Entrepreneurs of the Year | Neil Simon and Stephen McKenna Jr.

Why we chose them:

When Neil Simon and Stephen McKenna Jr. started Envirostruct in 2011, success was no sure thing.

After all, the recession would last a few more years for commercial builders in Southwest Florida because commercial construction lags residential building. Simon and McKenna could've played it safe by keeping their jobs with DeAngelis Diamond Construction, a well-established and large commercial construction firm in Naples.

But their timing was impeccable, and with $20 million in revenues last year, Envirostruct was the fastest-growing commercial construction company on the Gulf Coast in 2014, according to the Business Observer's Top 50 Contractors ranking.

Today, Envirostruct has a backlog of $30 million worth of projects, including a $19 million Mercedes auto dealership in Naples. “We knew [the economy] was going to come back eventually,” says Simon, 39.

McKenna, 40, says his partnership with Simon works because they bring different strengths. “Mine is more technical, nuts and bolts,” McKenna says. “Neil is more into the philosophy of how we run the project. You definitely need both.”

The company has built restaurants, clubhouses and medical facilities. Its high-profile projects have included projects such as the interior construction for Hertz Equipment Rental Corp. in Bonita Springs and a new Audi dealership in Fort Myers.

In addition, Simon and McKenna recently launched a custom-home-building company called ES Home. “It stemmed from our commercial clients,” says Simon. “We're just getting that going now. It's a totally separate company.”

Growth
Revenues
2012: $3.6 million
2013: $6.4 million
Ç77%
2014: $20 million
Ç213%

Employees
2012: 5
2013: 13
2014: 30

—Jean Gruss