Ernie DuBose II, CEO, DuCon LLC

July 2026 — In an interview with Invest:, Ernest (Ernie) DuBose, CEO of construction management company DuCon LLC, discussed the company’s growth across affordable housing, sports, education, and municipal projects. “We want to be a leader in Tampa Bay, not just a leader in construction, but a leader in really continuing to help shape Tampa Bay,” DuBose said.

What key changes over the past year have had the most significant impact on DuCon?

The past year reinforced the importance of showing not only success but also the struggle behind it. We do a lot of mentoring, and many small businesses only see the wins. They do not see the grit, failures, and lessons that build those wins. About a year ago, I paused our promotional activity because I wanted to be more intentional about sharing both sides of that story.

We also had to regroup based on changes in the political climate and procurement. Historically, our growth came from both our own projects and partnerships with larger general contractors. About 10 years ago, we developed a niche as a minority construction manager on large projects. That allowed us to build capacity across projects, finances, and people.

Partnering gave our team exposure to large-scale projects we could not yet pursue independently. For example, we are working with Manhattan Construction on the USF football stadium. Those partnerships allowed us to gain experience, build our team, and eventually pursue more work on our own.

Over the past year, we shifted our focus from about a 50-50 split between partner and direct work to roughly 90% focused on our own projects. We are targeting projects in the $1 million to $20 million range where we have the capacity to execute independently.

That shift has led to strong results. We secured projects like Kulture Kitchen, a restaurant build-out in a Tampa Housing Authority facility, which expands us into a new sector. We also strengthened our partnership with Property Markets Group, forming a joint venture expected to deliver over $1 billion in affordable housing projects across Florida.

The USF football stadium project has also been significant, placing us in the collegiate sports arena. We have expanded our portfolio across municipal, education, affordable housing, and now sports and hospitality.

On the people side, we experienced some growing pains. We invested in talent that eventually moved on, which is always difficult. But it reinforced the need to maintain a strong pipeline. We were able to replace those roles with even stronger talent, which ultimately improved our team.

How does DuCon’s involvement in major projects reflect its strategic direction and long-term commitment to the Tampa Bay market?

When I started the company in 2009, I studied which sectors continued building through downturns. That shaped our strategy. We focused on building relationships with clients that remain active regardless of economic cycles.

Sports and entertainment is one of those sectors. Even in difficult times, people find ways to stay engaged. That is why we are investing in that space, including collegiate and potentially professional facilities.

Affordable housing is another core focus. Every market has an affordable housing need, and we have worked with housing authorities for over a decade. Now, we are going deeper by becoming experts in delivering those projects more efficiently, faster, and more cost-effectively.

We are also committed to education. We partner with school districts and institutions like USF, where we are helping explore the development of a construction program. That goes beyond building facilities. It is about solving industry challenges.

Municipal work remains critical. Governments continue to invest in infrastructure, even during downturns, often to stimulate the economy. Construction remained active even during COVID for that reason.

We are also exploring opportunities in technology infrastructure, such as data centers, as those sectors are expected to grow long term.

How does DuCon approach community engagement across the communities it serves?

Community engagement is central to our identity. It is one reason we have earned opportunities with clients like Tampa Housing Authority and the city of Tampa.

We are committed to giving back regardless of business outcomes. At a minimum, we dedicate 10% of our net profit to community contributions. That is not tied to project pursuits. It is part of who we are.

We are actively involved with youth programs, schools, and organizations like Habitat for Humanity. At the USF football stadium, we created a mentorship program for student athletes interested in construction. We provide site exposure, mentorship, and real-world insight into the industry.

We also focus on creating opportunities within the communities where we build. For example, we require subcontractors to hire locally when possible. On projects like West River, more than 35% of labor came from the surrounding zip code. At Hanna Avenue, over 30% of labor came from the local community.

This approach builds pride and ownership while also keeping economic benefits within the community. It is a commitment we make because we believe in it, not because it is required.

What role does DuCon aim to play in shaping the future of Tampa Bay?

As a leader, we have to go beyond construction. We want to help shape Tampa Bay as a whole. We want to be a leader in Tampa Bay, not just a leader in construction, but a leader in really continuing to help shape Tampa Bay. That means helping retain talent, attract new professionals, and contribute to the region’s growth through infrastructure, development, and community engagement.

We also need to focus on the next generation. Younger professionals think differently, especially with technology. We need to bring them into leadership conversations and allow them to help solve challenges like transportation and infrastructure.

If we do that, we will be stronger as a region.