The Harper Company Contractors :: About Harper

History

Starting 70 years ago as one man’s dream, The Harper Company has been built on a deep commitment to quality, integrity, and old-fashioned hard work. Over the years, company leadership paid careful attention to the public’s needs and responded by providing high-quality, efficient, and timely services to meet those needs.

The Harper Company takes great pride in our historical accomplishments and look forward to the challenges that lie ahead with the knowledge that we will continue to provide the same integrity and dedication that has placed us solidly at the top of our industry.

	Review the timeline to learn about the key milestones in the compelling story of The Harper Company.
	William Leonard Harper and his new bride Florence laid the foundation to have his company recognized as the W.L. Harper Co. Began operating the business from an office located on Main Street in the heart of Cincinnati, with the support of his brother John Harper. Jumped into the business with equipment left from the Harper and Poage era, including a Smith 27-E paver, Lakewood finish machine, Keystone shovel, Gallion grader, a Gallion roller and road forms In these early days, John Harper looked after the construction projects while Len helped during the evenings and weekends.
	Expanded reach to the suburbs and Kentucky. Important projects included extending the runway for larger aircraft at Lunken Airport, pouring all the concrete for the Trailmobile Corporation’s new facility in Oakley and a grading and paving project at the Jefferson Proving Grounds for U.S. Corps of Engineers to test the latest military weaponry that would carry them into World War II. Purchased property on Highland Avenue and moved into new offices to accommodate growth of the company. Awarded its first contract at the Greater Cincinnati Airport, including grading, draining, and paving of 35,000 square yards of aprons, ramps, and driveways. Completed subdivision developments in Golf Manor, Clovernook, Dillonvale, Greenhills, Indian Hill, and Lakeside Park in Kentucky. Moved into waterline construction projects throughout Greater Cincinnati. Passed the $1 million mark in annual contracts completed.
	Formed a second company known as the Harper Construction Co. for industrial sector work. Important projects included the floodwall in Maysville, Kentucky for a cost of over $600,000, the Ross Run Sewer, several large subdivision developments in Cheviot, Seven Hills, Brentwood, Dillonvale, Covedale, and North College Hill, and constructing a large waterline in Clermont County. Completed nearly fifty miles of sewer and waterline in Franklin, Ohio and Covington, Kentucky. Became more active in state highway work by gaining four prime contracts and two subcontracts for paving on U.S. 23. Initiated the nation’s Interstate Highway system in the Tristate on I-75 from U.S. 123 to the Montgomery County line, a $3.1 million job that signaled a major change in company and in industry standards for project size.
	Construction of the nations Interstate Highway system was in full swing. Paved over 20 projects on the Interstate System in Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana. Developed the expertise for high volume, quality concrete paving by becoming one of only 19 contractors to pave over one mile in a 10-hour period and by paving five mile in five days. Built several runways at the Greater Cincinnati Airport, Cox Airport in Dayton, Ohio, and Lunken Airport. Made major technology improvements including changing the method of concrete paving to a central mix batch plant, implementing slip form paving, and making significant investments in equipment. Developed a succession plan that would allow control of the company to gradually change hands from W. L. Harper to Forrest W. Huff and D.J. Sparks. The foresight of Mr. Harper and the succession plan he developed has allowed the company to move well into the future for many years to come.
	Constructed 11 Interstate Highway projects during the seventies. Eight projects at the Greater Cincinnati Airport, two large Interstate Highway jobs in southern Kentucky, the Georgetown, Ohio Bi-Pass U.S. Route 68, widening I-75 in Kenton County, the Five Mile sewer job in Hamilton County, and a project at Bluegrass Field Airport in Lexington, Kentucky. Entered a new era of Interstate Highway construction: rehabilitating existing highways. Accelerated efforts to streamline paving operations, increasing the quantity and portability of paving machinery, reducing the amount of time required to move onto a job and pave it, which became a Harper trademark.
	Became one of the top 100 privately held companies of Greater Cincinnati despite an economic downturn. Completed 15 rehabilitation projects on Interstate and secondary highways. Completed the freeway around Louisville, Kentucky. Responded to the public’s increase in air travel by completing several large airport jobs for public and private owners including the second north-south runway at Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. Built the first concrete overlay in the state of Ohio in Logan County. Incorporated new methods of construction in rehabilitation work by developing skills in handling traffic through a project and drastically impacting the success of a job. Formally changed the name of the company to The Harper Company in 1988, our fiftieth year in business.
	Continued a commitment to the commercial airline industry and fostered growth within the private air freight sector with construction of 36 airport projects. Major airport projects included the Delta terminal expansion at Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International, new taxiways at James M. Cox Dayton International, a new taxiway at Indianapolis International, and Runway 17-35 at Standiford Field in Louisville. Became involved in the construction of glycol collection facilities. Placed over 2 million square yards of concrete pavement in airport projects and placed over 1 million yards of pavement on highways including extensive reconstruction of I-275 and I-75. Built new office and shop facilities and moved to current location in Hebron, Kentucky.
	Completed 36 airport projects in commercial passenger airline transportation and the private air freight industry. Awarded the contract to build the new south cargo apron to house DHL consisting of over half a million square yard of concrete and nearly three miles of trench drain. Built taxiways to connect the apron to existing runways including the first aircraft bridge built by DHL. Reached a milestone, having completed 56 projects at the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, representing over 400 acres of concrete pavement including the third north-south runway that opened in December 2006.

Our Founder

William Leonard Harper grew up believing in the American dream, spending hours of his childhood watching the workers near his home building roadways. Targeting his education to fulfill those dreams, Len Harper studied civil engineering at the University of Cincinnati and completed several co-op positions as a laborer, cement finisher, and foreman.

After earning his degree in 1928, Len entered into a partnership with L.M. Poage to form Harper & Poage, which constructed city streets, sewers, water lines, and general highway/heavy work. After that partnership dissolved in 1934, Len joined Codell Construction Co. During his tenure with Codell, Len began constructing small projects with his brother John, and organized The W.L. Harper Company in 1938.

The Harper Company soon became a highly respected firm by public officials, competitors, and suppliers. While a hardworking businessman, Len Harper was also amiable and personally popular, that contributed to his success and to that of the company. Active in industry, business, educational, religious, and social organizations and highly regarded in the community, Len Harper served as an effective leader and a source of inspiration for the company that remains proud to bear his name.