Built on Tradition and Excellence
Relationships are the foundation of every project Atlas Building Company undertakes. Whether it’s referrals that have led to new business or long-term connections forged with clients, design-team members, and local government officials, Atlas knows that the people involved in a project matter just as much as site plans and building materials.
Connecting with the Community
Atlas grows and nurtures those relationships through its involvement in professional associations, local nonprofits, and government entities like the Sarasota County Planning Commission, the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, and local economic development councils. The knowledge and connections Atlas develops from that involvement add value for clients, making it easier for them to tackle Florida’s complex building process and avoid costly mistakes.
Family History in Construction and Business
Stultz opened Atlas Building Company in Sarasota, Florida after a long career in construction, real estate, and engineering. The native of Indiana has followed in the footsteps of his maternal grandfather, whose decision to build some homes on a piece of unusable farmland led to a thriving local construction business, and several of his uncles, who also found success in construction and real estate.
“We truly believe that we need to give more than we take. Serving a client, doing the right thing, and helping people make wise decisions are critically important to our success, even if we don’t get the job. If there’s an opportunity to give a referral, we do it. We’re sowing seeds in our community. You just don’t know where they will develop and grow.”
-Andy Stultz
Atlas Building Co. Founder
The Atlas Story
Engineering and Corporate Leadership
Stultz started out in a different realm, getting a degree in mechanical engineering from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. After doing a co-op program with the CIA in Washington, DC, he was selected to join the technical leadership program at GE Aviation in Cincinnati.
Entrepreneurial Vision and Dedication
In 2001, he left the security and stability of GE and founded a real estate investment company focused on single family properties. In the spring of 2006, after surviving another long, grey, cold Cincinnati winter, he sold the business and moved his family to Sarasota County. Once there, he accepted a position as project manager for a local developer and then a year later, transitioned to a Sarasota based Commercial General Contractor. Over his eight years there, he rose to the vice president level, working in a business development and project executive capacity on projects for local companies like Sun Hydraulics and Gold Coast Eagle Distributing.
Atlas Building Company Becomes a Reality
In 2015, Stultz decided it was time to strike out on his own and began laying the groundwork for Atlas Building Company. He assembled a team of construction industry veterans and began the relationship-building process for his new firm. A basic office buildout and a full renovation of a local funeral home led to projects like a 24,000-square-foot headquarters for a Sarasota drone-parts manufacturer and retailer. In its portfolio of work, Atlas has developed particular expertise in the self-storage and manufacturing/industrial spaces, with several projects underway or planned.
Stultz’s engineering background serves as a valuable asset for Atlas and its clients. “Building jet engines and launching satellites into space are very complex engineering marvels,” he says. “My engineering degree and mindset allows us to break large complex problems into smaller manageable pieces, so that you can solve them in the right order to yield a great result.” It also means the firm can “talk the language” when things like mechanical systems and structural design are being discussed and planned.
Atlas operates under the philosophy that relationships are a two-way street. It often refers architects and subcontractors for other jobs and helps potential clients connect with others in the local construction industry if a project just isn’t the right fit for Atlas.
“You need a business like Atlas to help you navigate the process and make wise decisions. The earlier we are involved in a project, the better.”