Elite Commercial Contracting principals Tammie Hodkinson, Rob Larson and Joe Gallagher are equal partners in the business and have many years with the company. Having purchased Elite from its previous owners in January 2010, they remain committed to the corporate culture, values and quality that have been the focus of the company since its inception in 1998.
Tammie Hodkinson began her career in accounting at an early age, developing her bookkeeping, financial and accounts payable experience in various positions over a seven-year period before helping Elite’s original owners to set up the new company’s accounting processes.
Tammie then headed off to pursue a B.S. degree in accounting. Upon graduation from the University of Washington, she returned to Elite to assume the position of chief financial officer in 2002—a position that she continues to hold today.
Fostering a supportive environment and feeling of family within the company is a high priority for Tammie. “We are a very customer-service driven company and know how key our employees are in continuing to provide our clients with the very best,” she says. “We don’t operate from the top down. In fact, we make it a practice to empower our workers at all levels. That’s why we have so many long-term employees in an industry not really known for that.”
With over 35 years in the business, Rob Larson has been involved in all aspects of retail construction. He began his career with a four-year carpentry apprenticeship in grocery store construction and, over the years, gained valuable shop experience and a full understanding of all phases of building.
In addition, Rob has specialized experience in cabinetry, having spent 15 years working in and running shops for two major contracting businesses before partnering with Elite in 2001.
Rob enjoys working with clients, sub-contractors and employees—and managing projects both large and small, in- and out-of-state. “I really love the day-to-day challenges of my job—working with clients to meet their needs and find successful solutions to their problems,” he says. “In this economy, everyone is watching their budget very carefully, and it’s more important than ever to come out on budget!”
Joe Gallagher began his career in construction in 1996—with a small company doing home building and commercial projects—but soon moved on to devote himself exclusively to commercial construction and tenant-improvement work.
Joe, who has a long history with Elite and has been a key player in building it up from the beginning, was recruited by the company as an entry-level carpenter in 1999. He first spent three years out in the field—and as a superintendent for grocery store projects—before moving into the office to serve as project manager for multiple jobs. In 2005, Joe assumed the position of estimator for Elite, a responsibility that he continues to fulfill today.
For Joe, creating a good, solid business that keeps employees for years is a top priority. “I’d like to maintain a company that’s a really fun place to work,” he says. “When we take care of families and provide a stable working environment, our employees know they can count on us. And when we put them first, everything else follows…”