Honoring Excellence in Leadership 2018

Leadership Sarasota County Presents Awards

Leadership Sarasota County, a program of the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce designed to engage, develop and inspire community leaders, held its annual Leadership Luncheon at Art Ovation Hotel. More than 300 guests came out to honor this year’s award recipients: Veronica Brandon Miller, Drayton Saunders, Chip Gaylor and Dean Crowley.

Guests were welcomed by Monica Van Buskirk (class of 2003), John LaCivita (class of 2004) and Stacy Dillard-Spahn (class of 2010), chair of the leadership council. Leadership Sarasota does two unique things, she said. It creates personal and professional bonds that last a lifetime and gives graduates a wealth of information about leadership and about Sarasota County. “It creates a community of leaders who will strengthen our community as a whole,” she said.

Following lunch, Kevin Cooper (class of 2014) and president of the Sarasota Chamber, spoke to the honorees in a wide-ranging panel discussion, that covered their careers, leadership, mentoring and much more.
Chip Gaylor, who received the lifetime of leadership award, is a partner in the law firm Muirhead, Gaylor, Steves & Waskom P.A. He spoke about the importance of listening. “Sit back and listen, listen, listen. Then when you do speak people will listen to you,” he said.

Veronica Brandon Miller, vice president of Goodwill Manasota’s Foundation, received the impact in action award. “A title does not make a person. Just because you don’t have a title doesn’t mean you can’t have an impact,” she said.

Drayton Saunders, president of Michael Saunders & Company, also received the impact in action award. Asked how he decides what causes to become involved with, he said, “I go back to something I learned from my mom: Don’t do something you are not passionate about.“

Dean Crowley, who received the dedication award, founded Crowley Services following 19 years with W.G. Mills. He noted that “Community immersion arms you with a better perspective of where the needs are in the community.“

Sarasota, FL (November 7, 2016) - In December, Crowley Services, Inc., a Construction Management firm based in Sarasota marks an important milestone celebrating 5 years in business. Founded in 2011 by President, Dean Crowley, Crowley Services, Inc. has grown to a total of 8 full time employees. Crowley was joined by Vice President, Jason Wilson in 2014. Crowley, Wilson and four other employees previously worked together at W.G. Mills where they began their careers in the Construction Industry.

“Looking back, the time seems to have gone so quickly,” said Crowley, President. “We took the right steps to move the company forward. We were able to build on existing relationships, as well as, attract great new clients. With all the continued growth in Southwest Florida we look forward to what the future holds.”
Ownership attributes its continued success to experienced employees, dedication to performance and exceeding our client’s expectations. Crowley Services currently has five projects under way in downtown Sarasota totaling $15 million of revenue.

About Crowley Services, Inc.

Crowley Services, Inc. is a Construction Management firm offering a full spectrum of construction related resources throughout Southwest Florida. Our services include General Contracting, Construction Management, Owner Representation and Bank Client Review Services. For more information, please contact us at 941-322-2800 or visit our website at www.crowleyservices.com.

Big Splash for the City of Northport

In 2015, Construction began for a splash pad, playground and concession/restroom building and a ribbon cutting was held February 20, 2016 to officially open the splashpad.

The Atwater Park Phase III project includes the addition of a playground, restroom/concession building and splash pad. Crowley Services provided construction management services for this project.

A ribbon cutting was conducted on February 20, 2016 at the Splash Pad and a week-long Grand Opening Celebration was held March 14th-18th.

Observer Article

On his own

BY: MARK GORDON | MANAGING EDITOR

August 21, 2015

The story of how and why Dean Crowley launched his own construction company while the economy was in the dumps isn’t necessarily one of a yearning for entrepreneurial freedom.

That might be true today, but in 2011 Crowley didn’t feel that way. “I never really had the entrepreneurial dream,” says Crowley. “The goal wasn’t to start a company.”

Instead, Crowley figured he would end his career where it started in 1992, at W.G. Mills, once one of the largest independent construction firms in the state. But national construction giant Gilbane bought Mills in 2010. A Business Observer 40 under 40 winner in 2006, Crowley was a senior executive at Mills, but not a senior-level owner who made out with a big payday in the sale.

And while Crowley says the people at Gilbane were fine, his career trajectory was suddenly thrown out of order. At Mills, which had $275 million in revenues in 2009, Crowley ran project teams and business development missions statewide. Since Sarasota was the headquarters, he was in the epicenter of the company and had what he called a “unique situation.” But at Providence, R.I.-based Gilbane, Crowley would be just another vice president at a firm outpost. 

Highly visible in the area business networking scene and the fifth generation of his family from Sarasota, Crowley soon lost something else at work: his smile. Says Crowley: “At Gilbane I didn’t have the reasons I got up and enjoyed going to work like I had at Mills.”

So after a year at Gilbane, Crowley launched Crowley Services Inc. The name was ambiguous on purpose because Crowley wasn’t sure what the focus would be, consulting for builders or actual construction. Now he does both.

Crowley Services has grown quickly. It had $450,000 in revenues in year one, and doubled that to $900,000 in year two. In 2014, the company had $1.6 million in sales, and Crowley projects revenues will reach at least $4.5 million in 2015. There are six employees.

Crowley Services, like many construction startups, handles a wide variety of work, from preconstruction services to design-build to construction logistics. Projects range from renovations at units in Plymouth Harbor, an assisted-living community in Sarasota, to a park and fountain in North Port. The company has done work in DeSoto, Manatee and Sarasota counties. Clients include municipalities and private developers. 

Crowley, now with some years and success, says he loves the freedom being an entrepreneur provides. Not only because he’s his own boss, but now he does things he never did before, such as create a logo and build a website.

The biggest lesson Crowley has learned in going his own way is to remain flexible with where the revenues will come from. At Plymouth Harbor, for example, the work began in consulting and morphed into actual hammers and nails. “The opportunities,” he says, “might not be what you originally thought.”

Blast from the past
Here are some of Dean Crowley’s responses to the questionnaire when he was a 40 under 40 recipient in 2006.

Formula for success:  Plan ahead, know your project, treat people with respect.

What’s on your Ipod? No iPod.

Best place outside Florida you’ve ever been to:  Grand Canyon.

What would you like to be doing more of?  Time with family.

What would you like to be doing less of?  Returning email and voicemail.

The Sarasota-based developer has proposed a mixed-use luxury project near the intersection of 5th Street and Central Avenue, further contributing to the rise of the Rosemary District.

Rosemary District-based Risdon Group will meet with the city’s Development Review Committee next week to discuss plans for Risdon on 5th. This project includes 22 condos and six offices in 36,000 square feet of space.

“Risdon on 5th is setting the style, DNA and positioning for the Rosemary District's evolution into a hip, happening neighborhood and Design District,” said Risdon Group President Steve Bradley.The complex will feature an “original, urban and edgy” design, Bradley said. Halflants + Pichette.

Risdon on 5th - Observer Article

Compelling Communications 

Sarasota, Florida • www.thomsonpr.com • 941-914-6690

MEDIA RELEASE March 3, 2014
Contact: Rod Thomson
Cell: 941-914-6690

Crowley Services adds key executive position

SARASOTA — Crowley Services, Inc., a provider of construction solutions, is pleased to announce that Jason Wilson has been added to the executive team as Vice President.

"We are excited to have such an experienced professional as Jason join our team," said Crowley Services founder and President Dean Crowley. "He brings a wealth of construction experience in a variety of sectors throughout Florida."

The addition of a key executive reflects the growth that Crowley Services is seeing and its plans for continued expansion.

Before joining Crowley Services, Wilson had worked for Gilbane Building Company's Florida region as manager of the Estimating Department and for W.G. Mills before it was bought by Gilbane in January 2011. Wilson has preconstruction and estimating experience in the educational, multi-family, municipal, assisted living, health care, hospitality and resort sectors.

"I'm thrilled to be on the team of Crowley Services," Wilson said. "Dean and I worked together for many years and I look forward to the opportunity to be part of Crowley Services' excellent service and continued growth."

Dean Crowley, a fifth generation Sarasotan, has managed construction worth more than $314 million throughout Florida as part of W.G. Mills and Gilbane.

He has managed the construction of numerous schools in Sarasota, Bradenton, Boynton Beach, Pahokee and school projects at New College of Florida, all totaling $113.2 million. Crowley also managed the construction Phillippi Landings, Sarasota Bay Club Condominiums, Grande Riviera Condominiums and others totaling $78.6 million. He has managed $29.4 million worth of healthcare construction, $25.5 million worth of municipal construction, $20.3 million in commercial projects and $15.2 million in worship facilities.

Crowley Services is a full-service construction management firm offering preconstruction services, construction management, construction management at risk, design-build, owner and lender assistance, scheduling and analysis assistance and logistics and master planning assistance.

To learn more about Crowley Services, go to www.crowleyservices.com.