In 1981, a gallon of gas cost $1.25, Lady Diana Spencer married Charles, Prince of Wales, a new music television cable channel (MTV) was launched, and Calcon Constructors, a Colorado-based commercial construction company, first opened its doors.

Courtesy of Calcon Constructors

Calcon has been one of the key builders on the University of Denver campus, including construction of a campus icon, the Ritchie Center, which houses many of the colleges intercollegiate athletic programs, including the arena for hockey and basketball.

Founded by Calhoun “Cal” Cox, Jr., and celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, Calcon has completed more than 16 million sq ft of construction, logging a total project volume of over $1 billion.

But the scale of Calcon’s professional achievements is rivaled only by its philanthropic efforts. The company and its employees have given back to the community by providing more than $2.3 million in charitable contributions.

Over the past three decades, Calcon has established a reputation of being  committed to building and supporting communities and cultivated a safety record well beyond industry norms. Calcon earned two AGC of America National Safety Excellence Awards and the Pinnacol Circle of Safety Award three times.  

Many of these distinctions can be attributed to the innovative leadership of founder Cal Cox, Calcon CEO Jim Bosshart, and President Joe Gallion. Between them, they have developed the corporate culture of the company that bears its founder’s name, and, as a result, have retained long-term clients and valuable employees and expanded their client base.  

Although Cox has retired, he continues to serve in a marketing and strategic planning capacity and assist in carrying on his vision of the company. In the intervening years, he has served as president of Associated General Contractors of Colorado and on numerous boards such as Alzheimer’s Association of Colorado, Eleanor Roosevelt Institute for Cancer Research, National YMCA of the USA, Young Americans Bank, Metropolitan YMCA, American Heart Association, M.S. Society, and the Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine. Cox has received two humanitarian awards—the Henry M. Porter and the MS Humanitarian Award.

“Calcon Constructors and I have been very fortunate,” says Cox. “I am indebted to all employees of Calcon and especially Jim Bosshart, Joe Gallion, Lauren Nelson and Deanie Hutter. We could not have accomplished any of this without having worked with world-class building owners, design professionals, subcontractors and suppliers.”

Calcon Constructors’ more than 100 repeat clients include Centura Health, FedEx, HCA, HealthOne, Nexcore, Stevinson Automotive, University of Denver and Westfield Development.