College of Business alumni Chris and Patrick Elder’s business is construction, but their true passion lies in building something more intangible: a healthy company culture that prioritizes teamwork and community.
“Sticks and bricks are easy, but it’s the relationships that we build – both inside the company but also in the community – that really have an impact that is bigger than just putting a roof on a building or putting carpet in an office,” said Patrick Elder, Elder Construction’s president of Northern Colorado. “So, that’s what we’re really passionate about: How do we leverage teams and people and community that build for a greater purpose than just a single project?”
As their family business grows, Chris and Patrick Elder – twin brothers who run it alongside their childhood best friend, Austin Dodder – aren’t just motivated by a passion for construction (although they have that, too).
“Our ‘why’ is to build purpose into people, inspire each other, uncover everybody’s God-given talents and then put them to good use,” said Chris Elder, CEO/CFO of Elder Construction. “Construction just happens to be the conduit in which we can achieve that vision, but it’s not what gets us out of bed in the morning.”
Their business philosophy stems from a belief that everyone has an impact on this world, whether good or bad – staying neutral isn’t an option. Through their business, they aim to leave behind a blessing, not a curse.
“We’re trying to build a community of like-minded people that want to use business as a force for good in this world, because it truly is,” Chris Elder said. “What this team does has a huge impact. Nothing’s possible without construction. People don’t get groceries; kids don’t have a place to learn. It’s a cornerstone of our world.”
‘Dead set’ on joining the family business
Chris and Patrick Elder say that construction is in their blood.
“We’re just a family that loves to work with our hands, we love to problem-solve, and those two things really marry well with the construction industry,” Chris Elder said. “We like being outside. It’s hard work, both physically and mentally, and you get to see a finished product, which is pretty cool.”
Their father, Tom Elder, founded Elder Construction in Colorado Springs in 1994. Growing up, they often spent time with him on construction sites. It started as a way to spend time with their dad, but they quickly began to learn the trade and fell in love with the industry.
Naturally, as they grew up, they were “dead set on going into construction,” Chris Elder said.
“In my dad’s wisdom, he said, ‘Boys, I’ll help you with college as long as you don’t get a degree in construction management,’” Chris Elder said. “We went, ‘What? But we love it!’ And he said, ‘I know, you get it, but if you want to do well, get a business degree.’”
As a compromise to their father, the brothers majored in business and minored in construction management. After graduating from Colorado State University’s College of Business in 2004, they took separate detours before joining the family business.
While studying at the College of Business, Chris Elder chose a concentration in finance and real estate. After he graduated, he spent five years working for a real estate company before “the construction bug started to inch its way back in.”
Patrick Elder, who studied organizational management, joined a large, regional construction company after he graduated. He spent about six years in Colorado Springs working in the company’s office, which helped him better understand the structure and team dynamics of a large organization.
In 2009, Patrick Elder moved to Northern Colorado to launch a new Windsor-based office for Elder Construction, and a year later, Chris Elder and Dodder followed him back into the family business.
Dodder – who also attended CSU, where he majored in construction management – now serves as the company’s COO.
“He’s a partner and a best friend, but I also consider him to be our third brother,” Chris Elder said.
Not everyone would be able to work alongside family and a close friend for so long without conflict, but the brothers and Dodder credit the trust and respect they have for each other.
“From a values standpoint and from a belief standpoint, we’re so grounded that there’s never been conflict. Early on, we recognized each other’s gifts,” Chris Elder said. “We collaborate together, but we don’t get in each other’s way because the trust is so high we don’t need to.”
Growing the family business
Celebrating 30 years in business, Elder Construction has the experience and expertise to handle any sized commercial construction project, from small tenant improvements to large, ground-up projects.
Elder Construction has grown dramatically over the past 15 years, evolving from a company of seven people to a staff of 75. Over that time, its revenue also grew, going from completing $5 million to $60 million in work annually. But still, they say what they’re most proud of is creating an environment that allows their employees to thrive – and build leadership skills they can use at work and in life.
“We’ve done some really fun projects over the years, but I think what I’m most proud of is the individuals on the team – watching them grow,” Patrick Elder said. “There are individuals that started as laborers that are now running projects.”
It hasn’t always been easy. The brothers joined the family business in the wake of the Great Recession, when construction work wasn’t plentiful. The year the COVD-19 pandemic hit certainly wasn’t smooth, either. But the challenges only made them more grateful for their team.
“That was extremely stressful and difficult, but I think it also emphasizes the fundamental belief we have in the power of the team,” Patrick Elder said. “When you have a team that you truly believe in and trust, while those times are incredibly challenging, it’s almost more rewarding to work through that challenge on the backside, because you realize what you’ve come through, and you did it together.”
Building a healthy company culture
The Elders acknowledge that “culture” has been overused to the point of becoming a buzzword – but they’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what a healthy company culture looks like and the kind of day-to-day actions necessary to make it a reality.
“When we hire, we hire based on culture; when we promote, it’s based on culture and performance,” Chris Elder said.
Trust is the foundation of a healthy work culture, they say. The Elders are intentional about building trust in their workplace because they know it can make or break a team.
When you walk into Elder Construction’s offices in Windsor or Colorado Springs, the first thing you’ll see is a wall that highlights the company’s six core values: servant leadership, G.R.I.T. (an acronym meaning guts, resolve, integrity and toughness), constantly curious, results driven, team player and finding balance.
“What we realized when we started to work on the transition between our father’s and our tenure here was my dad has unspoken values – you knew them – but if we really wanted to build a culture, we needed to really identify what they were and then be able to talk to them,” Chris Elder said.
There are physical items affixed to the wall that correlate to each core value, serving as a tangible reminder. For servant leadership, there’s a pair of leather work gloves; for G.R.I.T., it’s a saw blade.
“We put them on the wall for our own internal purposes, to reinforce or correct,” Chris Elder said. “If somebody is struggling with a value and we notice it through their behavior, it’s easy to walk down the wall and say, ‘Remember, this is what we value, and this is part of who we are and it’s our non-negotiable. So, how are we going to work through this?’”
About CSU’s College of Business
The College of Business at Colorado State University is focused on using business to create a better world.
As an AACSB-accredited business school, the College is among the top five percent of business colleges worldwide, providing programs and career support services to more than 3,000 undergraduate and 1,200 graduate students. Faculty help students across our top-ranked on-campus and online programs develop the knowledge, skills and values to navigate a rapidly evolving business world and address global challenges with sustainable business solutions. Our students are known for their creativity, work ethic and resilience—resulting in an undergraduate job offer and placement rate of over 90% within 90 days of graduation.
The College’s highly ranked programs include its Online MBA, which has been ranked the No. 1 program in Colorado by U.S. News and World Report since 2018 and achieved No. 11 for employability worldwide from QS Quacquarelli Symonds. The College’s Impact MBA is also ranked by Corporate Knights as the No. 7 “Better World MBA” worldwide.
