A commercial general contractor headquartered in Jefferson Parish, Gibbs Construction is celebrating 50 years of building in Greater New Orleans this year. Family-owned and 100% woman-owned, the firm is licensed across the Gulf South, where it performs bid, negotiated, and CM-at-risk work for commercial, institutional and public clients. Notable projects include the new terminal at the Louis Armstrong International Airport, 930 Poydras, and Cool Zoo at the Audubon Zoo, along with many schools, hotels and historic renovations.
What are you excited about in the coming year?
Our 50th anniversary. Fifty years is worth celebrating, but what interests me more is what 50 demands of us: connecting our team to the stories of how this company was built before that memory fades. The people who lived our founding are still here to tell it, and we intend to capture it. I’m also excited to see our people keep learning and growing. A thriving team means thriving families. The impact on the personal lives of our people matters as much as our professional success — without one, the other isn’t really a success. As CEO and owner, I lead the company with a simple conviction: We become the builder of choice by being the employer of choice. We are also excited to have current work with Xavier University, Brother Martin High School, The Clearview City Center and Jefferson Parish Schools.
What is the biggest challenge facing your industry today, and is anything being done about it?
The skilled workforce pipeline. We are asking fewer craftspeople to build more, and the gap widens every time a young person is told college is the only respectable path. The industry is responding with apprenticeship programs, workforce initiatives and earlier engagement in schools, but the more durable answer is cultural: treating construction careers with dignity and respect. This shift starts inside our own companies. When folks feel seen, heard, respected and valued, they thrive, they stay, and they bring others with them.
