Developer is able to fill in the blanks.

• Author: Roush, Chris
• Position: David A. Spetrino Jr. of Plantation Building Corp.

David A. Spetrino Jr. always liked to build things. As a kid, it was tree forts in his Dumfries, Va., backyard. When he finished one, he would tear it down and try a new design. In high school, he was a carpenter's helper in nearby Dale City, framing houses. While attending Radford University, he shifted gears and got a real-estate license. Even then, he bought and renovated houses for rentals, and during summers, he would build barns.

Today, Spetrino, 34, is president and owner of Plantation Building Corp. in Wilmington. The company, which specializes in condo and other residential construction, should top revenue of $28 million in 2006, up from $25 million last year.

Todd Toconis, who owns Town & Country Real Estate in Wilmington, says Spetrino is fueling the redevelopment of downtown. "He specializes in taking vacant lots in the inner city and putting them back into productive use. It's the best use of our space with the growth that's hitting the coast."

It took Spetrino time to find his way back into construction. After graduating in 1992 with a degree in operations management, he wanted to stay in Radford, so he opened DazTech, which made T-shirts and jerseys for fraternities and sports teams. "I was making money, but it wasn't what I set out to do."

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In 1997, he sold DazTech and began looking for a place to open a construction business. Once he settled on Wilmington, he and partner Dave Nathans started Plantation Building. Nathans, 10 years older, had a...