Dynamic Dozen No. 8: Morelock-Ross

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Morelock-Ross Group of Companies has built more than homes and commercial structures; it's built a commercial-building-only firm into a company that embraces five separate ventures, according to president Wayne Morelock. Kenny Ross is the company's vice president. |ret||ret||tab|

Morelock-Ross Builders does custom commercial work; Morelock-Ross Properties does spec home building, custom commercial work and also acts as a mortgage company; and Morelock-Ross Properties Management does custom and in-house property management with a staff of licensed Realtors. |ret||ret||tab|

Properties under management include "apartments, mini storage, strip shopping centers and offices," Morelock said, including properties for its other two ventures: PMR and HMR, which are commercial investment groups. |ret||ret||tab|

The MR in each moniker is Morelock-Ross, but as to who's behind the P and the H, Morelock said those partners prefer to stay behind the scenes. |ret||ret||tab|

While partners Morelock and Ross didn't plan to create such a multifaceted group of companies, "It seemed logical to continue to expand within our expertise," Morelock said. |ret||ret||tab|

Morelock and Ross, who both went to school in Willard and grew up in the Springfield area, went into business together in 1982 as commercial builders. |ret||ret||tab|

"Our total volume in the first year was about $110,000," Morelock said.|ret||ret||tab|

Morelock-Ross Properties joined Morelock-Ross Builders in 1987, and the other three ventures came on board around 1990, he said. |ret||ret||tab|

Morelock-Ross' gross revenues in fiscal year 2000 were $26.7 million; in 2001, they grew to $31.6 million and in 2002, they rose to $37.3 million, a leap of 39.7 percent in three years. |ret||ret||tab|

Morelock-Ross Group of Companies has 52 full-time employees and works with about 250 subcontractors. When talking about the company's growth and success, Morelock is quick to mention Jamie Sivils, executive vice president in charge of operations, and CPA Randy Allen, who's the chief financial officer and the newest member of the group. |ret||ret||tab|

Of the five ventures that comprise the Morelock-Ross Group, Morelock-Ross Properties has done the largest volume in the last two to three years, Morelock said, "obviously because of a great housing market in Springfield." |ret||ret||tab|

"Morelock-Ross Builders has been very steady for the last 10 or 12 years on the amount of volume that they bring in. Morelock-Ross Properties has been the one that's really exploded in the last five years from a volume standpoint," Morelock added. PMR and HMR have steady growth and continue to build and own properties, he said. |ret||ret||tab|

Morelock said he and Ross had no inkling that their company would grow as it has. |ret||ret||tab|

"We used to sit around and talk about making more money than doctors, but that was always tongue-in-cheek," Morelock said. "We just thought that was a funny thing to talk about." |ret||ret||tab|

But he doesn't think anyone anticipated the growth that's happened in the Springfield area. |ret||ret||tab|

"I don't think any of us expected the market dynamics that we've seen because of the health care industry and, obviously, the entertainment industry in Branson, and us becoming more of a regional hub, not unlike St. Louis and Kansas City," Morelock said. |ret||ret||tab|

Recent and past Morelock-Ross projects include the Boys and Girls Clubs of Springfield's Stalnaker Unit, the MCI building, Mid-Missouri Bancshares' regional offices and several buildings at the Good Samaritan Boys' Ranch in Brighton. |ret||ret||tab|

"We hope to continue to perform at a level that keeps us both interested and motivated. We have families that will inevitably come into the business. We're both very interested and dedicated to the continued growth of Springfield and the surrounding area, and I think that's evident by our involvement in the community." |ret||ret||tab|

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