BSCI Alumni Company Builds Relationships, Grows Sustainably

After graduating from the McWhorter School of Building Science (BSCI) in 1987, Mitch Bruhn worked as a project manager at Brice Building Company; over a decade later he rose to be a Vice President at Doster Construction Co. and then became a Vice President of New Generation Projects & Construction for Southern Company.

But the dream of starting his own general contracting company never faded.

In 2011, Bruhn and his former supervisor at Doster Construction Company, Duane Watson, teamed up to create something lasting. Fourteen years later, the Birmingham-based firm continues to grow with people at its center.

“We’ve never tried to grow just for the sake of being bigger, our growth has really been organic,” Bruhn said. “From the very beginning, we tried to create a sustainable company that would be here a long time after we were. We’ve been blessed to find the right people at the right time, and we think that will continue for the long term.”

That focus on longevity extends beyond projects to the people who shape the company’s future.

After buying out Watson in 2019, Bruhn helped establish a new generation of leaders, by promoting two existing employees, Adam Tucker and Casey Cobern and bringing on Ben Patrick, as partners. Patrick is another 1987 BSCI graduate who also serves on the BSCI Industry Executive Board (IEB) as well as the College of Architecture, Design and Construction (CADC) Executive Board.

Today, WatsonBruhn’s four partners have positioned the company for continued growth, guided by a strategic plan built on accountability, high performance, inclusion and service. Eighty-five percent of WatsonBruhn’s work comes from repeat clients—proof of its relationship-driven approach.

“Our focus is building relationships with clients so they know they have someone to count on any time,” he said. “They know we’re going to answer the phone, get the resources needed to take care of their problem and provide the services they are looking for.”

The firm’s portfolio ranges from Class A office renovations—its early bread-and-butter work—to complex projects such as a $10 million YMCA new prototype in Birmingham, the $8.5 million visitor and education center for the historic 16th Street Baptist Church and a new corporate headquarters for TA Services in Leeds, Ala.

In 2016, the Subcontractor’s Association of Alabama named WatsonBruhn the General Contractor of the Year.

“That award said we treat our subcontractors with respect and dignity,” Bruhn said. “We want them to be successful, because if they’re not, we’re not.”

Bruhn has also served on the BSCI IEB for nearly two decades, and the company sponsors BSCI competition teams and scholarships.

“We love Auburn, and we love Building Science,” he says. “If you’re not involved with the young people coming out, you’re missing out. It’s amazing to see what these students are capable of doing.”

Bruhn said starting the company was the most exciting thing he’s ever done and fostering a good company culture is deeply personal.

“The rest of it’s just construction,” he said. “It’s the people who make it a success.”