With a legacy dating back to 1951, Bruns Construction Enterprises has grown from a one-man operation into a multi-division enterprise with the ability to self-perform a wide range of construction services. “Our story began in 1951 when the company was founded as REB Construction by a single employee,” says Neil Bruns. “From there the company steadily expanded, driven by hard work, strong values, and a commitment to delivering quality work. Today, we offer a wide range of construction and development services through several specialized divisions. As a primarily self-performing contractor, we handle much of the work in-house including site work, concrete, steel erection, and electrical, plumbing, roofing, glazing, hvac. This gives us better control over quality, scheduling, and overall project performance. We’re also active in real estate development, helping bring projects from concept to completion through careful planning, investment, and execution.”
While Bruns has evolved over the years it has stayed true to the same core values it was built on, which are faith and family, integrity and honesty, taking ownership, working smart, and being enjoyable to work with. These core values are evident as Neil, along with his colleagues, Ted and Jason Bruns, and Dave Mason talk me through Bruns Construction Enterprises and the family of companies that make it.
Bruns Building & Development has its roots in the company’s beginning, originally founded in 1951 as REB Construction. “The rebranding to Bruns Building & Development marked a key milestone as the company expanded its self-perform capabilities and began delivering more complex, turnkey projects,” Ted says. “Today, it operates as a full-service design-build contractor, with the ability to self-perform critical trades like site work, concrete, steel erection, electrical, plumbing, roofing, glazing, hvac and remodelling. The team takes pride in delivering turnkey projects where we can control the quality and pace of the work, often exceeding expectations on schedule-sensitive jobs.” In 1979, Rockford Lumber was purchased, which later evolved into what is now known as RCS Construction. “Officially renamed in 1998, RCS Construction focuses primarily on light commercial construction, and has become especially well known for its work on assisted living and senior care facilities. RCS brings a personal, detail-oriented approach that’s well suited for those environments.”
Around that same time, the evolving company saw an opportunity to expand its service offerings and established Bruns General Contracting in 1982, creating new avenues for growth in commercial and industrial construction. “In 1996, we added Ohio and Indiana Roofing, extending our reach into the commercial roofing industry and giving us a stronger presence across the region.” Ohio and Indiana Roofing specializes in commercial roofing systems, handling everything from new installs to replacements and repairs, focusing always on long-term performance and value. 2013 marked a turning point for the company when Bruns Construction Enterprises was established. “This brought all of our companies under one unified umbrella,” Dave says, “aligning leadership, streamlining operations, and reinforcing our identity as a multi-division enterprise.”
“This brought all of our companies under one unified umbrella, aligning leadership, streamlining operations, and reinforcing our identity as a multi-division enterprise.”
Since then, and under the Bruns Construction Enterprises umbrella, the company has continued to expand its service offerings in line with market trends. “We continued building on that momentum with the formation of Bruns Industrial Construction in 2021 to better serve the growing demand for large-scale industrial and heavy commercial work. These jobs typically require more coordination, tighter tolerances, and a higher level of technical execution. The division allows us to focus on larger-scale projects without losing the hands-on, self-perform approach that’s become a Bruns hallmark.”
The most recent addition to the Bruns family is Glassco, which was launched in 2023. “Glassco further expands our capabilities into commercial glazing and rounds out our ability to provide integrated project solutions. While it’s still in the early stages, its creation filled an important gap in our project delivery capabilities. It’s made up of an experienced team and has already completed several successful storefront and curtain wall installations. Glassco is positioned for strong growth and adds an important piece to our ability to provide a complete exterior envelope solution.”
These divisions operate individually and in tandem to allow Bruns Construction Enterprises to deliver high-quality, integrated construction solutions while staying true to the values that define its almost 75-year legacy. “Each company brings a different strength to the table,” says Dave, “but they all share a commitment to quality, efficiency, and accountability. Our structure helps us stay flexible, but also brings the strength of a well-aligned team working toward a common goal. While each company has its specialty, our ability to integrate those services under one roof is what allows us to consistently deliver well-coordinated, high-quality projects. Our design-build divisions — Bruns Building & Development, Bruns Industrial Construction, and Bruns General Contracting — deliver full-service solutions and stand behind their work with a 5-year warranty on self-performed scopes for select design-build projects. That kind of long-term warranty is almost unheard of in our industry and speaks to the level of pride we take in what we do.”
Reflecting on these major milestones, and as the company approaches its 75th anniversary next year, Jason says that “it’s a reminder of how far we’ve come and how much more potential lies ahead. From a one-person operation to a family of companies working together as one team, each milestone along the way has been built on relationships, ownership, and a commitment to doing things the right way.”
The success of Bruns Construction Enterprises is evident in its people, its processes, and the projects each division leads. “Between Bruns Building & Development and Bruns Industrial Construction, we’ve had the opportunity to lead some truly standout projects that demonstrate the strength of our self-perform capabilities and the trust our clients place in us.” Notable projects that exemplify this include the Eldora Ballroom renovation and the Ansonia Athletic Complex. “These projects varied in scope — from historic renovations to large-scale industrial builds — but all required close coordination, schedule discipline, and hands-on execution from our crews across multiple trades. They reflect our ability to deliver complex design-build projects efficiently while maintaining high standards of quality and communication.”
RCS Construction, meanwhile, continues to define itself through its focus on light commercial and assisted living projects, with work that highlights both technical precision and community impact. The division has delivered projects such as Boardwalk Village, a vibrant lakeside community in Celina, Ohio, inspired by the Florida Keys. Officially opened in 2022 with 14 cottages, the development has grown year by year and today features colorful vacation rentals, dining, and recreation spaces, with future phases set to add more cottages, restaurants, sports facilities, and event spaces. The project reflects not just the team’s ability to deliver a complex multi-phase development, but also its role in creating spaces that strengthen local tourism and community life. RCS Construction has also completed the Piqua Center, and earlier delivered a state-of-the-art auto sales and service facility for Kern’s Ford – Lincoln in 2017. The 11,885-square-foot building, gave the dealership a modern space tailored to the needs of both customers and staff, and remains a showcase of RCS’s versatility in light commercial construction.
Ohio and Indiana Roofing has completed a number of large-scale commercial roofing projects throughout the region, including work for schools, medical facilities, and industrial buildings. OIR is actively working on the first Buc-ee’s, a Texas-based travel center, to come to Huber Heights, Ohio. “This location will be a 74,000 sq ft facility with 100 gas pumps and 24 electric charging stations. The roof assembly consists of a mechanically attached 50 mil Duro-Last single ply membrane roof system over two layers of 3” polyisocyanurate insulation to achieve an R-Value of 34.8. The unique thing about this project they will have over a 60’ diameter of the Buc-ee’s logo installed in the center of the roof that we will be part of coordinating.” Another notable project is the ODOT Headquarters, which is the largest contract in OIR history to date. “This is a new construction project, installing a fully adhered 80 Mil Duro-Tuff Fleeceback membrane over 5/8” Dens deck coverboard, over 2 layers of 2.5” ISO, over 5/8” Dens deck, over vapor retarder. The project consists of 3 buildings which total 187,000’ Sq Ft.”
As a newer addition to the Bruns family of companies, Glassco has quickly made its mark by delivering high-quality glazing systems on a variety of commercial projects. “While we haven’t yet completed a signature or large-scale landmark job, the team has built a solid foundation, and we’re proud of the early momentum. With several promising projects on the horizon, we’re excited about what’s to come and the role Glassco will continue to play in supporting our larger builds. Across all companies, what truly makes a project stand out is the collaboration — not just among our divisions, but with our clients, design partners, and communities. Regardless of the project size or scope, we’re proud of the care, ownership, and professionalism our teams bring to every job.”
Looking ahead, the future of Bruns Construction will be driven by sustainable growth, continued collaboration, and investing in its people. “The future is bright for Bruns Construction Enterprises,” Dave says, “and we’re focused on growing in ways that strengthen both our company and the communities we serve. For Bruns Building & Development and Bruns Industrial Construction, we see ongoing opportunities in design-build work, especially where clients value a self-perform partner that can deliver quality, control, and efficiency. We’re continuing to pursue projects that align with our strengths in concrete, steel, site work, and electrical — particularly in the commercial, industrial, and institutional sectors. As demands grow more complex, our ability to handle the work in-house gives us a clear advantage in both execution and client experience. For Glassco, the goal is steady and strategic growth. As a newer division, we’re focused on building strong client relationships, growing our team, and taking on larger, more complex glazing scopes that align with the needs of our other divisions.”
The team at Bruns believe that across all divisions, long-term success depends on the strength of the company’s people. “We’re committed to creating opportunities for growth from within — whether that’s through internal training programs, leadership development, or mentorship for the next generation of builders. We know that when our people grow, our company grows with them. We’re also focused on refining our processes, integrating technology where it adds value, and continuing to build on the trust we’ve earned over the years. We’ve come a long way, but we’re just getting started — and with our 75th anniversary on the horizon, we’re looking forward to the next chapter with the same values and work ethic that got us here. We’re continuing to build out our self-perform capabilities and improve how our divisions work together on fully integrated projects. That means better coordination, more efficiency, and stronger outcomes for our clients. From a business standpoint, we see opportunities to expand both geographically and strategically. That includes broadening our reach in current markets, growing newer divisions like Glassco, and continuing to take on larger and more diverse projects across the commercial, industrial, and institutional sectors. At the same time, we remain committed to the values that have guided us since 1951. Those principles are as relevant to our future as they have been to our past. Whether it’s through strong client partnerships, or continued investment in innovation and process, we’re excited about where we’re headed — and we’re confident the best is yet to come.”
