Henning Construction has grown in phases. At first, Augie, with Nancy at his side, began as August Henning Construction. He had one truck and the carpentry skills he’d learned while constructing buildings at a 500-acre Easter Seals camp for handicapped children. The two concentrated on constructing buildings, had three children, and quickly bought a backhoe so they could do their own earthwork.
With no daycare options in the rural Kentucky area, the couple’s children – Nathan, Christy and Aaron – literally grew up on jobsites, so it’s not surprising all three are now involved in their parent’s two companies (Henning Construction began in 2003.)
As Augie puts it, Nancy has always “managed the money,” a task that means much more than handling the office. She’s the company’s chief estimator and analyzes the profitability of jobs. When work prompted it, she even became a licensed master and journeyman plumber, electrician, HVAC installer and erosion control inspector. Augie counts when Nancy took over the company’s financial reins as a turning point.
Transition to earthmoving
As sons Nathan and Aaron gradually became more involved with the business, they favored a change in company direction, preferring earthmoving over building construction. Although the Hennings still have a crew that concentrates on buildings, their companies’ primary growth occurred when they took on site and road work for gas and oil exploration companies. Another key client is the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. And through the Small Business Administration, both companies became HUBZone certified, which provides federal contracting opportunities for small businesses located in distressed areas.
“All in all, they are probably the best contractor I’ve worked with,” says Patricia Hull, a contracting agent with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. “They do what’s right, and will go out of their way for you even if it’s going to cost them more.”
Henning Construction does a variety of earthwork, including water, sewer, drainage, road and site work for governmental, utility and residential customers. “Anytime we hire someone,” Nancy says, “we tell them to be prepared to do anything. They’re not going to be doing the same thing from one day to the next.” “We’re just so diversified, we take pretty much whatever comes through the door,” Augie adds.
Augie and Nancy have a well-established can-do attitude. “Years ago I’d go out with our younger son Aaron to look over a job,” Augie recalls. “I’d talk with the owner, get his ideas, then say, ‘yes, we can do this.’ On the way home, Aaron would say, ‘Dad, you’ve never done that before.’ And I’d say, ‘Then we’ll learn how to do it.'”
