Nabholz Construction Services Regional President Jake Nabholz will become CEO of the company in January, replacing Greg Williams (inset), who will retain his role as chairman of the board.
The third generation of the Nabholz family will take over in January at the state’s largest commercial contractor.
Nabholz Construction Corp. of Conway said Tuesday that Jake Nabholz will become CEO on Jan. 1, and current CEO Greg Williams will remain on the company’s board of directors as chairman.
Nabholz is currently regional president, overseeing company operations in central and northeast Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi and Oklahoma. In a news release, Williams said Nabholz had overseen “tremendous” company growth, particularly in Oklahoma.
“Jake’s leadership style is modern, yet still in line with the values and principles our company was founded on over 70 years ago,” Williams said.
Nabholz is the grandson of company founder Bob Nabholz and the son of Executive Vice President David Nabholz. He began working for the company as a summer laborer while in high school.
“I absolutely loved it,” Nabholz told Arkansas Business in 2017. “I was hooked on it from Day One.”
After graduating in 2002 with his construction management degree from the University of Louisiana Monroe, Nabholz rose in the company ranks, serving business development and leadership roles in Tulsa and central Arkansas. He became regional president in 2018. In 2017, he was named an Arkansas Business “40 Under 40” honoree.
Williams recently marked his 30th year at Nabholz and has been CEO since 2014. He added chairman to this title in 2019.
During his time as CEO, annual revenue nearly tripled, and the company has logged four consecutive record revenue years, the company said in a news release. Nabholz this week ranked No. 17 on Arkansas Business’ list of the 75 largest private companies in Arkansas, with $767 million in revenue for the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, 2020. It ranked No. 1 on the most recent list of the state’s largest commercial contractors, published April 12.
Williams oversaw acquisitions in new business sectors, including solar and rail transit, and the opening of new locations in Tulsa, Connecticut, North Little Rock and central Tennessee. The company said Williams, continuing as chairman, will help guide Jake Nabholz in his new role.
“Greg has done a tremendous job setting up the company for geographic growth and further diversification of our service lines,” Nahbolz said. “His vision for Nabholz’s future clearly guided his decisions and initiatives, and I hope to continue building on this progress.”
The company announced other leadership changes this week.
Brad Hegeman has been elected vice chairman and named chief strategy officer, overseeing the company’s overarching strategy, including long-term planning for growth and diversification. Hegeman, who joined Nabholz in 1996 as corporate controller, most recently held the role of chief operating officer alongside Greg Fogle, who will continue as COO.
Hegeman is the chairman of the Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s Military Affairs Council and serves on the University of Central Arkansas Foundation board and Ronald McDonald House board.
The geographic area Jake Nabholz oversaw will be split into two regions with two presidents:
- Executive Vice President Andrew Adlong will work in Jonesboro as regional president of the company’s operations in central and northeast Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee.
- Executive Vice President Michael Feamster will be the regional president of operations in Oklahoma.
Nabholz Construction Corp. has more than 1,100 employees, 861 of them in Arkansas. It is a multiservice contractor providing construction, industrial, civil, specialty and environmental services; crane and fleet equipment; custom mill work; cabinetry and railroad services from locations across Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Mississippi, Tennessee and Connecticut.
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