Spotlight On: Burton Hackney, President, Joeris General Contractors
June 2025 — In an interview with Invest:, Burton Hackney, president of Joeris General Contractors, discussed the company’s growth strategy and San Antonio’s dynamic construction landscape. “Preconstruction continues to be the place where we really can add value,” he noted when discussing project delivery methods.
What makes San Antonio uniquely positioned to support the company’s work and future growth?
Having our corporate headquarters in San Antonio and being established for almost 60 years here, a large part of our business is from here. We’re excited about the momentum that’s happening in San Antonio and all across Texas. It’s such a dynamic business climate right now, and it is growing so much.
What were some key highlights or standout projects from the past year that you’re carrying forward into the coming months and years?
We build a lot of education projects. It’s a foundational piece for the organization. We’ve always been builders in the education space, whether that be K-12 or higher education. Our K-12 work in the San Antonio area is robust. We’re doing some work for Texas A&M on their campus in south San Antonio. We’re excited about that. We’re finishing a landmark project for UT Health San Antonio that is focused on research and patient care for all neurologic disorders. That’s been a great project. And then there is the JCB manufacturing facility that is being built. We’re excited about what that’s going to mean for San Antonio. Once completed, the project will bring over 1,500 manufacturing jobs to our local community.
What construction trends are emerging in high-growth sectors like healthcare and data centers, and how is your firm positioned to stay ahead in these areas?
Client relationships are our primary focus. We’re a values-driven organization that thrives on deep client connections. We’re leveraging and doubling down on serving our existing partners exceptionally well. Healthcare, education, and industrial work remain our priorities. There’s significant industrial activity happening, particularly in Laredo, where we’re currently engaged in multiple projects. We’re observing strong market demand despite some macroeconomic concerns nationally. We view this as a temporary breather rather than a downturn. Texas continues to generate tremendous excitement — we were just ranked the No. 1 state for business.
Preconstruction continues to be where we add the most value. We’re great builders, don’t get me wrong, but in the current market, with rising costs and tight owner budgets, this is where we shine. Our ability to partner early with design teams and owners to find value in their buildings sets us apart. We spent nine months in preconstruction with JCB. Our expertise lies in adapting their vision to local market realities. This approach builds tremendous client trust.
How are you enhancing your capabilities in delivering green infrastructure and net-zero projects, and what experience does your firm bring in this area?
We love delivering projects like the Credit Human office tower in downtown San Antonio — the most energy-efficient building in Texas. It’s truly amazing. But these achievements are always client-driven requests. We would love to do more of that work. However, green initiatives typically come with added costs. In today’s rising cost environment, these sustainability measures often get trimmed from projects. That said, when clients maintain sustainability goals, we help find achievable solutions.
How are you integrating digital tools into your planning, operations, and client solutions to boost efficiency?
We pride ourselves on having an innovative mindset because so much is happening in the industry right now — becoming better builders, improving planning efficiency, and utilizing drone technology. Now we leverage them for practical applications: monitoring work progress, identifying potential safety issues, and enhancing planning. We’re constantly evaluating AI’s potential impact. We believe current tools will significantly boost our efficiency. Most importantly, this technology should improve our team’s quality of life. Our ultimate goal is to make jobs easier and faster while also maintaining high quality.
How are you finding the labor pool in San Antonio, and how are you collaborating to strengthen and grow the needed talent pipeline?
There is so much happening in the state. When you think about labor and talent in San Antonio, you can’t just do it in a bubble because everything regionally affects that. There is so much demand that it is the biggest risk in our business. The question is, are we going to have enough skilled people to effectively build the work with the demand that we have? We’re trying to champion workforce development. I spent some time in the Capitol in March with other industry leaders lobbying for more investment in workforce development. We’re trying to do our best to find people to come out into the industry and give them a pathway.
Your company was ranked the No. 1 best place to work. What led to that recognition, and how do you plan to maintain it moving forward?
We are going through a strategic initiative right now. We think we’re unique in the space in that we are a purpose-driven organization that lives by a set of values that we transmit. We are a culture full of servant leaders who are in the business of serving the people that we not only work for, for our clients, but for our trade partners and for the communities that we work in. Our mission is to transform people in places. For us, strategically, our No. 1 initiative in the organization is to make sure that we have a culture that is sustainable as we grow.
Could you share some of the efforts or initiatives your firm is involved in to give back to the community and make a positive impact?
Our project teams actively engage with the local communities where we work. Several years ago, we established the Joeris Foundation as a separate charitable giving arm of our business. We recognized that truly transforming people and places requires impact beyond our immediate projects. The foundation was created to raise and distribute funds to communities and organizations doing important work, with absolutely no benefit or return expected for our company.
Are there any specific regulatory or legislative changes you are monitoring, and what is your outlook for the upcoming year?
In Texas, we’re closely monitoring legislative developments around property tax reform. Several bills could potentially limit how school districts sell bonds and fund future projects. The outcome remains uncertain, as does the impact of school voucher proposals on public education. Regarding broader economic factors, I’m frequently asked about tariffs and market conditions. The truth is, nobody knows the net effect yet. Our current approach focuses on prudent planning: building contingencies into projects and maintaining transparency about potential cost escalations. Texas’ growth trajectory remains strong.
What are your top priorities for the next two to three years?
Our top priority in San Antonio is maintaining our leadership role in the community. We strive to be recognized as the trusted partner for building projects that enhance our city. Having been part of San Antonio for 60 years, we take tremendous pride in contributing to its ongoing story. We have a bold vision to become Texas’ builder of choice — the kind of partner where clients say, “I can’t imagine hiring anyone but Joeris.”
For more information, please visit:
