HASBROUCK HEIGHTS, NJ-Management skills are management skills, regardless of the project. That familiarity has helped Hasbrouck Heights-based Hollister Construction Services form the Hollister Foundation, a non-operating 501(c)(3) that assists children’s education and health programs. Hollister Construction CEO Christopher Johnson spoke with GlobeSt.com about the foundation’s beginnings, goals and how the construction company is doing well while doing good.
GlobeSt.com: What was the purpose in forming the Hollister Foundation?
Johnson: I had a partner whose son died of SIDS. He started the Ryan Wolf Kossar Foundation (RWK) and I served there and saw at the end of a golf fundraiser that we cut a check to a golf event management company for what I considered to be too much money. I turned around and said, “We’re project managers—we run events, construction projects.” A project is a project, so I thought we could add value by taking that role. [The Hollister Foundation] was created to energize and mobilize professionals in the real estate and construction industries to support children’s education and health programs. Our mission is to raise and distribute funds and foster children’s advancement through education and health initiatives. It started in 2009.
GlobeSt.com: What specific charities do you support and why?
Johnson: We partner with RWK, with the United Way and the Center for Autism in Philadelphia. RWK is where it all started. The United Way does initiatives around children. For the last couple of years we’ve done a construction project with them—we built a ramp for handicapped access for disadvantaged children at a day care center in Dover, NJ. It allowed handicapped kids to get to a playground the Jets donated. The year before, there was a school for the handicapped in Cedar Grove where the Jets did the playground equipment and we did the site work for the playground itself.
We support a number of others, but don’t directly partner with them: the Community Food Bank of New Jersey; the All-Stars Program and Strides for Sara. A fraternity brother of mine from college has a daughter with cerebral palsy. Two years ago, we set up her foundation and did a golf event. This year we did a cocktail party. Last year we bought a motorized wheelchair. Right now we’re designing her house for mobility—basically an elevator and ramps to get in and out of the house. We’re designing now and will fit out and do the work this summer.
GlobeSt.com: How much money has the Hollister Foundation raised?
Johnson: I was surprised to see how much we’ve raised—since inception, $1.3 million. That’s the gross dollars in the events we’ve been partnered with.
GlobeSt.com: Does this help your business?
Johnson: It keeps us networked with people who care. And our partners or I also usually take board level positions at the charities we get involved with. Ultimately, as a locally focused business, we talk about building relationships first and structures second. We’re even talking internally about changing the tag line—we’re building community, as well. It has helped our business. That’s not the reason we do it—we do it because it’s the right thing to do.
GlobeSt.com: How has business been?
Johnson: 2011 has been a very successful year for us. In the New Jersey market we’ve been the beneficiary of a number a great projects. We look forward to carrying the same into 2012.
GlobeSt.com: The same is true of the foundation?
Johnson: Correct. We’ve had more requests for partnering—“How can we get involved?” We’re looking at those. And [we’ve had] more grant requests as well.
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