Crowder is a multi-divisional general contractor serving the southeast U.S. for 70 years

Crowder is a family and employee-owned business under the leadership of Otis Crowder and W.T. Crowder, Jr., sons of the founders. For the past 70 years, the business grown from a small concrete company serving the Carolinas to a major general contractor serving the south-eastern United States.

Crowder builds the infrastructure people rely upon. Specializing in building bridges, dams, highways, water and wastewater facilities, industrial and power facilities, and alternative energy (such as solar and biomass) facilities. It approaches every project as a team; partnering with our clients through every step of a project’s process; while maintaining open communication. The result is functional and cost-saving alternatives offered throughout the life of a project. Crowder and its employees perform to the highest standards, establishing long-lasting client relationships that include federal, private, power, governmental, and municipal entities.

Crowder is deeply invested in the success of each employee, offering opportunities for a career at Crowder that includes consistent opportunities for growth and advancement.

In addition to its clients and employees, Crowder’s goal is to make a positive difference in the communities in which we live and work. It puts its hard hats down and step away from the job site to get involved with the people in the community. You might find Crowder employees collecting toys for children, walking to raise money and awareness for cancer, heart disease, and juvenile diabetes research, or hitting the links to support a charitable cause. Beyond the charitable community service events, they partner with diverse groups of local subcontractors and suppliers actively seeking small, local, minority- and female-owned businesses to work with them, share in success, and further strengthen the communities.

Throughout its history, Crowder has approached all of its projects, no matter the size, with the same spirit of its founders. Guided by its mission statement, "We are dedicated to superior performance and committed to making a positive difference for our clients, our community, and in the lives of our employees," they proudly carry on the tradition of O.P. and W.T. Crowder.

Crowder started with a humble concrete sidewalk.

In 1947, after serving their country as members of the military during World War II, brothers Otis P. (O.P.) and William T. (W.T.) Crowder agreed to complete a sidewalk project for Plaza Presbyterian Church for the sum of $125. They accomplished this first project with simple equipment: a wheelbarrow, a level, two picks, three shovels and a used pickup truck with over 100,000 miles on the odometer.

More important than the physical construction equipment, the brothers brought with them an attitude that would serve them well throughout their careers. Their belief was "We will do a good job; we will give the customer their money's worth; we will be honest; and we will pay the bills and will relate to the employees with respect.

Throughout each decade of Crowder Construction's proud history, the company has consistently worked to achieve greater heights:

The 1950s were a period of rapid growth for Crowder and they quickly expanded throughout North Carolina and into South Carolina. The first major South Carolina project was the Greer Dam built on the South Tyger River. They also built its first water and wastewater treatment plant at Pilot Mountain, North Carolina.

During the 1960s, Crowder continued to build water and waste treatment plants as well as bridges across the Carolinas. At every project the company demonstrated a strong commitment to excellence, earning the respect of employees, clients, and vendors who worked for and with them.

During the 1970s, Crowder became known as a full-service general contractor throughout the Carolinas and Virginia and their work on water and wastewater treatments plants grew considerably. They managed turnkey bridge and highway projects, which included bridges on the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina and the Maury River Twin Delta Bridges in Virginia; while subbing out the smaller portions of the projects to trusted subcontractors.

Crowder experienced great growth during the 1980s. It entered into a joint venture with Republic Contracting to perform on the Richard B. Russell Dam, building the Powerhouse and Visitor's Centre – the largest project in Crowder’s history.

By the 1990s, Crowder's expansion throughout the south-eastern United States created the need for more a serious investment in the technological infrastructure of the company. Offices in Charlotte, Raleigh, and Spartanburg were linked by an IT network to provide greater communication and speed on projects. This allowed for the exchange of engineering plans and digital files between offices and project sites. Crowder has continued to expand and experience growth in the 2000s. Regional offices in Georgia and Virginia were established and the first project over $100 million completed, opening up many opportunities in the energy market.

Meet the Thought Leaders

Otis A. Crowder, Chairman of the Board:

“We are dedicated to superior performance and committed to making a positive difference for our clients, for our communities, and in the lives of our employees.”

W.T. (Bill) Crowder, Jr., Vice Chairman of the Board:

“We consistently meet and exceed clients’ expectations by delivering projects on time and under budget.”

Carlos W. Norris, President:

“We self-perform civil, electrical, and mechanical trades on both traditional and more complex alternative delivery projects.”

“Our employees, some of whom have been with us for over 30 years, are the core of the Crowder family and why we are successful. Our employees' physical safety and emotional well-being are primary concerns.”