What impresses me most about our company is its very strong moral compass. They do what’s right … strong morals, ethics and values at all levels. — ALPINE CONTRACTING EMPLOYEE, BEST WORKPLACES SURVEY

“Our whole thing here is culture and family. We spend more time with each other than we do with anyone else, and we would take our shirts off our backs to help one another any day of the week.… It shows here and it shows with our clients.” — Michael Pappas, Owner and CEO of Alpine Contracting

Michael Pappas, who is quick to point out he is not “huge into titles,” is owner and CEO of Alpine Contracting, a company he founded in 2010 after working for his uncle, John Archer of Archer Construction. Pappas says his uncle taught him not only the practical skills of the trade, but also instilled in him a personal desire to create and nurture a family-oriented business of his own.

While Alpine Contracting has been a Best Workplace and Best of the Springs awardee for several years now, Pappas still feels the thrill of being nominated once again. Twelve years into his company’s success, Pappas employs 10 in-office staff and 56 trade partners who he proudly notes are some of the best craftsmen in their respective fields.

“We are a small company,” Pappas said, “but we are (also) very big. Having 56 guys out in the field is huge. At any given time, we have 25 jobs going on. Thankfully we have great guys in the field who know what they are doing, who have been with us for 12 years, which speaks highly of all of us in the office. They know they’re going to get a paycheck every single week and they don’t have to go out and search for work.”

Pappas recognizes that his trade partners are a highly visible part of his company and treating them respectfully and providing consistent year-round work is the reason these craftsmen stay. This is not the case in much of the construction industry, Pappas said.

“We fix the problems other companies leave behind all the time,” he said. “Here at Alpine Contracting, our trade partners are guaranteed to get paid every single week. They don’t have to worry about being treated right.”

Pappas credits the family culture that exists inside the four walls of Alpine Contracting’s headquarters as the reason for his business’s success. From lunches together with the office staff, to popping in and out of each other’s welcoming offices to assist with problems, Pappas has ensured that every employee knows they are a valued member of this family.

“Our whole thing here is culture and family,” Pappas said. “We spend more time with each other than we do with anyone else, and we would take our shirts off our backs to help one another any day of the week. That said: it shows. It shows here and it shows with our clients.”

Pappas has worked to ensure that the culture of respect and family reaches beyond the bounds of his company and into the wider community as well. He donates to non-profits and youth organizations on a regular basis.

“Those less fortunate than ourselves, who are not afforded the same opportunities which a lot of us are, if we are able to give them even a little bit of help, I think that moves mountains which is why we help out,” Pappas said. “On the youth side I think it’s important to help with funds for sports which helps young people grow and learn how to work together as a team and individually.”

At the end of the year, when the trade partners and in-office staff of Alpine Contracting gather for their annual holiday parties, Pappas is reminded that his finest achievement is the sixty people gathered in his business.

“I talked to my wife about this,” Pappas said, “and the thing I am most proud of is bringing more people aboard and providing jobs and stability.”