Today we’d like to introduce you to Jon Hallmark.
Jon, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I began building things with my father, and both grandfathers as a boy. We farmed, we ranched, we built and repaired things in between. We paid someone else to do things as an absolute last resort. I was spending time with the people I cared about most, learning all I could to impress them, and loved every minute of it!
As a young man, I worked various trades to buy first cars, pay for college, sometimes freelance, sometimes hourly for others and I continued to learn. Before I finished my 4 year degree, I decided to start my own Commercial Interior build-out company. I had a partner in this company and we built the company to 60 full time employees, we reinvested everything in the company. Then one General Contractor we were building a Museum, 2 Schools and 105 HUD home renovation for filed bankruptcy and we did not have the cash to survive. It cost us millions, but, we did not have to file bankruptcy and we learned some valuable lessons.
Since that time, I have worked for other General Contractors as a Project Superintendent, then Project Estimator, and Project Manager. I moved up the food chain and learned more of the legal side of the business.
Being a Houston native, and in the path of tropical weather, it was only a matter of time before I was involved in a rebuild of something damaged by a storm. As fortune would have it, Tropical Storm Allison flooded many schools and I was asked to restore North Forest High School, MB Smiley High School and the North Forest Administration building. As a result, I learned how to properly dry, and sanitize not only the structure, but, the contents within a structure as well.
For the next 12 years, I was the National Director of Operations for a restoration company. When disaster struck High Rise buildings, Malls, Industrial Facilities, Auto Manufacturers or anything of substantial size, I either managed the job, or managed the people managing the jobs. Simultaneous to this I was consulting with insurance companies when they had a large loss and another contractor was hired by an insured to supervise their work, advise if it was correct, and what they should be compensated.
When working for a large corporation, with a board of directors that is only interested in their dividend at the end of the quarter I was pressured to do things I did not feel was fair to our customers / insurance companies. I never caved; however, I had inadvertently trained others to do what I was doing and I found myself in a situation where I had to comply or they would just use one of the men I had trained to do the dirty work. My wife and I decided it was time to go!
We filed incorporation papers for Hallmark Mitigation and Construction LLC in February of 2016 and we could not be happier with the fact that our ethic standard remains intact, and we are growing like crazy!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The road was not unknown, so we knew the obstacles and hurdles to expect. That does not mean we don’t wish some things would happen faster, or we could find and hire the perfect employee for a position the first time without spending a fortune. Anything worth having is worth working for. Like we tell our kids, work hard, do the right things and eventually good things will happen.
Hallmark Mitigation and Construction – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We are a Commercial General Contractor that specializes in remodel and repair. Our knowledge of how to build commercial buildings, combined with intimate knowledge of the insurance industry help us to help our customers in ways that others cannot.
Private Businesses often have a substantial loss of income or contracts if they cannot use their building. Public buildings like schools are required to have kids in school an allotted number of days, or they lose federal funding. Hospitals provide lifesaving doctors and nurses, if they cannot work, they cannot save people. With 26 years of experience, we can usually find the best path to getting these other businesses back in operation ASAP so they can save time, money and lives.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success is doing what I love and being with the people I love. I am feel successful.
Contact Info:
- Address: Hallmark Mitigation & Construction, LLC
20550 Townsen Blvd Bldg 2-204
Humble. TX 77338Or Home
703 Golden Bear Ln
Kingwood / Houston 77339 - Website: www.hallmark-mc.com
- Phone: 832-777-1525
- Email: jhallmark@hallmark-mc.com
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
