ENR Southeast is excited to announce KHS&S Contractors as its 2022 Specialty Contractor of the Year, after a year of regional growth in 2021 that saw revenue increase by $18.8 million, nearly 25%, compared to 2020. 

The Tampa-based wall/ceiling contractor says on its website that it has grown for close to 40 years along with the steady expansion of Walt Disney World, EPCOT Center and the booming Central Florida economy and is today an international leader in themed construction.

Chairman and CEO Michael Cannon says theme parks are still part of the firm's growth along with work in healthcare and entertainment markets, but keeping up relationships both inside and outside the company is key.

"In 2021, we focused on rebounding from the pandemic shutdowns by focusing on our best customers and on efficiency," Cannon says. "Customer and vendor relationships were key since we had to work together to figure out solutions to supply issues, staffing and schedule impacts."

In its submission to ENR Southeast’s Top Specialty Contractors ranking, KHS&S notes that during 2020 and 2021, the company completed hurricane repair projects for large resorts in Alabama and continued its longstanding work with Walt Disney Company, including 2022 award-winning projects like the Star Wars Galactic Cruiser. 

"Healthcare and entertainment continue to be important markets for us," Cannon says, noting major hospital projects in 2021, a trend that's continuing into 2022 and 2023, as are the firm's long relationships with Florida's major theme park owners. 

In 2021, KHS&S completed projects like the award-winning AdventHealth Taneja Center for Surgery in Tampa, a 300,000-sq-ft, six-story patient tower with 96 new patient rooms and operating rooms to accommodate advanced surgical robotic technologies, as well as multiple projects for Tampa International Airport, including the 275,000-sq-ft LEED Platinum SkyCenter One building.

SkyCenter One is Tampa's first LEED-Platinum building, a project where KHS&S was responsible for multiple scopes, according to its website, including wall layout, metal framing, insulation, drywall hanging and finishing, exterior framing, exterior sheathing and exterior rooftop parapet.

ENR Southeast will feature KHS&S in its September edition, along with our ranking of Top Specialty contractors throughout the Southeast. In 2021’s rankings, KHS&S was 27th.

"We have office and field employees who have been with us for decades," Cannon says. "We keep them and grow our workforce by focusing on what's important to them - fair pay, safe work conditions and by recognizing their achievements."

Each KHS&S office decides how it gives back to the community, he says, from building homes for Habitat for Humanity and preparing box meals for those experiencing homelessness to delivering Meals on Wheels and cleaning up local beaches. 

Check out ENR Southeast’s September issue to read more about KHS&S and to see where it and other specialty construction firms rank.