Hang tough

Jeff Charlotte sometimes quotes Ralph Waldo Emerson, so he's not the typical construction firm executive.

Another way Charlotte stands out: The firm he founded, Venice-based J.E. Charlotte Construction Corp., is one of few small construction firms in the region to survive the carnage of the recession. While the firm isn't yet fully back to 2008 sales levels, it's close. With a focus on three specific sectors — retail, health care and country clubs — the firm had $8.8 million in revenues in 2014, up slightly from 2013 and up 87.2% over 2012.

The key, in addition to the rebound in the economy, says Charlotte, is the company now thinks bigger, goes after larger contracts and is in a position to turn down smaller jobs. “Instead of being everything for everyone, we want to be more specific in what we do,” Charlotte says. “I see the markets we are in being really healthy moving forward.”