HISTORY

R.C. Stevens Construction Company is one of Florida’s oldest and most experienced construction leaders. Founded in 1926 by builder/architect Raymond C. Stevens, the company has earned wide recognition as a full-service Design/Builder, Construction Manager, and General Contractor specializing in commercial, financial, healthcare, and process/manufacturing projects.

A pioneer of the Design/Build process, Ray Stevens was the first builder in Orlando to both design and construct projects for his clients. In those early years, he earned high respect for his integrity, innovation, keen sense of quality, and the ability to handle it all. In the 20’s and 30’s, Stevens entered the industrial market to design and build fresh fruit packinghouses, processing plants, and bulk storage structures, as well as to do general commercial construction work for ice-making and refrigerated buildings, using cork shaving insulation.

Among Stevens’ first commercial Design/Build efforts were projects for Orlando Utilities Commission, Hughes Electrical, The Sentinel Star, and the first Central Florida Coca-Cola bottling plant. Stevens also entered the healthcare market, building Orlando General (now Orlando Health) Hospital’s Nursing School in 1940, and the hospital’s 1948 expansion. Joined by his son Allyn in 1952, Stevens’ excellent relationships with citrus owners resulted in major Design/Build work in the citrus canning, processing and bulk storage industry – including the first commercially operating citrus concentrate plant for Vacuum Foods (later Minute Maid, now Coca-Cola North America).

Throughout the 60’s and 70’s, under Allyn’s leadership, the Stevenses were instrumental in designing and building hundreds of healthcare, commercial, and industrial projects. The company enhanced its time-honored reputation of providing quality and cost-effective projects for its clients through the 80’s and 90’s. In 1993, as part of a business continuation plan, David J. Smith and Timothy M. Keating were named President and Vice President, respectively. Both have University of Florida Construction Management degrees, with Keating also having a MBA. This leadership team has accelerated company growth with larger projects such as U.S. Sugar’s citrus processing plant, Southern Gardens. Smith and Keating share the same commitment to excellence through honesty and integrity, a major reason why clients continually select R.C. Stevens.

As 3rd generation owners, Smith and Keating set goals focused on company growth in expanded markets. Realizing that the success of the company was based on the Stevenses’ values and processes instilled in them, projects are now delivered using their proprietary Right Track™ process. This trademarked process is modeled after the teachings of the Stevenses and is applied in the company’s widening market and client base. Right Track™ standardizes R. C. Stevens approach to successful project delivery.

As the company moves through the new century and beyond with Keating at the helm, both Keating and Smith remain committed to managing the company as the Stevenses would have, with a guarantee of quality and integrity to their clients, their employees, and their community.