Bennett Team at InstallationThird-generation owner Gregory Bennett Jackson decided to celebrate the 100th business anniversary of his family’s full-service home remodeling company, Bennett Contracting, Inc., by helping families in Albany’s South End build strong roots.  

On May 2, 2015, Jackson and a team of Bennett Contracting employees constructed and installed a garden shed and a grape arbor for local nonprofit Capital Roots in its Lincoln Park community garden, where more than 52 families grow their own food.

In addition to Jackson, members of the Bennett Contracting team included Tony Cicchino of Delmar, John Gilman of Stillwater, Brian Olmstead of Castleton, Andy Dowen of Slingerlands, Bob Dowen of Schodack, Steve Shanholtz of Slingerlands and Chris Brozowski of Glenmont.

Since all of the Capital Roots’ community gardens are managed organically, Jackson made sure to use cedar instead of treated lumber where possible. “Our ‘Building Strong Roots’ project demonstrates Bennett Contracting’s belief that every project, no matter how big or small, receives our utmost attention and care,” Jackson said.

Bennett Contracting, Inc., began in 1915 when Dan (D.A.) Bennett opened a plumbing shop in a rented garage in Delmar, NY. A railroad steam fitter, Bennett saw opportunities in servicing the new technology of the times: indoor plumbing and central heating. Family members joined the growing company after World War II. In 1976, Gregory Jackson, one of Bennett’s grandsons, was brought in to start the D.A. Bennett Insulation Company. 

In 1984, Jackson and his business partner Paul Gutman expanded the company beyond plumbing, heating and insulation into a full-service home remodeling business and moved the company to its current location at 693 South Pearl Street in Albany, NY.   

The Capital District’s number one home remodeling company, Bennett Contracting has expanded their services to include windows, siding, kitchens and baths. With more than 60 employees and an extensive service department, Bennett Contracting can handle any home improvement project a customer has in mind. Visit www.bennettcontracting.com for further information. 

Capital Roots is a 40-year-old nonprofit organization that nourishes healthy communities with 50 Community Gardens, The Veggie Mobile®, Healthy Stores, The Produce Project, Squash Hunger and more. Capital Roots recently opened The Urban Grow Center, a regional facility focused on urban agriculture and produce distribution to four counties, enabling Capital Roots to triple their ability to deliver local food and services to underserved neighborhoods and low-income families. Learn more at www.capitalroots.org

Blogger BioPauline Bartel, M.A., is President and Chief Creative Officer of Bartel Communications, Inc., an award-winning corporate communications firm. One of the company’s specialties is business anniversary marketing.

Bartel Communications created “The Bartel Years™” and “The Bartel Years 200™,” rosters of business anniversary symbols to inspire two centuries of business anniversary “sell”-abrations.  

Through The Bartel Way™, an integrated marketing and public relations strategy, Bartel Communications uses business anniversaries as showcases for a company’s products and services. This engages customers, drives sales and transforms the anniversary into a “sell”-abration. For further information, visit www.paulinebartel.com/services/corporate-services/business-anniversary-consulting