Approaching its 100th anniversary, R. C. Stevens Construction continues to be a pillar in the Florida construction scene
Now entering its 98th year in business, R. C. Stevens Construction (R. C. Stevens) has been leading the Florida construction sector for almost 100 years. The company was founded back in 1926 by builder and architect Raymond C. Stevens, who was a true pioneer in the design-build industry, being the first builder in Orlando to take on both the design and construction of projects for his clients. Now, the company has grown exponentially, expanding into new markets and extending its wealth of construction expertise across the state.
President Timothy Keating leads R. C. Stevens, alongside Project Executive Allyn Brice, and Project Manager Timothy Keating III. Construction Today recently sat down with Timothy Keating III to discuss the journey of R. C. Stevens as it continues to flourish in the realm of Floridian construction. 
“We were here before Mickey Mouse; there wasn’t a lot in Central Florida other than orange groves before Disney started in the 1970s, but we were here,” he begins.
“We started as an in-house design build company with architects and contractors. We took on some of the old historic homes around Central Florida, and then branched out into commercial construction. Our biggest market was citrus processing plants, which was the big industry in Florida. However, as Florida evolved, so did R. C. Stevens. Now, our biggest markets are food and beverage, healthcare and statewide government work.”
C. Stevens’ extensive capabilities and versatility have landed the company a large and impressive scope of clientele spanning the food and beverage, healthcare and government sectors.
“Our largest client is Coca-Cola,” Timothy highlights. “We’re also finishing up a large food project for Danone in Jacksonville, Florida. As far as healthcare goes, Florida has its own healthcare regulation agency called AHCA, and we specialize in those projects. We work in several other systems – our largest is Orlando Health. We do projects inside hospitals that are complex and messy, and, while they may seem very different than food and beverage, they’re really not because cleanliness is a huge issue. Some of the systems and protocols are also very similar.”
Big news
In 2022, R. C. Stevens underwent some exciting changes when it was acquired by Cianbro Corporation, a 100 percent employee-owned construction company which is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year.
“In 2022, we were acquired by the Cianbro group of companies, which is a large contractor out of Maine, so that’s been our big news,” Timothy shares. “Cianbro’s largest market is government – they do a lot of federal work – so we’ve since won some state government work in Florida with the National Guard.”
In addition to these new projects, the acquisition has had a great impact on R. C. Stevens’ workforce. “We’ve grown from about 45 employees to right now somewhere in the 70s, aiming to get to 80 people by the end of the year, so we’ve almost doubled in size, which has been really exciting,” Timothy explains.
“Cianbro is also 100 percent ESOP, and employee ownership is great for our people,” he continues. “There’s nothing better than buying into what you do. It’s been a nice change for us and for our people as well. It’s nice to look into your retirement account and see that money, but also a lot of our competitors are ESOP, so it’s a great resource for us when recruiting new team members.”
Building relationships
Whilst committed to taking care of its dedicated team, R. C. Stevens strongly values the relationships it holds with its vendors and subcontractors and is equipped with an in-house preconstruction department to handle these partnerships.
“Like a lot of things in life, we’re relationship driven,” Timothy says. “We have lots of people that we can count on and have worked with for a really long time, but we’re also open to working with new people and expanding our network, especially as we grow throughout the state and the Southeast.
“Our President, Tim Keating, was the head of the Association of Builders and Contractors. He was their National Chairman in 2020. I think those relationships have really helped; he can call on any subcontractor almost anywhere in the country that we work with and build a network and rapport with them.”
As the US construction industry further evolves, R. C. Stevens is keen to move with it, keeping up the momentum and continuing its ongoing success. Whilst the current climate poses many challenges, R. C. Stevens is optimistic about the future and what it may bring.
“In the United States, I think that the new Infrastructure Bill is going to be pivotal,” Timothy reflects. “There’s also been a lot of improvements in safety equipment in the last couple of years, like safety helmets and gloves. I think those things are also pivotal to our future because everyone wants to work in a safe environment. Safety is paramount to everything that we do and getting our people home in good or better shape than when they left in the morning is the most important thing.”
As the final months of 2024 continue to unfold, R. C. Stevens is looking onward and upward to 2025. As it edges ever closer to its 100-year anniversary milestone over the next couple of years, R. C. Stevens is eyeing further growth. The business is hoping to expand its team and maintain its stellar ENR safety rating, which is one of the best in the industry.
“We want to finish this year just as strong as we started,” Timothy finishes. “We love working with repeat clients and making sure that we’re growing with them and here for all of their needs.”