E324: From Navy Seals to Michael Jordan: Building Florida's Landmarks

Building Excellence Through Generations: The Ahrens Companies Story

Few businesses can claim a legacy spanning over a century, but Ahrens Companies stands as a testament to enduring quality and family stewardship in Florida's construction industry. In this revealing conversation, Richard Ahrens—who purchased the company from his father in 1970 after graduating from the University of Florida—shares the fascinating journey of this architectural engineering and construction powerhouse that has been shaping Florida's landscape since 1902.

Richard dispels common misconceptions about pre-engineered building systems, explaining how these structures are far from "cheap metal buildings" but rather sophisticated, cost-effective solutions offering superior fire resistance and dramatically reduced construction timelines. With their own in-house architects and engineers, Ahrens Companies has mastered the art of streamlining complex projects—a capability that has earned them recognition as one of the nation's top 100 builders for three consecutive years.

The impressive portfolio Richard unveils includes projects ranging from the historically significant Navy SEAL Museum in Fort Pierce to maintenance facilities for Michael Jordan's exclusive private golf course, and the hurricane-resistant Hinckley Yachts "Category 5" facility designed to withstand 240 mph winds. Perhaps most remarkable is Richard himself who, approaching 78 years of age, still dedicates 50-hour workweeks to his passion while lecturing at his alma mater and serving on multiple university boards. His story embodies the work ethic and commitment to excellence that has sustained Ahrens Companies through four generations of family ownership. Contact Ahrens Companies directly at 561-998-5443 or visit their website to discover how their 121 years of expertise can bring your construction vision to life.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, GarfieldBowen.

Speaker 2 (00:14):
Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast.
Are you in need of anarchitectural engineer or
construction company?
Well, one may be closer thanyou think.
Today I have the good pleasureof introducing your good
neighbor, richard Aaron withAaron Companies.
Richard, how's it going today?

Speaker 3 (00:30):
Good, thank you sir.

Speaker 2 (00:32):
Listen, richard.
We're all excited to learn allabout you and your business.
Tell us about it.

Speaker 3 (00:38):
Okay, we're a family-owned company that was
founded in well, it was moved toFlorida in 1902.
So our companies?
There were three at the time astructural engineering company,
building supply company and aconstruction company.
Two weeks before I graduatedfrom the University of Florida,
they sold the fireworks facilityoff and they sold the building

(01:02):
supply company off.
So I was left with theopportunity to eventually
purchase early 1970s from myfather, who was the third
generation.

Speaker 2 (01:14):
What are some of the myths and misconceptions of your
industry?

Speaker 3 (01:18):
Well, people think that pre-engineered building
systems, which is one of thethings that we do a predominant
amount of, is the old days usedto call it metal building, but
today they're a pre-engineeredsystem.
That's because we utilizemultiple different composite

(01:39):
materials.
With a building system, it'scost effective, it's fast, it's
fire resistant, it goes upquickly, obviously reducing
construction time and interestfor our clients and because we
design it in-house with our ownarchitects in-house architects

(02:01):
we move the process along ratherrapidly.
Some of the myths is thatpre-injured building systems are
cheap, but they're not a cheapproduct, they're a cost of.
I call them cost effective.
I've been doing it for 55 years.

(02:22):
This year I purchased thecompany from my father in 1870,
the year I graduated with theuniversity of florida.
So, um, we, we do construction.
Um of pre-engineers.
They're fast, construction'sfaster, more cost effective, has
incredible design flexibilities.

(02:43):
We just came back from Hinkleyyachts massive category 5 ribbon
cutting this morning.
Category 5, if nobody's aware,is an ultimate wind speed of 240
miles an hour and it's forlodging major yachts during a
hurricane season.
So we've predominantly donethat.

(03:06):
But you can mix majorly walls,tilt wall, composite walls, any
kind of material with apre-insured system.
You have to have experience ofhaving done it and obviously,
like I said, I've been doing itfor 55 years, some of them right
.
So I'm sorry.
Some of the projects we've doneis the bonzo company with 145

(03:29):
tall building that makes groundmaterial.
We've done the flanagan's andbig daddy's chain restaurants
and liquor store operations,mountain Blue Aviation in Miami,
the Navy Seal Museum in FortPierce.
We created that for the NavySeals, for their presentation,

(03:51):
that you can go through andvisit and go see different kinds
of things that the Navy Sealshave done over the years since
their inception, which they wereincepted actually in Fort
Pierce on the beach during thewar.
We've done palm beach gardenstennis facility, palm beach
gardens part three, golf courseclubhouse, a bobcat which is a

(04:16):
bobcat distributorship, whichwe've done four projects for
them.
A massive hangar facility forthe city of four piers at their
airport.
We've done print primeville,which is up in port st lucie,
which is a massive maintenancefacility, and one of the top

(04:36):
things that we get to throw ourhat on is things that we get to
throw our hat on is we developedand built maintenance and
catering service facilities forthe road which was the michael
jordan's private golf course,amongst others.

(05:00):
We're also listed in the top100 builders in the nation by
tonnage of steel shipped and bysquare feet delivered for the
past three years.
So that's some of the thingsthat our company has done.

Speaker 2 (05:13):
It sounds like you've been very busy.

Speaker 3 (05:16):
Yeah, I stay busy.
I'm soon to be 78, but I stilldo my 50-hour work.

Speaker 2 (05:24):
Listen, we know marketing is the heart of every
business.
How would you describe yourtarget audience and how do you
track them?

Speaker 3 (05:43):
have a marketing program that we're actually just
started, but over the last 55years a lot of our work has been
done by referrals from clientsor from clients who we built
projects for previously andthat's um incorporated 50 to 60
million dollars worth ofbusiness on a annual basis have

(06:06):
you ever thought about doingyour own podcast?
No, I would like to do that,but I don't know if I have the
time.
Talk to me about that yesterday.

Speaker 2 (06:19):
I'm not as talented as you are doing podcasts this
day.
Listen, you sound like a verybusy guy when you're not so busy
running your business.
What do you like to do for fun?

Speaker 3 (06:32):
I like to play golf.
I live on a golf course.
I'm deeply involved at theUniversity of Florida.
That's my other passion in life.
I'm on the board of director ofEDA Boosters, I lecture at the
business school, two graduateprograms in the real estate
department and I'm on some otherfunctional boards at the
University of Florida.

Speaker 2 (06:48):
Listen.
We're going to wrap up, but,Richard, I want you to tell our
listeners one thing they shouldremember about Aaron's companies
.

Speaker 3 (07:02):
How much fun I've had running the company and dealing
with great people.

Speaker 2 (07:11):
Richard, our listeners probably have one
thing on their mind right now,and that's the word how?
How can we get more informationon Aaron Companies?

Speaker 3 (07:23):
They can visit Aaron's Companies dot com,
that's our website.
Or they can call me direct atfive six one, nine, nine, eight,
five four three.
That's five six one, nine, nineeight, five four three.

Speaker 2 (07:36):
Listen, Richard, it's been a pleasure having you in
the show.
We wish you and your companythe very best moving forward.

Speaker 3 (07:41):
Thank you.
Thank you for the opportunity,sir.

Speaker 1 (07:44):
Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor
Podcast Port St Lucie.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on
the show, go tognpportsaintluciecom.
That's gnpportsaintluciecom, orcall 772-362-3840.