Frank L. Blum Construction Co., a leading Triad-based commercial construction company, today announced the appointment of Michael (Mike) E. Lancaster as the fourth  president of the 91-year- old company, effective Nov. 5, 2014.  J. Andrews (Drew) Hancock III, former president, will become chief executive officer and will continue to focus on talent development, market presence, strategic leadership and other services to the management of the company.
Lancaster’s promotion is part of the company’s planned management succession that will ensure the company’s sustainability and growth in the coming decades and beyond.  Lancaster has served Blum most recently as vice president of construction services.  He is a member of the Blum executive management team that is comprised of six principals who lead the company.
“During the last several years we have focused on strategic succession planning and have assembled one of the finest leadership teams in the construction industry,” said Hancock. “Mike and the management team have earned the respect of our clients, our employees, the community and the industry and are ready to take the company to the next level. They have the experience, vision and ability to lead Blum Construction toward a strong and sustainable future.”
Hancock said that Lancaster and the team “have been formed and tested over the past several years by playing key roles in successfully leading Blum Construction through the most significant downturn in the U. S. construction industry in 80 years.”
He cited several projects currently in the Blum pipeline that point to the team’s recent success in securing new business in a challenging economy:  LeBauer Park in Greensboro;  High Point University Centennial Square II and School of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in High Point; Forsyth County Central Library, Wake Forest University Reynolds Gym Addition and Transformation, National Olympic Cycling Center, Salem College Apartments, Salemtowne Retirement Community Skilled Nursing and Assisted Living and Arbor Acres Retirement Community Fitzgerald Health Center Renovation , all in Winston-Salem.
“I know they will continue to do an outstanding job because I have watched them successfully complete the highest profile, most complex and schedule-sensitive projects in the Triad, and this transition plan will enable us to continue doing that,” said Hancock.
Lancaster said that Hancock has provided vision and leadership for Blum for 32 years. “We are happy that he will continue to be active in the company and will be here to provide wisdom and guidance to our team,” said Lancaster.
Lancaster expressed appreciation for the experience that he has received at Blum Construction and the expanded responsibilities that he is being given in his new position. “It has been a privilege to work with Drew, the management team and employees for the past 11 years.  We are a strong team that has been successful because of our dedicated employees, excellent client and vendor relationships and innovation in all our operations,” he said. “The high standards set 91 years ago by Frank Blum will continue well into the future because we have learned what clients prefer and how to serve them well.”
About Michael (Mike) E. Lancaster: Mike Lancaster joined Frank L. Blum Construction Co. in 2003 after he graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor of science degree in construction engineering and management at N.C. State University.  He is active in the community, serving on the board of directors of the Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County, on the High Point University Board of Visitors, and as a Departmental Fellow of N.C. State University Engineering Department.  He is a native of Lexington, N.C. and currently lives in Winston-Salem with his wife Mary and two children, Olivia and Emmett.
About J. Andrews (Drew) Hancock III : Drew Hancock is a 40-year veteran of the construction industry, 32 years of which have been leading Frank L. Blum Construction Co. He earned a bachelor of civil engineering degree from The Georgia Institute of Technology in 1979. A native of Winston-Salem, he serves the community through board membership with the Winston-Salem Alliance, BB&T local advisory board, Winston-Salem Business, Inc., Leadership Winston-Salem, Triad Stage and as a member of the Winston-Salem Rotary Club. His past community involvement includes serving the Winston-Salem Foundation as chairman, Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce as president and as a member of the Piedmont Triad Airport Authority and the Winston-Salem Forsyth County Utilities Commission. He and his wife Kelley live in Winston-Salem and have three grown children, Jonathan, Tess and Emma.
About Frank L. Blum Construction Co.: Established in 1923, Frank L. Blum Construction Company has been a trusted building partner to owners across the greater Triad region for generations. With the lowest actively-used general contractor license number in the State of North Carolina – License #18 – the firm has had a solid reputation since 1923 for weathering the most challenging economies, partnering with the most exacting owners, and excelling at the most challenging projects. Many iconic and beloved buildings across the Triad area bear the Blum Construction imprint of fine craftsmanship on the original structure or on its subsequent renovation or restoration.
The organization’s beginnings were humble. When Frank Blum founded his company, he listed just a few assets, including a Ford automobile, two concrete mixers, one team of mules, and a wagon and harness. Blum Construction successfully weathered the economic instability of the 1930s and the turbulent war years in the 1940s, but Mr. Blum’s sudden death in the 1950s presented some of the biggest challenges in the history of the company.  It caused employees to have to rally to save the company.   Jim Hancock stepped forward to lead the company through this difficult period and beyond as the second president of Blum Construction. The employees came together under his leadership to grow the company and to establish Blum Construction as one of the most stable and respected businesses in the area.
For more information about the company, click on www.flblum.com.