Charlotte general contractor Edifice names new leader as CEO transitions to board chairman

Local contracting company Edifice has named Chief Operating Officer Gary Creed as its new CEO as owner Eric Laster moves into a new role as board chairman.

Laster has served as owner and CEO since 1987 and will continue to be involved in the company’s leadership. In recent years, he has focused on growing Edifice’s footprint in Charleston, South Carolina, its first office outside of Charlotte, while allowing others to lead the way here.

Creed, along with Tod Creech, chief financial officer; Michael A. Carlisto, executive vice president; Bryan R. Knupp, executive vice president; and Kyle Hanrahan, executive vice president; are now co-owners of the firm.

“This is something we’ve been working on for years, as I’ve begun to delegate my authority to these five people,” Laster said. “They have contacts of their own and have been intimately involved in the growth of Edifice, so they’ll be able to cast a wider net.”

He added, “Edifice is stronger than it’s ever been with a lot of potential for growth left.”

Charlotte-based Edifice, founded in 1978, is a regional general contractor that has become one of the Southeast’s leading commercial contractors with Laster at the helm.

Creed, who came on as COO in 2005, is someone Laster said holds a great deal of respect in the industry.

“Gary has worked with me for close to 18 years and has had tremendous training in the construction industry. He’s very knowledgeable of its controls and procedures in the industry and is very personable,” he said. “He has a lot of respect from everyone at Edifice and all the clients we build with.”

Edifice has about 60 active projects throughout the Charlotte region, including CrossRidge Center, a mixed-use development in Indian Land, and the redevelopment of Savona Mill, a 105-year-old textile mill in west Charlotte. The firm did $233 million in statewide billings in 2020, according to CBJ research. Laster said the firm is projected to do upwards of $500 million this year.

“My expectations and hope moving forward is that every client we build for has an enjoyable experience with us,” Laster said. “We’ve been able to do that for a long time … If we continue to do that, we’ll continue to thrive.”

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