West Virginia Executive Spring/Summer 2020 | Page 113

1990
1995
1994 Graduated from WVU
“There is no greater feeling
than giving back. No matter how
much success you have in life,
helping others is the greatest
feeling and highest reward of all.”
2000
2005
2010
2015
2020
2003 Opened Bear
Contracting, LLC
2004 Married wife, Angela
2005 Son, David, was born
2006 Son, Gabriel, was born
2009 Daughter, Kate, was born
2012 Opened Bear Utilities, LLC
2015 Named chairman of
Associated Builders and
Contractors of WV
2016 Named board
member of CAWV
2018 Founded Building
Hope, Inc.
2019 Named board member
of MedBrook Children’s
Charity Inc.
a gravity sewer system in his neighborhood.
While he tried working in insurance and
sports marketing for a time, he eventually
came to the realization that the construction
industry is where his passion lies.
“My passion for construction leads me
to try to improve every day and to learn
more to benefit myself and our companies,”
he says. “Nothing excites me more than
building something and doing it right. It
is so rewarding when you see your team’s
hard work complete, and it makes you
want to do it again and again.”
Both of Urso’s companies have seen
great success in multiple facets of the construction
industry, including the natural
gas market, pad construction and reclamation,
bridge and road repair, environmental
upkeep, mechanical maintenance
and pipeline monitoring. He also finds joy
in mentoring and encouraging up-andcoming
young contractors.
“Over the last four years, our companies
have seen a shift in average age from 54
to 39, which has required a lot of coaching,”
he says. “While mentoring, it never
fails that I learn something about myself
and my business that actually benefits me
when I am truly trying to help others. It’s
amazing how the man upstairs works.”
When he’s not overseeing the day-to-day
operations of those companies, Urso finds
time to give back to his community. In
2018, he created Building Hope, Inc., a nonprofit
organization focused on anti-bullying
in schools that he hopes to someday expand
into all 55 counties of West Virginia.
“The program works with grade school,
junior high and freshman high school students
throughout West Virginia, teaching
them about empathy and respect for their
fellow classmates,” he says. “The program
also builds hope in high school freshman
that they can be successful in whatever
they put their heart and mind into, whether
they go to college or not. College is not
for everyone, and if I can be successful,
they can too.”
Urso also helps with construction needs
at his church and serves as the utility division
director of the Contractors Association
of West Virginia (CAWV), a member
of the Mountain State Young Presidents
Organization, co-chairman of the CAWV
Workforce Development Task Force and a
board member for MedBrook Children’s
Charity, Inc.
“There is no greater feeling than giving
back. No matter how much success you have
in life, helping others—especially kids—is
the greatest feeling and highest reward of
all,” he says. “I also feel it is important to
not forget my roots and the roots of my
employees, so I try to encourage my management
team to help out and give back to
the communities from which they came.
I try to give regularly to Robert C. Byrd,
Bridgeport and Notre Dame high schools,
Bridgeport youth athletics and West Virginia
University. Each hold a special place
in my heart, and I truly believe the more
you give the more you receive.”
While he has lived and worked in other
states, returning home to live, work and
start his businesses was an easy decision
for Urso.
“I just love the people of this state,” he
says. “In my years of travel, I have been
a lot of places, and nothing compares to
the hardworking, down-to-earth people
of West Virginia. Its beauty and history
don’t hurt, either.” •
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