Business, when done right, can change the life of its founders. However, when entrepreneurship is done well it can change generations. The opportunities that result from the creation and success of a business can last a lifetime. The impact of a successful small business can touch many families, changing their lives for the better. At RYCARS Construction, the Burks family is attempting to change the lives of generations. The company was founded 20 years ago in the home of Ryan and Stephanie Burks. They dreamed of success but initially the true goal was to be able to pay for their three children to go to college and purchase vehicles for them. The original goal was swiftly accomplished due to the company’s rapid success.
Over the past 20 years, RYCARS has grown from a home-based business to a multi-million-dollar regional contractor with offices in three states; Louisiana, Georgia, and Texas. RYCARS is a regional, full service commercial roofing contractor specializing in low slope and steep slope roof systems. The family business currently has three generations working together, primarily at the headquarters in Kenner, Louisiana. The name of the company is an acronym from the members of the family Ryan (RY) Caleb (C), Arielle (A), Ryan II (R) and Stephanie (S). All the children have worked in the business. However, currently Arielle and Ryan II are full-time Project Managers within the organization. Ryan’s mother, Claudette Madere functions as a Contract Administrator for Louisiana Operations. Stephanie is the Vice President and leads Accounting and HR. Ryan is the CEO of the organization with daily emphasis being focused on business development and operations management. The family members work together extremely well primarily because they are all committed to the company’s success.
Usually, family businesses are challenging to manage and even more difficult for family succession. At RYCARS the family continues to thrive off a slogan in which it was built, “Success is not an Accident”. Team RYCARS believes in preparation, planning, and execution for successful projects. The Burks family believes in each person playing their part and doing whatever it takes to create win-win solutions for the family business and its customers.
Ryan E. Burks is a man with a life mission to bestow a legacy of discipline, hard work and perseverance in the areas of Faith, Family and Business. Mr. Burks lives by the following creed: “Success is not an Accident. Success in life is directly proportional to the level of sacrifice made to achieve the desired success level.” After graduating from Tulane University with a degree in Civil Engineering, he launched his professional career as a design engineer in Atlanta, Georgia where he worked on projects for the 1996 Olympic Games. Mr. Burks later advanced to be a Project Manager, Construction Manager and Operations Manager for various construction firms in Georgia, Florida, Alabama and Louisiana before founding RYCARS Construction, LLC in 2002. The name RYCARS stands for the family members of President and CEO, Ryan E. Burks (RYan Caleb Arielle Ryan Stephanie).
RYCARS Construction, LLC is a regional specialty contractor with a core competency in commercial roofing applications. Its mission is to provide construction services specifically related to building envelopes. Since March of 2002, Mr. Burks has led RYCARS Construction, LLC in completing over $200 million in commercial roofing and construction projects for over 80 different customers, in multiple industries such as healthcare, higher education, vocational, correctional, commercial, industrial and Federal Government. RYCARS has performed successfully on projects in ten (10) states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. The company has completed high profile projects such as the Mercedes Benz Superdome in New Orleans, NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas and the Army Air Force Exchange Facility in Newport News, VA. RYCARS is headquartered in Kenner, Louisiana with regional satellite offices in Atlanta, GA and Austin, TX.
