When Bryon White and Mike Milender launched their construction business in 1997—just two guys in a garage—their plan was to become a custom home builder. The two had started their careers together at Hensel Phelps, and they shared a vision of creating a special place for people to work. As their families grew, their entrepreneurial mindset ensured that their work would keep them close to home.

Two decades later, the Milender White team has grown to 150 employees working in nine states and building what White, the firm’s president and CEO, calls “big jobs in urban settings.” Both founders remain active in the firm, with Milender overseeing operations on MW’s various jobsites as an executive vice president.