Project Executive Rod Ferris Retires

A commendable 47 years in construction, project executive, and business development extraordinaire, Rod Ferris is retiring. 

When asked about his career journey, Rod remarked, “I’ve navigated the school of hard knocks.” Beginning in the field in 1978 as a laborer, he completed the carpenter apprentice program and worked his way up the ladder to become superintendent, then transitioned into project manager.

After 17 years of honing his skills with Sellen, Rod went out on his own and in 1997 opened Ferris-Turney General Contractors, Inc. With an extremely successful run of 25 years as President of his own firm, Rod came to the realization, “I was ready to reduce the stress and risk of ownership to focus on what I enjoy most—business development and preconstruction for a company and ownership team I truly respect!” That company, a long-time competitor, was Aldrich.

Joining the A+ Team in 2022, Rod brought a level of insight that uniquely positioned him to ask the right questions and understand the business objectives of projects. His efforts supported strengthening existing relationships and developing new ones. As a mentor, he passed along his wisdom and shared new ways of doing things to improve processes.

“I always knew when we competed against Ferris-Turney we had to bring our ‘A’ game to be competitive. Rod had a great reputation among many mutual clients. So, when he reached out about the idea of joining our team and bringing his talent with him, it was a no-brainer! It’s been a fantastic partnership, and I’ve learned a lot from Rod. While we do many things differently, his focus on client advocacy, delivering value, and creative problem solving were consistent with our values.” — George Ward, Aldrich President

The decision to retire became an easy one when his wife Colleen Barker opened her own business last year. “She has supported me for decades in my work,” he said, “so now it’s my turn to support her—happily.” In his retirement, you can expect Rod will be spending more time with family, working at home on Ferris Farm, and fly fishing, but also says “I want to stay somewhat active in the business arena and will be consulting as well.”

Rod, you have made an indelible mark on the industry, developed countless relationships, and left a lasting legacy. As we celebrate your contributions, and are excited for you at this next stage, know you will be greatly missed. Congratulations and best wishes for your much-earned retirement!