Charles Perry Construction and PPI Construction Management merge, operate as Charles Perry Partners, Inc.

GAINESVILLE, FLA. – Longtime contracting affiliates Charles Perry Construction, Inc. (CPC) and PPI Construction Management, Inc. (PPI) have joined forces as Charles Perry Partners, Inc. (CPPI) to become the 4th largest Florida-based general contracting and construction management firm with revenues of $202 million, based on ENR Southeast magazine’s latest survey published May 2010.

The Gainesville-based company also operates Jacksonville, Orlando and Tampa offices, as well as a new office outside of Athens, Georgia. Currently with over 150 employees, the company has more than 50 LEED Accredited Professionals as designated by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) and has delivered over 35 LEED-Certified projects.

Founded by Charles R. “Chuck” Perry, and operated separately since 1968 and 1993, respectively, under the ownership of Principals Breck A. Weingart, John V. Carlson, Domenic E. Scorpio and Brian Leslie, the award-winning companies have long shared estimating/cost management staff, with CPC offering general contracting and design-build services and PPI offering construction management services. The companies specialize in commercial, educational, healthcare, governmental and institutional construction, with a client list that includes HCA, the University of Central Florida, University of Florida, University of North Florida, University of South Florida, as well as other colleges, K-12 school districts, and state and local governments.

The company’s many outstanding projects include: the new $96 million University High School in Volusia County; The Village Retirement Community Expansion; the $50 million Ben Hill Griffin Stadium and SkyBox Expansion; the $42 million University of Central Florida Physical Sciences Building, Phases I and II; the $38 million University of Florida Veterinary Education and Clinical Research Center (Small Animal Hospital); the $25 million University of South Florida Dr. Kiran C. Patel Center for Global Solutions; the $11 million Florida Innovation Hub now under way at the University of Florida; and countless others. Also worthy of special note is the $21 million University of Florida Heavener Football Complex, the first LEED Platinum building in the State of Florida and the first LEED Platinum athletic facility in the United States.

In making the announcement, CPPI CEO and Principal John V. Carlson stated, “Uniting our operations serves to better reflect our statewide industry standing and also unifies the unmatched brand of quality and service we deliver to our clients. Advocating for the best interests of our clients is the basis for our success, and proudly, over 80 percent of our clients are repeat customers.” Carlson added that all projects currently under contract will be seamlessly completed by the original contracted entity, whether CPC or PPI, and that all newly-awarded projects will be constructed by CPPI.

“Evidencing our commitment to continuous improvement in serving clients second to none,” added CPPI Chairman and Principal Breck A. Weingart, “this move formalizes recent combined efforts by our family of companies that have proven successful across the board. Having test-marketed our combined operations both administratively and in the field,” Weingart continued, “we have further improved our utilization of resources and project team personnel, resulting in complete client satisfaction. As a dynamic company that continues to excel, our new name, CPPI, allows us to market as a single brand to our specialty market segments regardless of project type, location or delivery method. Moving forward, this streamlining allows our team to be even more client-focused and performance-driven, which have become the hallmarks of our success since 1968.”

“For more than four decades, the success we have achieved statewide and locally is due in large part to our dedicated employees and our many valued clients, design team members, subcontractors, suppliers and vendors, for whose support we are forever grateful”, concluded Weingart.

Weingart, a 2008 inductee into the Construction Hall of Fame at the University of Florida’s M.E. Rinker School of Building Construction, began his career at Charles Perry Construction in 1983 after earning his Bachelor of Building Construction degree at the University of Florida.  Prominently named Builder of the Year in 2001 and 2004 by the Builders Association of North Central Florida, he has long served as majority owner, President and Principal of Charles Perry Construction as well as a Principal of PPI Construction Management. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of M&S Bank and the Executive Advisory Committee of UF’s M.E. Rinker School of Building Construction, and has served on the Board of Directors of Alachua County Boys & Girls Club.

Carlson, President of PPI Construction Management, Inc. since 1997, was formerly Director of Facilities Planning at the University of Florida, and earlier in his career served as Community Planner for the City of Gainesville having earned a Bachelor’s degree in Urban Design/Planning from Iowa State University. His many business, civic and community leadership interests include the Wells Fargo Bank Board of Advisors, the Gainesville Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, as well as former chairmanships of the Alachua County Planning Commission, the Gainesville Housing Authority, and numerous others.

Scorpio, CPPI President and Principal, has been Vice President and Principal of PPI Construction Management since 2001, having earlier joined Charles Perry Construction in 1995. Recipient of the 2006 University of Florida Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, he holds a Master of Building Construction degree from UF’s M.E. Rinker School of Building Construction as well as a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Florida. A LEED BD+C Accredited Professional as designated by the United States Green Building Council, he currently serves on UF’s M.E. Rinker School of Building Construction Executive Committee as well as the Board of Directors of Gateway Bank, the Builders Association of North Central Florida, Alachua County Boys & Girls Club, and others.

Leslie, CPPI Executive Vice President and Principal, has served as Vice President and Principal of Charles Perry Construction, having joined the company in 1993. He holds a Bachelor of Building Construction degree from the University of Florida’s M.E. Rinker School of Building Construction, and serves on the Board of Directors of the Builders Association of North Central Florida where he also served as President in 2008.

CPPI’s headquarters is located at 8200 NW 15th Place, Gainesville, Florida. The company's Jacksonville office is located at 101 E. Town Place, Suite 200, St. Augustine, Fla.  Its Orlando office is located at 200 E. Palm Valley Drive, Suite 1040, Oviedo, Fla., and its Tampa office is located at 14422 Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, Tampa, Fla. In addition, the company’s Georgia office is located at 1011 Woodbridge Lane, Suite 102, Watkinsville, Ga.