition, Wild Wing Café, Back2Rock Music Studio, Planet Fitness and more; along with successful partnerships with Tuesday Morning and Enterprise Holdings; and unique opportunities like Uncle Jack’s Meat House, Urban Cookhouse restaurant, and Bodies: The Exhibition in Atlantic Station.

Through his energy, drive and reputation, Seth has attracted the very best people in the area who share his vision of the future. One such person is Todd MacDougald, who owns a successful automotive repair business in Alpharetta and has known Seth for years. He accepted the position of Chief Financial Officer at Chandlee Holdings. Utilizing his skills, Todd has streamlined financial operations, established daily procedures and made sound recommendations on expenditures and investments. Another discovery is Cole Arnold, Office Manager, who recently implemented a conversion of the computer system to allow swift communication from the field staff and the office staff while keeping expenses in-house. One employee who works both in the office and field is Jonathan Bullington, who expedites bids for prospective projects.

Chandlee and Sons Construction has some of the best Project Managers in the business; Kenneth Rybnikar, Carey Hughes, Chuck Fatheree and Chad Crane - each possess valuable skills and a great deal of commercial construction experience. Other valued employees have come their way like Mary Kruskamp, who transitioned from administrator at Chandlee Electric to Project Administrator with Chandlee and Sons; Jeremias Cruz and Hector Interiano, who have worked with Chandlee and Sons for several years as Project Superintendents - lending their unlimited talents to countless successful projects; and Laura Carithers who contributes her years of experience to the position of Project Coordinator.

Chandlee Electric was formed when Andy Cook, a skilled and reliable electrical sub-contractor, agreed to manage this newly formed electrical services company. It was not long before Richard Chandlee brought his past military experience to the team, joining Ryan Cowert, John Fiddle, Joe Morrow and Matt Griffith in their desire to further develop their skills in this field. Braden Wallace hired on earlier this year along with Gabe Taylor, who brought his Master Electrician credentials to the company. It is these people with their drive and talent that pushed Chandlee Electric to grow so quickly in less than 18 months.

Jim Chandlee, original founding partner of Chandlee and Sons Construction, contributes his many years of construction experience bidding projects and giving wise advice while managing projects in north Fulton County. Long-time friend, James Michael McKinney, lends his experience in civil and site engineering anytime a project scope requires it. And newcomer, Demi McPherson, serves each company under the Chandlee Holding umbrella as Administrative Support Clerk.

Seth also has talented support teams that work remotely; the programming and SEO team in India directed by Vivek Vineyak; brochures, logos and other marketing materials designed by Clay Trussell, owner of Imageflow; Katie and Matt Hastings at HighStakes Digital design and wrap the company vehicles; content for the websites, social media and press releases written by Denise Hughes; and Todd Byars of Crabapple Financial - the company CPA.

In under two years, Seth has become the majority shareholder of Chandlee and Sons Construction Company. Through the staff above, multiple divisions have been founded under the umbrella of Chandlee Holdings, LLC. Chandlee Electric was formed in early 2016 – the new company generated almost one million dollars in business its first year and the staff continues to grow. Chandlee Rental and Chandlee Land were formed at the same time as investments for the future.

Anyone who knows Seth for any amount of time will realize quickly that he possesses a talent for spotting a fantastic opportunity not only in business, but in the form of equipment. Whether it be a truck, a lift, or even a Mercedes Unimog, Seth, with the assistance of Mike McKinney and others, find them at a steal of a price and in amazing condition. This talent built Chandlee Rental – the acquired equipment is rented back to Chandlee and Sons, Chandlee Electric and other construction firms. Chandlee Land was built in the same way, seizing on the opportunity to bid on a piece of undeveloped property in the North Georgia mountains or along the cost – all for the future.

Seth discovered another lucrative investment while on his annual fishing trip to Florida a few years back - sunken cypress lumber from the Apalachicola River. Earlier this year he found himself buying pieces of this beautiful wood along with the owner of Facebook and a former presidential candidate, Ross Perot. He has a plan on the back burner of turning the lumber into unique pieces of furniture. He has produced a few pieces in the past but chooses to focus his energies on continuing to grow Chandlee and Sons Construction, Chandlee Electric, Chandlee Rental and Chandlee Land.

This entrepreneurial spirit, as he calls it, is what inspires Seth to create - to take an idea and evolve it into something tangible. He is gifted at determining what ideas are best for the long haul and which ones to let go early on. How far can the Chandlee brand go with a remarkable team of talented individuals and Seth out in front?

The Chandlee companies are in Suite A at 8181 Industrial Place in Alpharetta, Georgia. The central office number is 678.278.9226 and the hours of operation are 8:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Chandlee and Sons Construction and Chandlee Electric have Facebook pages and their websites are www.chandleeelectric.com and www.chandleeandsonsconstruction.com. The article about the 2017 Inc. 5000 list can be viewed using this link: https://www.inc.com/inc5000/list/2017. To reach the press contact email Denise Hughes at ddenisehughes@gmail.com or call 706.715.0038.