“Hudgins Contracting provides total site work for commercial companies. We will go into a brand-new site and build the construction roads, grade the land, figure out the water sewage, tanks, all that needs to be done so it can be built upon,” says CEO Marsha Hudgins. “Our company is the first in and last out of construction sites.”
Marsha Hudgins took over Hudgins Contracting in 2011, when her husband, Lester Hudgins, passed away and she inherited the role from him. With approximately 60 full-time employees, the Hudgins team takes great pride in its work, particularly when it comes to work on local military bases and the Newport News shipyard, both of which are considered their specialties.
Hudgins Contracting has deep roots in Newport News and the local contracting community. Hudgins moved to Virginia Beach from New England in 1973 after graduating college in search of a job and warmer weather, while her husband Lester was originally from Newport News. “Lester started and developed this company. He passed away in 2011, and I wasn’t planning to take over, but it was during the time the Great Recession was happening, and he didn’t want the business to shut down,” she says. “Lester had a lot of people he had worked with for years, and he didn’t want them to be without a job. His promise was ‘don’t put our people out to pasture.’”
Since Lester’s passing, the Hudgins team has continued to evolve and grow. “We often work on difficult sites with difficult tasks. Our team is seasoned, and we have the knowledge,” Hudgins says. “We work out problems collaboratively, and working as a team is critical to us. There are always things that need solutions. It’s fascinating to watch onsite how our team works in tandem with other people who are working onsite. There are a lot of things going on and it may look like utter confusion, but it’s really like a symphony, and it allows you to see the job from the beginning to the end. Watching it come together is amazing.”
The CEO lamented on how fantastic her team is and how they make up the core of what the company really is. “Hudgins is where it is because of the people who have built it and kept it going, and everybody here has a piece of that. Everyone contributes to making this a great company,” Hudgins says. “The people here are incredible; they are the reason we are where we are. The Hudgins world has evolved, and Lester would be proud. It now has a future that goes beyond me, and it will be a great asset for the community for years to come.”
When it comes to her favorite part about her job, Hudgins commented on how it comes back to the company team. “I love getting together with everyone a couple of times a year. We gather for a day of learning, see what is going on with the company, give out awards and play games,” Hudgins says.
Giving back to the community which they call home holds a special place in Hudgins’ heart. “We work very closely with Here for the Girls, which is a charity for young women under the age of 50 with breast cancer, located in Williamsburg. They host a golf tournament every year, and for the past five or so, we have been the presenting sponsor, and we will be there, so they never have to worry about finding people to showcase this event in the future,” Hudgins says. “We also sponsor and support An Achievable Dream Academy, which Lester loved, and I carry that on for him. I also personally work with the ODU Women’s Initiative Network for women in business and I also serve on the board of Mariners’ Museum.”
When Hudgins isn’t busy working or giving back to the community, she enjoys breeding horses, spending time on her horse farm, traveling and visiting her son in Brooklyn and her daughter in England.
TO THE POINT:
Hudgins Contracting
Address: 105 E St., Ste. 400, Hampton, VA 23661
Phone: 757-873-0199
Website: www.hudginscontracting.com
