REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION.

AARON THOMAS

CEO | Metcon

Pembroke

Aaron Thomas credits his late grandfather, Curt Locklear, with teaching him what it takes to be successful.

The Lumbee Indian businessman started a one-room hardware store in Pembroke after serving in World War II. That small business would grow to become one of the largest True Value-franchised retail centers and lumberyards in the eastern U.S., Thomas says. "He made sure that any minute I was not in school, I was at work with him," says Thomas.

Sparked by his grandfather's mentoring starting at age 10, Thomas started his general contracting firm at age 24 in 1999. It has completed more than 700 projects and become one of the state's fastest growing major contractors. It's the largest minority-owned construction company in the Carolinas with offices in Charlotte, Fayetteville, Pembroke and Raleigh, along with Columbia and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and National Harbor, Maryland.

Thomas has forged close relationships with state political leaders and serves on the executive board of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina.

"[My grandfather] taught me the value in a hard day's work and howto always take care of your customers and your community, which he did, and is at the heart of our mission at Metcon." Thomas has a bachelor's degree from UNC Pembroke and a master's in construction management from East Carolina University.

Favorite family tradition: Lumbee homecoming

Favorite N.C. place to visit: Whether in a duck blind, fishing, or toes in the sand with family and friends, the Carolina coastline is my favorite place to visit.

What do you listen to on your commute: Calls on my iPhone

Career highlight: The many amazing landmark buildings our team has been able to construct across the Carolinas. The great thing about the building business is we are able to take a blank canvas and partner with stakeholders to paint a masterpiece that can be admired and utilized throughout a lifetime of service.

Favorite hobby: Big game hunting across the U.S. and world.

Best advice for industry newcomers: Learn to be the best builder you can be first. After that, you will have a skill that can take you to whichever part of the industry you want to go to. True builders are a dying breed.

Key industry change in next five years: Shortages in global and regional supply chains as well as trained manpower will cause the industry as a whole to create new approaches to both.

BRIAN ALLEN

president | Precision Walls

Cary

The Cary native and Campbell University graduate joined the family business after graduating in 1996. The now-employee stock owned business has more than 1,000 employees and 11 offices in four states.

ALEX 'ANDY' ANDREWS

chairman, CEO | Dominion Realty Partners

Raleigh

Andrews leads the company in its commercial and residential projects throughout three states. Since inception, Dominion Realty Partners has acquired and developed more than $3.5 billion worth of Certified Green projects. A former World Professional Tennis Tour pro for five years, he has raised more than $9 million to bring tennis programs to underserved communities.

Favorite family tradition: Playing golf together.

Favorite N.C. place to visit: Atlantic Beach.

What do you listen to on your commute: Music

Career highlight: Playing in all four grand slams in singles and doubles and creating Dominion Realty Partners.

Favorite hobby: Golf

Best advice for industry newcomers: Work hard, know your product better than anyone and know your competition.

Key industry change in next five years: Rising interest rates must level off and lower for our industry to keep up with demand.

ROB BARNHILL

president | Barnhill Contracting

Raleigh

He's the third generation of his family to lead the contracting company. The company's work on the Greg Poole dr. All Faiths Chapel at Raleigh's Dorothea Dix Park was named a "Best Building Project" by the Carolinas Association of General Contractors last year.

KIRK BRADLEY

CEO | Lee-Moore Capital

Sanford

The Duke University graduate's career has been spent in convenience retail and motor fuels distribution, venture capital and real estate development. The member of the U NC Boa rd of Governors also developed the Governor's Club golf course and real estate project. He's helped attract key investments to Lee and Chatham counties.

Favorite family tradition: Holiday meals with extended family.

Favorite N.C. place to visit: Too many to pick a favorite. It's the variety of great places I love about N.C.

What do you listen to on your commute: Audiobooks, news or music.

Major inspiration: Abraham Lincoln was constantly underestimated, yet had a grasp of how to navigate the most complex and challenging political situation of our nation if not ever, then certainly since the founding itself. He was brilliant yet accessible and, most importantly, humble. He was a Level 5 Leader in "Good to Great" parlance.

Career highlight: Assisting in the positive economic development trajectory of the city of Sanford along with Chatham and Lee counties.

Favorite hobby: Reading

Best advice for industry newcomers: Network, network, network. Understanding every stakeholder in your industry and how they approach the market and problem-solving is essential.

ANDREA BUSHNELL

CEO | NC Realtors

Greensboro

Bushnell is at the helm of the state's largest trade association, with more than 57,000 members. The Montana State University graduate worked at Oregon's Realtors association for 14 years before joining the N.C. group in 2010.

Favorite family tradition: Traveling as a family. Hawaii has been our favorite destination.

Favorite N.C. place to visit: Anywhere in the mountains. Blowing Rock, Boone, Banner Elk--you name it.

What do you listen to on your commute: NPR

Major inspiration: Jacqueline du Prewas my idol as a young cellist growing up in Montana. She was a young woman who reached the pinnacles of music performance as a solo cellist. I learned from her that persistence, practice and determination would allow me to accomplish whatever I wanted to accomplish in my life. Additionally, I had amazing parents who taught me those same lessons and who supported my early music career and subsequently, my legal and executive careers.

Favorite hobby: Tennis. It is the best stress relief imaginable.

Best advice for industry newcomers: First, listen and learn your organization inside and out. Know your customers and the challenges they face and be empathetic! Then, don't be afraid to innovate and bring new ideas to the table. There is nothing more valuable or exciting for an organization than new, fresh insights, perspectives and ideas.

Key industry change in next five years: Changes to how the Multiple Listing Service operates is likely to cause volatility in the industry.

TOMMY CAMP

president, CEO | Berkshire Hathaway Homeservices Carolinas Realty

Charlotte

Camp is responsible for more than 900 agents across 15 offices, which cover residential real estate across the Carolinas. The firm previously operated as Prudential Carolinas Realty before it was purchased by Warren Buffet's company in 2015.

ROY CARROLL II

founder, CEO | The Carroll Companies

Greensboro

The Greensboro native either owns or has under development 13,000 apartments, about 30 self-storage facilities and other real estate valued at more than $5.2 billion. In December, Forbes estimated his net worth at $2.9 billion. Carroll, 60, serves on multiple nonprofit and civic boards while enjoying racing Ferraris.

WALKER COLLIER

managing partner | Trinity Capital Partners

Charlotte

Collier has led the acquisition of about $2.3 billion in assets in multiple markets. He joined Trinity Capital in 2008. Prior to joining his current team, the MIT and UNC Chapel Hill grad previously led acquisitions for Boston's BayNorth Capital. He is an Urban Land Institute member.

Favorite family tradition: Gathering with extended family from Tennessee and Alabama to celebrate Thanksgiving and honor our grandparents, who instilled in us the family values that we all live by today. The real highlights are two competitions: an intense game of charades and a barbeque-rib cooking contest to honor my late grandfather, who always cooked ribs on the Friday after Thanksgiving.

Favorite N.C. place to visit: Concord, where I grew up.

Major inspiration: My father, Chuck. I'm grateful to learn life's important lessons by his example, not just his words. His strong work ethic, empathy, and accountability can be seen everyday in his commitment to his family and community.

Career highlight: Working with our team to acquire the Duke Realty suburban office portfolio. This set Trinity Capital on the path to where we are now, and opened the door for us to bring on my partner, Jeff Sheehan, a...