With a degree in mechanical engineering from North Carolina State University (NC State), Scott Stamey had many different career options. After a stint in manufacturing, he ended up working with a consulting firm for the wood products industry, designing large-scale wood products facilities. Many of the projects during his 22-year career were focused on the engineering or project management side of the construction site. But about three years ago, John Cooper, a classmate from NC State, extended a job offer to manage projects in the Atlanta area for Cooper Tacia General Contractors.
Growing in Atlanta
With his new role, Stamey said he finally made it into the construction field. His main focus, however, is growing Cooper Tacia’s presence in the Atlanta area. The Atlanta branch of the company opened early 2024.
“I’m looking for those next projects,” he said. “Where can we go? What’s something new and bigger and better? I’m always looking at our current challenges and how I can solve those. One of our biggest challenges is hiring people. I’m always looking for the best talent who will fit our culture and help us continue to take on new projects and grow the company.”
The Atlanta area is competitive for both talent and projects, Stamey said, so helping the company grow in recognition helps with both challenges.
“We have a couple of projects going on locally here in Atlanta, and we’ve worked across the Southeast for much longer,” he said. “We’re building a very good reputation. We’re very active in the community. That’s our approach: Continue engaging, continue doing a good job on our projects, and eventually the problem will solve itself.”
Stamey believes an open mind is key to his ability to grow in his role and help Cooper Tacia grow in Atlanta and beyond. He said there’s always new things to learn, and keeping up with evolving labor markets, employee expectations and technology changes requires people to explore opportunities whenever they can. He also believes in treating people fairly and offering help whenever possible, which aligns with Copper Tacia’s philosophy of work.
“Any time I can help people in the industry — whether they’re our client or our employee — treating people with respect and dignity makes the entire work experience a whole lot more pleasant,” he said. “I think those things come back around. People recognize how you do business and the type of person and company you work for, and that pays you back over time.”
Stamey's Industry & Community Involvement
When Stamey still lived and worked in North Carolina, he extended a helping hand to other engineers through the Professional Engineers of North Carolina, volunteering in leadership roles within the organization for 12 years. He mentored young engineers and gave back to the wider community. Today, his role at Cooper Tacia keeps him busy, but the company is active in local chapters of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) and various associations for minorities in the industry, such as Commercial Real Estate Women Network (CREW), the National Association of Minority Contractors and the National Organization of Minority Architects, so he works with those efforts. He’s also a long-standing member of Rotary International.
“When I moved to Atlanta, I made a point to find a local club,” he said. “I think that service-mindedness is important.”
Cooper Tacia is focused on growth in Atlanta and throughout the country, and that involves community engagement. According to Stamey, engagement and the work environment the company offers are key to building the future of the construction industry.
“Other companies start the same way we did,” he said. “We were a small company doing kitchen and bathroom remodels, and we ended up being a $150-million-a-year business doing large industrial and commercial builds. But we still maintain the values of treating everyone with respect, engaging in our communities and giving back to our communities.”
John Cooper started the Cooper Charitable Foundation in early 2024, which seeks to close funding gaps for housing through housing stability grants. These grants provide financial assistance to those who are working but cannot keep up with expenses due to life circumstances. Stamey sits on the board of directors for the foundation. He said the example the company sets with its impact should inspire others to take up similar causes, which will improve the future for everyone.
For young people considering a job in construction, whether that’s in the office or in the field, Stamey advised, “Just do it.”
“It’s an absolutely rewarding, fantastic, dynamic industry, full of tons of opportunity,” he said.
Beyond Construction Stereotypes
Stamey added that there’s a misconception that construction is just boots-on-the-ground or hands-on-tools — or, for project managers, spending time buried in spreadsheets — but with evolving technology and business practices, people with different degrees and life and career experience have opportunities to get involved.
“There’s a team that works on nothing but technology [at Cooper Tacia],” he said. “They fly drones and model things in 3D so we can build them virtually before we build them physically. People think construction is just analog machines pushing dirt around or hammers putting up boards, but it’s so much more than that. ... There are marketing people and creative people doing branding, and salespeople making pitches. There’s an infinite number of ways you can contribute to construction.”
“If you’re even slightly curious, just look into it, maybe through an internship,” he said. Cooper Tacia offers an internship program with their North Carolina offices in a variety of construction settings. “If you think your interests don’t align with construction, you’re probably wrong. Find someone in the industry, and find out what you can do and apply to that role.”