About Us
History
Verdeterre is a full-service site earthwork and site utility company specializing in commercial, retail, institutional and industrial contracting. Founded in 1980 by Dan and Mary Brown, Verdeterre has earned a reputation for tackling complex projects, embracing cutting-edge technologies and making a difference in their community.
Now in its second generation of continuous family ownership and operation, Verdeterre’s range of services has expanded to include nearly all site preparation and improvement services on both private and public owned projects. We offer complete pre-construction, general construction, construction management, design-build services, restoration and landscaping tailored to the exact needs of your project.
Verdeterre currently holds MDOT pre-quals in EA, K, J, and I with a cumulative overall $29.9 million rating.
1980
Verdeterre is founded by Dan and Mary Brown. A family company, the Brown’s unanimously choose to name the company “Verdeterre”, French for “worm of the earth,” or simply “earthworm.” Verdeterre initially performs site utility installation only for a select group of public and private clients via open cut construction.
1994
Chris Brown graduates college with a civil engineering degree and joins Verdeterre full time. Verdeterre branches off into site preparation and grading and adds a second crew for the first time. This is the beginning of the changing of the guard and the introduction of modern technology to a very old school construction company.
2018
Verdeterre completes an office expansion project doubling the previous size and renovating the original space to better accommodate current and future growth needs. The expansion included all new IT equipment, new office furniture, a modern conference room and a new sign. A new website is also launched. Verdeterre also finished up a two year $2 million dollar capital expansion program expanding and updating our fleet to include enough Caterpillar and John Deere iron providing the resources needed for the company’s four field crews.
2020
Verdeterre was fortunate that Covid-19 did not have a significant impact on the overall operations and financial performance for Verdeterre in 2020. The field teams were shut down for 7 weeks, and thanks to a timely SBA-PPP Loan, all team members received 40 hour checks and full benefits during the Covid-vacation. There were some struggles and learning curves with remote work for the office staff as well as making sure to adhere to all of the MIOSHA rules necessary for the field teams to follow, but over all the entire Verdeterre Team came through 2020 and Covid mostly unscathed. Our yearly company picnic and Naples, FL leadership training were canceled in 2020 but dates for 2021 are already in the works!
Company Culture
Verdeterre began as a small, family business and we still run our organization in the same manner, instilling these values into every employee we hire and carrying them to every job site we visit.
We take pride in the company culture we’ve built that fosters teamwork, values work/life balance, encourages leadership and empowers individuals at every level. Annual safety training and mentorship from our more experienced team leaders is made available to each of our young and talented field and office members.
Verdeterre’s positive, family-like atmosphere is further bolstered through a number of yearly team building events:
- Leadership Training in Naples, FL
- Tiger’s Ballgame and Summer Picnic at Comerica Park
- Company/Family Bowling Night at Bowlero
- Annual Fall Company Retreat
- Ice Fishing Trip in Northern Michigan each Winter
- Christmas Luncheon
…instilling these values into every employee we hire and carrying them to every job site we visit.
Verdeterre Volunteer Day
At Verdeterre Contracting our social mission represents a commitment to our community amidst all the hard work. We create, collaborate, and partner with community-based organizations to sponsor, produce, and participate in a wide variety of programs.
In 2020 Verdeterre Contracting hosted fourth and fifth graders to our Gallery Point subdivision site for a tour of infrastructure installation with regard to site stormwater management. We finished the morning with hot chocolate and donuts.
