ENGLEWOOD, Ohio — In an industry where companies often rise and fall with the economy, Double Jay Construction has spent the last 50 years building something more durable than roads, foundations, and infrastructure projects.

The Englewood-based company, founded in 1976 as Double Jay Excavating, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year — marking not only a milestone in business longevity, but a multi-generational family legacy rooted in hard work, trust, and loyalty.

The company became closely tied to the Blair family in 1980, when Randy Blair joined the business as its third partner. Shortly after, Blair bought out his partners and became the owner. Over the next four decades, Blair helped guide the company through periods of growth and change while helping establish Double Jay Construction as a respected name throughout southwest Ohio.

Among the company’s recent high-profile work has been involvement in ongoing development and infrastructure improvements such as the City of Miamisburg’s riverfront revitalization, Sycamore Trails Park, and improvements on Main Street in Troy, Ohio. Each of these projects is designed to enhance public access, support future economic growth, and continue transforming the areas into community centerpieces.

Company officials say projects like the Miamisburg riverfront development reflect the kind of long-term community investment Double Jay Construction has become known for over the years.

“I had the contacts and connections to help grow Double Jay and came on as a partner after leaving Dayton Construction,” Randy said. “We started out with three or four employees, but every year we got more work.”

What began primarily as an excavation business evolved over the years into a broad construction and site development company handling commercial, municipal, and infrastructure projects throughout the region. But despite the company’s growth, family leadership remained at the center of its identity.

Today, Randy’s son, Ron Blair, serves as president of Double Jay Construction, continuing the hands-on leadership style that shaped the company from the beginning. Ron worked his way through virtually every level of the organization before taking over leadership, gaining firsthand experience in field operations, project management, and estimating along the way.

“I learned the business and management side of the company from Dad and I believe a lot of what has driven me are things that I learned from him,” Ron said. “I really just like working with family and he and I always had a great working relationship.”

Randy Blair’s daughter, Nikki Blair Gates, the Human Resources and Marketing Director, also became part of the company’s leadership team after years in education and administration. She helps maintain the company’s organizational culture while maintaining the close-knit environment employees often describe as family.

“It’s been nice to get to work with my family and I’m proud to see the work that we’ve done,” Gates said. “The industry and technology have come a long way since my dad’s time and the advice to the next generation, is to explore innovation and ways to make things more efficient.”

That culture, company officials say, may be one of the biggest reasons for Double Jay Construction’s long-term success. Many employees have spent decades with the company, creating a level of institutional knowledge and loyalty that has become increasingly rare in the construction industry.

One example is Kelly Long, the company’s field superintendent, who first started working at Double Jay Construction in the 1990s at just 16 years old. Long eventually became one of its most experienced and trusted leaders in the field. “I can’t explain how much I learned the field work from Kelly,” Ron Blair explained.

Stories like Long’s are common throughout the organization, according to company leadership, reflecting a workplace culture built on mentorship, opportunity, and long-standing relationships.

Lee Overturf, Project Manager and Estimator, came aboard in 2012 as one of the newer members of the management team. “It’s a tight-knit group. There’s a lot of continuity here and the growth that I’ve witness has been impressive.” Now, a fourth generation is beginning to emerge within the business.

Evan Jones, Nikki Gates’ son and a recent graduate of the University of Cincinnati, has already spent several summers working with the company while learning the business from the ground up. Family members say his involvement represents the continuation of a legacy that spans nearly half a century.

While the company has expanded significantly since its earliest days, the Blair family says the core philosophy behind Double Jay Construction has remained remarkably consistent: work hard, treat people fairly, and build long-term professional relationships.

As Double Jay Construction celebrates 50 years in business, company leaders say the anniversary is ultimately less about looking backward and more about appreciating the people who helped build the company one project, and one relationship, at a time.

“I don’t know if I’ll still be here in fifty years, but I’d love to keep it in the family,” Ron said. “I’d just like to see it continue in the growth path that we’re on. That’s something to be proud of.”