Let's Get It Started

Truthfully, it all started by accident.

The year was 1990 and I had just resigned from a general contracting firm in Atlanta. While trying to decide the future of my life, my uncle called and asked if I could help him build a temporary golf club house near LaGrange, Georgia. Of course I accepted the offer and the first notion of starting my own company was born.

The next few months were spent sharing my construction experience with others, hoping it would lead to bigger and better things. At first it seemed like bigger and better would never arrive but I learned how to scratch and claw to make a living building decks and one room additions. At the time I had no idea about where I was going but today I am grateful for the lean years and I retain a passion for what I do, cherishing the fact of knowing I will always do what it takes to keep the Duke Development dream alive.

Early on I realized that I couldn’t manage both the office and the field work so I invited my friend, Miles Perrin, to join me in the company. There are so many horror stories about partnerships gone badly but working with Miles is the best decision I ever made. He is a solid, hard-working guy with a similar passion for what we do.

We were a tiny company in those days. Supporting two households was a tall order but we were up for it. Nearly 15 years later we are a little bit bigger but we still chip away and take nothing for granted. Quitting is easy. Staying the course requires resolve and a first rate team of great people. We are proud of the quality work that we do and we are proud of the length of time we have spent doing it while always living up to our motto and cause, “Building Great Projects for Great Clients.”