How Fortis Construction Scaled to $3 Billion Without Losing Its Core

When companies chase accelerated growth, culture can often be a casualty. But at Fortis Construction, a $3 billion contractor based in Portland, Oregon, culture is the driver, not the collateral damage.

In the latest episode of Built In, FMI Consulting President Scott Winstead sat down with Fortis President and CEO Rob Fallow to discuss how the company grew from a startup to number 57 in ENR’s ranking of contractors without drifting from its purpose. The conversation revealed a masterclass in balancing entrepreneurial freedom with operational discipline and why purpose-driven leadership may be the ultimate growth strategy.

Guarding Against Drift

Fallow described two silent threats that can derail fast-growing organizations: cultural drift and operational drift.

Cultural drift happens “when we stray away from our focus on culture and the importance of culture,” Fallow said. The signs can be subtle, such as employees saying “I” instead of “we,” or describing their manager as a “boss” instead of a “captain.” Those small cues, if left unchecked, point to a deeper misalignment.

To combat drift, Fortis measures its culture as rigorously as its project metrics. Leaders rely on surveys, focus groups and even linguistic markers to spot early warning signs.

“If you recognize them quickly,” Fallow explained, “you can nudge them back into the lane without having the car go in the ditch.”

Operational drift, or straying from the company’s standards of excellence, receives the same vigilance. Each month, project teams review performance data to catch small issues before they escalate. For Fallow, this focus on early intervention is about “having the easy conversations before they become impossible ones.”

Decentralization as a Growth Engine

One of Fortis’ biggest challenges has been maintaining its entrepreneurial spirit as it scaled nationwide and abroad. While many large contractors turn to centralization for control, Fallow believes too much structure can stifle innovation.

“We look at that completely differently and say it’s a massive risk if you hire smart people and just tell them to follow a manual,” he said. “Essentially what you’re telling them is, don’t think.”

Instead, Fortis empowers decision-making at the project level, accepting that mistakes will happen. The goal is growth through ownership.

“I’d rather make honest mistakes with people who feel empowered,” Fallow explained. “That’s what unlocks potential.”

For executives, the takeaway is clear: decentralization, when anchored in shared values, isn’t chaos, it’s a catalyst for creativity and accountability.

Strategy Through Focus and Faith

Another hallmark of Fortis’ model is restraint. In a project-driven industry, the temptation to chase every opportunity is strong. Fallow and his team counter this with unwavering strategic discipline, guided by the Jim Collins “hedgehog concept.”

“We used to talk about some projects being strategic and others opportunistic,” he said. “But we realized all of our opportunities need to be strategic. None should be opportunistic.”

That discipline often requires saying no, even when the pipeline looks thin. “You have to have faith that the right project in the right market will come,” Fallow added. “If we chased shiny objects, we’d lose sight of who we are.”

By prioritizing long-term relationships over short-term revenue, Fortis builds deeper trust with owners, design teams and trade partners. It’s a philosophy that turns transactional work into enduring partnerships.

The Power of Purpose

Ultimately, Fortis’ success stems from its purpose-driven culture. Fallow emphasized that purpose attracts the right people who want to make an impact, not just a paycheck.

“We want people who challenge themselves to think deeply about why they’re here,” he said.

In an industry known for complexity and competition, Fortis proves that purpose, discipline and trust can scale as effectively as any business model. The real lesson, as Fallow put it, is that “when we focus on culture, the results take care of themselves.”

Listen to the full episode on our web site or wherever you get your podcasts.