| Rush Commercial Construction is one of Gig Harbor’s most prominent commercial construction companies that has not only survived several industry downturns in the last two decades, but also has added several new subsidiaries by taking a long term view. The company is now part of a family of five companies that range in focus from custom homes to property management.
Gordon Rush founded the company in 1987 with a starter spec home. The business was a way for him to continue his commercial fishing during the summer while earning an income during the rest of the year. A commercial fisherman since age 19, at 24 Rush needed work that allowed him flexibility to fish.
“It was learning as I went,” he said about his beginnings in the construction industry. He did work for another builder for a year first to learn the ropes, and built his first home for his own family.
Rush Construction grew gradually from that first project, to two, four, and on. About 12 years ago, it expanded to commercial projects. “A lot of our customers for custom homes also had needs for office buildings,” Rush said. “The first commercial building was the home for our company.” About 30 percent of the business today continues to be in residential construction and custom homes, which are usually high end.
In 1996, Rush decided to quit commercial fishing so he could be closer to home for his young children. Plus, the growing popularity of pen-raised salmon made fishing less economically viable.
Since those early days, the company grew to employ about 70 people currently. In addition to Rush Commercial Construction Inc., and Rush Custom Homes Inc., which operate under the umbrella of Rush Development, there is North Pacific Design Inc., Peninsula Civic Contractors Inc. and Spinnaker Property Management Inc. All the companies except the property management one were built from the ground up.
Rush said the expansions came out of the need to serve customers and have better control over different aspects of projects. “We started the earth moving company five years ago when it was difficult to get timely, economic response during the (building boom),” he said. The architectural arm was created the same way, to fill a void as well as help maintain quality. The companies operate separately, which means customers of Rush Development don’t necessarily have to use North Pacific Design.
Rush gives credit to employees for the companies’ success. He points out his second and third employees are still with him. “We continue to build on quality people,” he said. “We built on that foundation as we grew.”
He said the company shies away from a corporate mentality that treats employees like a commodity, and instead treats them like members of a big family. “We have long-term employees who are doing a great job — that’s our single best asset, the commitment and loyalty of people,” he said. “We’re getting work in different arenas, and that has to do with relationships people have built.”
Rush, who has a bachelor’s degree in business administration, also credits employees with the company’s ability to grow. The construction industry has faced numerous challenges over the last two decades, and it’s becoming more difficult to succeed due to tightening permit regulations and the uncertainty of the market. Rush Construction, which started out in Tacoma and moved to Gig Harbor about 17 years ago, has thrived on its employee core, he said. The company has been recognized for various projects with awards as well as being featured in many publications.
“The thing that’s helped us a lot is we’re consistent. We’ve stuck and stayed instead of running after a new idea,” Rush said. “For us, quality means… understanding the customers and meeting their needs — we want to delight the customers in every aspect.”
Those aspects include the company’s warranty policy, which may be one of its strongest marketing techniques, and the ability to build timely and economically while maintaining good customer communication. “A beautiful building is great, and we strive for that, but there are all these other intangibles that are equally important,” he said.
Rush Construction’s geographic customer base goes beyond Gig Harbor, with projects around Port Orchard (like the new Franciscan Professional Center and Sedgwick Landing), Puyallup, and Tacoma. Rush said the next phase of growth is to expand the market reach toward Southern Seattle and Portland, as well as refining the custom homes program and seeking bigger commercial projects.
“We’ve been growing since inception and we will continue to grow forever,” he said. “We have a continuous plan and key people to do that.”
Rush Commercial Construction can be reached at 253-858-3636 or by visiting their website at www.rushcommercial.com.
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