High-Ranking Cincinnati Contractor Gains Ownership in Construction Company

James Watkins, president, and COO of TriVersity Construction is steadily making moves in all the right places — with his latest one netting him a minority ownership stake in the construction firm he leads at, the Cincinnati Business Courier reported.

Watkins is now part-owner of the company, which solidifies even further its efforts to be more inclusive. On Tuesday, April 6, TriVersity Construction announced that Watkins made his purchase of minority stake in the firm, effective April 2, according to the article.

CEO Mel Gravely II is the company’s majority owner — Messer Construction also owns a minority stake, the story added. Per a statement, Watkins said buying a piece of the firm is a “career highlight” of his decades-long career span in this field.

Watkins came to TriVersity in 2012 to be the company’s chief operating officer, before adding the president title in 2017, his LinkedIn page states.

Watkins is from Chicago and earned a bachelor’s degree in construction management and engineering technology, an associate of applied science (A.A.S.) in architectural engineering from Purdue University, and an A.A.S. in construction management from Triton College, per the article.

“Jim has shared our vision of building a legacy commercial construction company of scale from the outset and has steadfastly kept TriVersity on track to be able to compete against the best companies and win,” Gravely said in a statement published in the article. “He has committed himself to TriVersity’s success and leaned into our values as leaders in our industry and in our city.”

Watkins posted on his LinkedIn page that he is “passionate and dedicated” to serve and partner with customers, staff, and others.

“I’m committed to our company’s values which is demonstrated through our vital behaviors. I believe in the importance of strong and continuously evolving leadership not only as exhibited ‘on the job’ but ‘in the community’ as well,” he said on his page.

TriVersity ranks ninth on the Courier’s list of largest general contractors, with nearly $83 million in 2019 billings, the story reported. The company also ranks fifth on the Courier’s list of largest minority-owned businesses. TriVersity has clients from some of the city’s most recognized names in business, like the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation (3CDC), Duke Energy, Procter & Gamble Co., UC Health, and Fifth Third Bank.

For more information visit their website at https://www.trivc.com/.