Junior Achievement of USA (JA USA) has selected 12 volunteers from more than 150,000 nationwide to receive the organization’s highest honor, the Gold Leadership Award. Pepper Construction congratulates Paul Francois, President of Pepper Construction Ohio and Pepper Mission Critical, on being recognized for his 20 years of dedicated service to JA, including 17 years on its Board of Directors.
“JA‘s recognition of Paul reflects the lasting impact he has made in supporting the growth and development of young people,” said Scot Pepper, President of Pepper Construction Group. “As a company, we are committed to building strong community partnerships that create meaningful opportunities for students and equip them with the skills needed for academic and financial success.”
Francois is a passionate advocate for JA, and a respected leader within Pepper Construction. With more than three decades of experience in the construction industry, he is known for his commitment to excellence and community engagement. As President of Pepper Construction Ohio, he oversees all aspects of the company’s operations, driving growth, strengthening client relationships, and ensuring the successful delivery of high-quality projects.
After relocating to Ohio in 2007 to establish the company’s Columbus office, Francois quickly became involved with Junior Achievement of Central Ohio, prioritizing community partnership and helping expand opportunities for young people to succeed both personally and professionally.
“JA’s programs inspire and prepare students through education in workforce development, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy,” said Mike Davis, President of Junior Achievement of Central Ohio. “Since its inception, JA of Central Ohio has reached more than 52,000 elementary, middle, and high school students across the state. We are deeply grateful to Paul for his dedication and the impact he has made in helping us advance our mission. This recognition is both well-deserved and a testament to his commitment to going above and beyond in support of young people.”
Francois and Pepper Construction have played a key role in expanding both awareness and funding for JA programs. Pepper led the renovation of JA’s Learning Center in Newark, Ohio, transforming it into a14,000 square-foot facility featuring BizTown and JA Finance Park—immersive programs that give students hands-on experience in financial literacy and entrepreneurship.
In Columbus, Pepper has been working on multiple renovations including the space for JA Finance Park within a former 10,000 square-foot school building since 2020. This facility allows middle and high school students to gain practical experience in personal finance and career exploration.
To support these initiatives, Francois and Pepper host an annual fund-raising event, “Casino Night.” This event engages attendees through interactive games and raffles, generating critical funding to expand JA programming. Now in its 17th year, Casino Night has raised enough money to help provide programming for thousands of students.
“Volunteers are essential to the success of Junior Achievement’s life-changing programs, and I am grateful to be part of this incredible organization,” said Francois. “It is truly an honor to receive the Gold Leadership Award. I’m proud to support JA’s continued growth and its ability to expand impact for students across our community.”
About Pepper Construction
Now in their fourth generation of family leadership, Pepper Construction serves clients across the country with comprehensive teams in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Wisconsin. Ranked by ENR (Engineering News Report) magazine as one of the top builders of sustainable projects in the nation, Pepper serves clients in a variety of markets such as aerospace, healthcare, science and technology, education, manufacturing and industrial, data centers, entertainment, hospitality and interiors, among others. Pepper’s High Performance and Sustainable Construction group is part of their Integrated Construction Services (ICS) team, which represents some of the most advanced thought leadership in our industry — investigating new technologies, evaluating new methodologies and integrating innovative solutions in the field. For more information, please visit www.pepperconstruction.com.
