Josh Lehde and Mike Myers
Castle Contracting

In 2001, Mike Myers found himself at the doorstep of Castle Contracting, a St. Louis-based construction company.  He was an admitted green-horn entrepreneural civil engineer coming off a start-up and looking for a meaningful position.  He found one at Castle as a project manager.

Two years later, Josh Lehde, shortly after graduating with a degree in mechanical engineering , was looking for an opportunity in the St. Louis area.  Myers who only knew him through an acquaintance decided to give him a summer gig running material to job sites.

Neither of them were able to stay in their assigined roles for very long, and Rich and Julie Ledbetter, Castle Contracting’s co-owners, had no idea that these two would have a huge impact on their  company. 

“They have youthful energy with deep experience and intelligence – it’s the most powerful combination of attributes for construction compsny managers,” says Julie Ledbetter.  “Castle Contracting is so fortunate to have it all with Mike and Josh.  When they joined Castle, the company revenues were around $4 million.  Today, Castle is a $20 million enterprise providing turnkey civil services for the area owners and contractors.”

Myers and Lehde are now company vice presidents and, in 2008, they gained equity positions at Castle.

According to Myers and Lehde, a great deal of their success can be attrbuted to the amount of responsibility and lattitude they were granted early on.

“It has been pedal-to-the-metal since I got here,” says Myers.  “It is so much fun knowing that what I do will have an impact on the company.  I have felt I had a voice since day one.”

“Julie and Rich give us opportunities to become experts and to think outside the box,” says Lehde.  “Everything that I have learned has been from the bottom-up.  They have been patient with me in trying new things.  I can always trust that they would not let me fall on my face, but I am going to learn my lesson.”