From laborer to leader, Fort Myers native builds a future for family’s business

Tommy Huether knows Gulfpoint Construction Co. from the ground up — literally.

The Fort Myers native joined his family’s company as a laborer in 2008, fresh from playing college baseball. He worked his way through the business to become vice president and an owner, helping Gulfpoint Construction grow from an annual construction volume of roughly $5 million to $15 million to more than $100 million today.

Photo by Mark Wemple

But it was that first job, Huether says, that taught him a lesson that continues to shape the way he now leads his business: No work is beneath you. 

About 85% of Gulfpoint’s projects are for school districts. The company has worked on schools since the early 1990s and, Huether says, has probably “touched every school in Lee County.”

Among its recent projects is the rebuilt Hector A. Cafferata Jr. Elementary School in Cape Coral, which replaced a campus damaged beyond repair by Hurricane Ian.

“The fulfillment of finishing a school, seeing the kids get into those schools that are much needed is really the best part of the job and what we enjoy,” Huether says.

Delivering those projects, though, can also be the biggest stressor in his work life. A large school may span 236,000 square feet and involve scores of subcontractors, all working toward an immovable opening date.

“The toughest thing is staying on time, staying on track,” Huether says. “Making sure that the deadline is met and the timeline’s met, because if you don’t, schools are delayed — and that can’t happen.”

He credits his father, John Huether, with teaching him the discipline required to manage that pressure and grow the family business.

“He’s really shown us the way of hard work,” Huether says. “We’ve been very fortunate to kind of follow in his footsteps and take what he’s done and grow it to what we have.”

Another key tactic for handling work stress? Filling the off hours with afternoon baseball games and passing on his love of sports to his two sons, ages 8 and 3. 

His advice to other aspiring leaders sounds much like a lesson carried over from baseball: Keep grinding.

“A lot of people fail because they give up,” Huether says. “Being determined in your job, not giving up, not quitting, is a very, very special talent.”