Historical Profile

Richard J. Prescott Construction Company

Dick Prescott started his construction career as a carpenter for Russell May, a Rock Falls and Sterling area homebuilder. A major recession took Dick and Juanita Prescott to the southwest in search of work. Sometime during those months away, however, the Prescotts resolved to start up again and turn some dreams into realities back home in Sterling.

Just over two years later the first step was taken. A "huge" $5,000 loan, allowed the Prescotts to buy the business from Russell May and take fledgling strides as a contracting firm. With spacious offices in the basement of their home and Juanita handling the overall bookkeeping and reporting end of the business, the Richard J. Prescott Construction Company did mainly service and repair work until their first major job hit the books. An addition to the Episcopal Church in Sterling provided the cornerstone for a still growing list of projects completed "The Prescott Way."

The project that firmly established them as a general contractor was the Whiteside Area Vocation School. It was a pilot project, the first Vo-tech center in the state.

Dick Prescott once said, "What we're most proud of, is our reputation for credibility in dealing with everyone, owners, architects, subs and our tradespeople. It means a good deal to us to have all segments of a project feel good about it and their working relationship with us. It may sound corny, but their respect is really important to us."

Richard J. Prescott Construction Company was a long time General Contractor member of NIBCA until his retirement.