Husband and wife team head award-winning construction firm

By: James Casto Correspondent

CHARLESTON — In 2005, the husband-and-wife team of Frances Foster Brooks and Gene T. Brooks Jr. started out in the business world as a trophy company. But it didn’t take them long to put their trophy-making days behind them and switch their business to a very different course.

The husband and wife initially operated out of a small house trailer in Dunbar. As their business began to grow, they moved from Dunbar to downtown Charleston, locating in the First Baptist Church business incubator. Operating in the incubator meant they could keep their costs low and enabled them to save enough money to buy and remodel a two-story house as the headquarters for their growing business.

Today, they preside over an award-winning construction company, BrooAlexa, that focuses on finding creative solutions in master planning, design, construction and project management, primarily for government, healthcare and educational projects. Roofing, painting, carpentry, electrical, HVAC, plumbing, grading and paving, concrete and masonry. They do it all.

The Brooks give much of the credit for the successful growth of their company to West Virginia’s small business program.

They’re in the game with us,” said Frances Brooks, chairman and CEO of BrooAlexa. “Whenever we have a problem, they can help us write the corrective action plan. Whenever we come up against something we feel we can’t handle, we’re not out there on our own. We actually have someone to call. Even though we don’t pay them because they work for the government, we know they are there to help us.”

The Brooks believe utilizing those services is one of the keys to a successful, thriving small business.

“It breaks my heart when I see so many businesses in West Virginia open, and then six months later, they’re closed,” Frances Brooks said. “I feel like if they got help from the Small Business Administration or the SBA Development Center they would know how not to do that.”

In 2012, Frances Brooks was named West Virginia Small Business Person of the Year. As a recognized business leader, she’s a frequent speaker to business, government and education groups.

In 2011, BrooAlexa was one of 16 companies nationwide to be honored with the Small Business Achievement Award from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The company was chosen for exemplary work on the Advanced Trained Center at Harpers Ferry. The dormitory and conference center includes 252 extended-stay rooms and a 6,160 square-foot conference center. Border Protection guards stay there while being trained in the adjacent Leadership Academy.

The Brookses said they feel they would not have received the Harpers Ferry Contract if it hadn’t been for the government relations they have made.

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