Brothers Adelbert (Chip) and Scott Marous were practically kids when they founded Marous Brothers Construction in 1980. Chip was just 19 years old and Scott barely 23. They were apprentices, still perfecting their trade, when they realized that to succeed against larger competitors, they needed to raise the bar in quality and service. More important, they understood they had to keep their promises.
The company started small, and focused in carpentry and remodeling. Today, Marous Brothers is a multimillion-dollar general contracting firm.
In the 1980s, subcontracting dominated the building industry. General contractors spent their time rounding up skilled craftsman, from excavators to metal workers, to complete projects. Chip Marous says starting out as one of those subcontractors opened his eyes to how problems with even the smallest aspect of a project affected the end customer.
“When these guys (general contractors) started getting out of the self-perform business and became brokers, they really lost control of the projects,” says Chip Marous. “More and more jobs started running over schedule because they couldn’t control the subcontractors … none of them were their own forces.”
Rather than put their fledgling firm’s reputation in the hands of small, sometimes unreliable, contractors, the brothers hired permanent employees with expertise in most of the various disciplines. In 1997, a third brother, Ken, joined the firm. Previously, he had co-owned an excavating firm in Arizona, and brought with him experience in concrete and grading.
Today, the three handle different areas of the business. Scott is responsible for the overall field operation as COO. As vice president, Ken runs the field operations of all projects performed by the Site and Concrete Divisions. Chip oversees daily office operations and new business development as president.
The brothers recently upgraded their overall technology and implemented a total quality management program. Chip says the moves underscore the company’s dedication to creating hard-to-match standards that customers demand. How to reach: Marous Brothers Construction, (440) 951-3904
