1996: +$25M in Construction Revenue with 40 employees
2007: +$50M in Construction Revenue with 44 employees
2014: +100M in Construction Revenue with 55 employees
Offices in McAllen and San Antonio, Texas
The Beginning
D. Wilson Construction was started by Darrell Wilson in 1957 in South Texas. Darrell had the vision of building his own business by bringing personal attention to each project and giving every client his personal commitment.
The company’s beginnings were humble with Darrell, wife Sally and brother Gerald operating out of the living room of their 5th and Laurel family home in McAllen. The business began by remodeling a few Main Street buildings in downtown McAllen along with new construction of several residences in the area. It wasn’t long before the family’s reputation for high quality work, client satisfaction and community service spread in the area and the commercial business took off.
The Landmarks
D. Wilson Construction boasts a rich portfolio of early projects, including the iconic McAllen City Hall on 15th Street and the renovation of the historic Casa de Palmas Hotel (La Posada), founded in 1918. Serving both public and private sector clients across South Texas, Wilson Construction has become the go-to choice for constructing schools, hospitals, offices, places of worship, and commercial spaces. These projects have left a lasting impact on the local landscape, with landmarks like the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle National Shrine, drawing in over a million visitors annually, continuing to shape and serve the community.
Education in Texas
As the South Texas demographic continues to expand, the education sector has become an integral part of our daily operations, serving as a primary focus for our endeavors in South and Central Texas. Throughout the years, our company has established itself as a trusted partner within local communities, actively contributing to enhancing educational infrastructure for community colleges, university systems, and public/charter school districts. Our portfolio boasts impactful projects such as the seed facility for South Texas College in 1993 and the largest K-12 project ever undertaken for the Brownsville Independent School District in 2010. D. Wilson takes immense pride in our contributions to the field of education, as we consistently aid our clients in providing high-quality facilities that cater to the needs of students in our communities.
A New Era of Employee Ownership
Following Darrell's passing in 1992, his sons Bill and Mike assumed ownership of the company, purchasing it from their mother, Sally, and rebranding it as D. Wilson Construction Company.
In 2000, upon Mike Wilson's retirement, the brothers opted to sell the company to its employees through an Employee Stock Ownership Program (ESOP). As of October 1, 2000, D. Wilson Construction Company became wholly owned by the D. Wilson Construction Company Employee Stock Ownership Plan. Financed through a 20-year note, the brothers sold 100% of the shares to 25 dedicated employees. Benefiting from a booming construction market, the note was swiftly repaid in just seven years. Presently, the company boasts over 70 employee-owners across South and Central Texas.
San Antonio Expansion
In response to the increasing demand for top-tier builders across South Texas, D. Wilson Construction Company expanded its operations in January 2010 by opening a regional office in Bexar County. This strategic move facilitated the completion of projects not only in greater Bexar County but also in rural areas of South and Central Texas.
The San Antonio Regional Office has forged partnerships with numerous local clients, including San Antonio ISD, Northside ISD, SCUC ISD, IDEA Public Schools, Somerset ISD, Fredericksburg ISD, Lockhart ISD, Stockdale ISD, City of Schertz, City of Boerne, American Electric Power, and the United States Corps of Engineers.
The Top 100
With decades of dedicated service to clients in South and Central Texas, D. Wilson has continuously expanded its business, achieving significant milestones such as increased annual revenues and the addition of new employee-owners. Notably, in 2007, the company surpassed the $50M annual revenue mark. Building on this success, in 2014, D. Wilson doubled its annual revenue to over $100M, while also growing its team to include 44 employee-owners.
D. Wilson's unwavering commitment to delivering high-quality commercial projects has earned it recognition as one of the Top 100 Construction Companies by ENR Texas & Louisiana Construction magazine since 2005. This year, we're proud to announce our ranking at 72nd place on the prestigious list.
Decades of Experience
Since its founding, D. Wilson Construction has demonstrated its capability and creativity in various projects across South and Central Texas. Clients have come to depend on our ability to deliver building solutions on time and within budget.
In our 66 years of operation, the company is entering its third generation of leadership with a continued commitment to our clients, a focus on sustainable growth, and community stewardship, of which our employee-owners are very proud.