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As we celebrate 20 years of building excellence with our “20 Stories for 20 Years” anniversary campaign, we are excited to revisit the milestones that shaped Thomas Construction Group. Today, we’re taking a trip back to where it all began: our first-ever project, Courtyard at Renaissance. This project was the foundation for everything Thomas Construction Group has become over the past two decades.
Located in Renaissance Park along what is now one of Wilmington’s busiest commercial and retail thoroughfares, Courtyard at Renaissance consists of two buildings encompassing 38,000 square feet of commercial office space. Developed by Cape Fear Commercial, the project was designed to serve a dual purpose: high-end retail and restaurant spaces on the first floor, and Class A office spaces on the second floor.
A standout feature of the property was its attention to detail, including Italian tile and wood trim to coffered ceilings and granite vanity tops. Every element in every space was crafted to meet the highest standards of quality.
At the helm of this project was no other than Chris Reid, President of Thomas Construction Group. Then serving as Project Manager, Chris guided our newly formed company through the challenges of delivering a high-profile project on time and below budget.
In addition to constructing the shell buildings, Thomas completed interior upfits for a variety of tenants, including a commercial real estate firm, insurance company, salon, financial services group, cellular retailer, and several restaurants and boutiques. This variety showcased our ability to service our clients and adapt to their unique needs.
The successful completion of Courtyard at Renaissance under budget was a defining moment for us – it solidified our reputation for quality and reliability and established an enduring partnership with Cape Fear Commercial. That base principle is what drives our Target Value Delivery (TVD) process today – providing Schedule and Cost Certainty.
The partnership expanded further with the completion of Renaissance II in 2018, a 36,000-square-foot Type II B mixed-use building that now serves as the headquarters for Thomas Construction Group.
“Courtyard at Renaissance wasn’t just our first project, it was the project that proved we could do what we set out to do: deliver quality construction with a focus on relationships. It set the tone for everything we’ve built since,” said Chris Reid.
As we celebrate our 20th anniversary, we’re proud to reflect on how far we’ve come and are excited to be Always Building for the future.
As Controller, Jennifer manages all company-wide accounting and human resources activities, while managing the firm’s operating budget. With decades of accounting & financial experience for Thomas and other notable contractors, Jennifer leads the daily internal finances within Thomas.
Jennifer Noland
Controller
As President of Thomas Construction Group, Chris Reid is dedicated to creating a company where employees and clients alike flourish under our Core Values of Team, Improvement, Excellence and Service. With over 30 years of experience in Construction Management, Chris utilizes his knowledge and that of his peers to drive strategic success and growth while delivering best-in-class results. Chris serves on the leadership committee of the Cape Fear Country Club, the Surf Club and Eden Village and is actively involved and invested in the future of Wilmington.
Christopher N. Reid
President & Cheif Operating Officer
Jill has been an integral part of Thomas since the company’s founding year in 2005, with over three decades of industry expertise. As Marketing Director, she drives the Thomas brand forward and solidifies our position in the market, while ensuring that the company’s marketing efforts are consistent with and supportive of Thomas’s overall strategic plan.
Jill Sullivan
Marketing Director
Katie Seidel brings 17 years of diverse HR expertise across industries such as construction, property management, and IT services. With a focus on talent management, benefits administration, and professional development, she is dedicated to cultivating a thriving organizational culture.
Katie Seidel
Director of People & Culture
Mike joins Thomas with over 20 years of experience in the construction industry and a proven record of producing accurate budgets, implementing management processes, and building teams. His decades of preconstruction and estimating knowledge, along with a strong skillset of managing and leading teams, lends itself to creating seamless experiences for Thomas’ clients. Mike splits his time between Wilmington and Raleigh, where he resides with his family.
Mike Pritt, LEED AP
Preconstruction Director
After successfully leading project teams within the healthcare industry for over 15 years, Chris Thorn relocated from the Pacific Northwest to Wilmington, NC in 2022. His industry experience ranges from K-12 to mixed-use projects, but his expertise lies in healthcare, having worked on various multi-million dollar projects throughout the years. Hailing from one of the world’s largest general contractors, Chris brings a valuable perspective to the leadership team and will serve an important role as he leads and develops the Healthcare sector.
Chris Thorn, LEED AP
Project Executive
With nearly 25 years of experience in leadership roles for both Thomas and other regional contractors, Tony is highly skilled in project and team management. His expertise spans various project types, including senior and assisted living facilities, continuing care centers, condominiums, apartments, and specialty commercial projects, establishing him as a prominent operational sector leader.
Tony Datena
Vice President / Project Executive
Bruce has decades of Financial Advising and Accounting experience and served as Thomas’ Chief Financial Officer from inception in 2005 until 2023, when he transitioned to Managing Partner. In this role, he is actively involved with strategic planning for the company and advises on a wide manner of business matters, working closely with the CFO & COO.
Bruce Chappell, Jr.
Managing Partner
Since joining Thomas in 2006, Roger has strengthened our construction core by providing nearly 40 years of construction industry experience. As General Superintendent, he is responsible for all field staff and subcontractor relations, quality control, safety coordination, and client satisfaction. Roger makes frequent job site visits to review project progress, schedule, compliance, and quality. He is recognized as one of the most respected General Superintendents in our market today.
Roger Connor
General Superintendent
Vince is an industry leader with more than 38 years of experience, ranging from estimating and buyout to project manager and project/firm executive. His aggressive cost control measures, dedication to team, and approach to project relationships has created a successful track record of on time contract completions. As VP – Operations, Vince is responsible for supervising and controlling all strategic and operational aspects of the company while providing risk management of the firm’s construction operations.
Vince Tryer, Jr.
Vice President – Operations
As a well-known community leader, Jim brings more than 30 years of managerial and executive level professional business affluence to Thomas. Currently, he serves on the Board of Directors for Novant Health/NHRMC as Chairman and as 1st Vice-Chair of the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. As EVP, Jim is responsible for the growth and implementation of corporate business development, marketing, preconstruction and owner-contract activities for Thomas.
Jim Hundley, Jr.
Executive Vice President
