When Wesleyan School added a high school in 1996, it began a relationship with New South Construction Company Inc. that continues to this day. The midsized general contractor has spent a lot of time at the school's Norcross campus, building an activities center, various classroom buildings and, most recently, an administrative building. "It's been an 11-year ongoing project," notes Doug Davidson, president and founder of New South.

Several of the company's clients, including Delta Air Lines Inc. (New South just finished renovating the airline's south terminal ticketing area at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport) and Emory University, have called on New South for multiple projects. In fact, more than 70 percent of business comes from repeat customers, and Davidson is proud of that.

 Davidson, who launched New South in 1990, strives to keep his clients for life. He believes the key to doing so is making sure you have great employees doing great jobs.

New South's employees voted it one of Atlanta's 2007 Best Places To Work, coming in at No. 4 in the small employer category.

 Their attitude was evident in a survey conducted as part of the 2007 Best Places To Work program. "New South Construction's ownership understands that their employees are their most valuable asset," wrote one member of the New South staff.

To ensure the 92 in-house and 100-plus hourly field employees are able to do the best job possible for their clients, Davidson and New South's leadership have created an environment where people feel empowered rather than micromanaged and where management makes sure employees have the tools and resources necessary.

To encourage communication and keep everybody up to date, there is a monthly staff meeting, a monthly newsletter and a suggestion box to which only Davidson has the key. He wants employees to know they can share ideas or vent without fear of repercussion.

"We try to make sure they know they're part of a team and that without all pieces of the team, things don't happen," says Davidson.

 The blueprint appears to be working. Notes one employee: "There is an atmosphere within New South that is encouraging, even uplifting, not jealous, for the success of the individual, the project and the company."

It doesn't hurt that New South is doing well. In 2004 and 2005, revenue was $95 million. Last year was a banner year, with revenue hitting $150 million. Almost all the markets for which New South provides services -- private schools, country clubs and airports among them -- had clients who needed something constructed or renovated.

The company does what it can to promote from within, and it has a pipeline to tap talent at the college level. Students in construction programs at universities such as Georgia Tech, Auburn University (Davidson's alma mater), and Georgia Southern University are eligible for an internship program, and the company is loyal to its interns. "We stay in touch when they're in school and when they graduate, we hope they'll interview here first," said Davidson.

Wrote one recent graduate in the survey: "I interned at New South and never thought twice about moving to a different company when I graduated from college."

To show appreciation to employees, there is an annual picnic, a holiday party (where employees with long-term tenure at the company are recognized) and incentive awards for superintendents who post good safety records.

Although Davidson isn't the kind of CEO that talks about what a great job he's doing, his employees have. An employee said in the survey: "The leadership from the top down is great. The top executives practice what they preach and that speaks volumes."