Small Business Spotlight: PAC Leaders

Melvin Henley, CEO of PAC Leaders, is successfully navigating the competitive landscape of the Chicago construction industry and transforming his small business into a flourishing force. In just seven years, the company has expanded its general contracting operations and secured projects that help shape the city’s skyline.

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Inspired by his own family history in construction, Henley – a second-generation carpenter – established PAC Leaders in 2017 as a general contracting company specializing in commercial and residential renovations. Instilling in his company a culture of continuous learning and mentorship, PAC Leaders invests in the next generation workforce by training those new to the skilled trades. Having developed more than 20 apprentices, the company also offers one-day workshops, on-the-job training, and entry-level carpenter training.

“As we’re helping people get hands-on experience in construction and construction management, perhaps there’s loyalty that comes with it and they stay with us. And if they don’t, at least they go into the industry as a well-prepared representative of our culture.”

Melvin Henley, CEO, PAC Leaders

One key to PAC Leaders’ steady growth is Henley’s participation in Clark’s Strategic Partnership Program (SPP). The eight-month course improved Henley’s project management acumen so that PAC Leaders could compete for and perform work on large-scale construction projects, while bolstering his confidence and professional network. Since completing the program in 2019, PAC Leaders has remained competitive on their own terms and scaled at a manageable pace. Last year, the firm completed its first project with Clark, providing project management support to deliver Fulbrix at 160 North Elizabeth, a 28-story, 375-unit apartment building in Chicago’s Fulton Market neighborhood.

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Under Henley’s leadership, PAC Leaders continues to make its mark on the Windy City and the local construction industry, currently working alongside Clark on the O’Hare International Airport Terminal 3 Improvement project with a scope including bathroom renovations, safety, project management, and document control. 

Henley explains how his motto “make an imPACt, not just noise” reflects the company’s achievements and sets the vision for what’s to come, saying, “We want to be in a position to win more projects, continue to raise the PAC Leaders brand, and create a name for ourselves. Whether we are part of a collaboration or perform the work on our own, we always aim to perform well because this is what will increase our credibility in the market and set us apart.”