Culture & History
Mighty in size, personal in service
Though we employ accountants and risk managers, we are led by builders. Everyone here works. At all levels, SEMA employees produce. The foundation of our success rests on a bedrock of three core values: Hunger, Humility, and Smarts. These values remain at the heart of SEMA’s identity, embodied by every member of our team.
We believe in necessary rules, freedom, and the responsibility that naturally follows. We have preserved the agility and cohesion of a small organization, all while being big.
Growing a tight-knit family business into a comprehensive general subcontractor
SEMA was founded by Tom Ames in Colorado in 1991, though our roots go back to the early 1960s. Tom has been married to Lois Ann Ames since 1967. Lois has actively shared all challenges and triumphs, not only during the inception of Tom’s Excavating in 1969, but also throughout the remarkable growth of Ames Construction over the ensuing 28 years. Together they have had three children: Monica, Tara, and Brett. Brett now serves as one of SEMA’s district presidents.
From 1991 to 1995, SEMA operated mainly as a subcontractor, specializing in mass grading and underground wet utilities, collaborating with heavy highway general contractors in Colorado and New Mexico. In 1995, Tom invited Brad Spies to join the firm as a partner. Brad was a trusted collaborator Tom first encountered in 1984 while working as a subcontractor. Brad Spies brought a wealth of expertise in structural work, a pivotal addition that fueled SEMA’s evolution into a comprehensive general contractor. This transformation equipped SEMA to offer a full spectrum of services, including Earthwork, Utilities, and Concrete Structures—a groundbreaking shift that positioned the company as a pioneer with unmatched efficiency within the construction industry.
Over the past three decades, SEMA has grown into one of the country’s largest Heavy Civil General Contractors, with offices strategically located in Southern California, Colorado, Texas, and Florida. We enjoy a host of customers from both the public and private sectors. We have expertise in all types of contracting methodologies including Design-Bid-Build and the most advanced contract methodology Progressive Design Build and CMGC.
To this day, Tom, with unconditional support from his wife and children, remains deeply involved, visiting project sites and regional offices, and actively engaging with customers, extending his hand in personal connection and commitment.
Our business model, in perfect harmony with our guiding principles, forms the essence of an experiences where employees and customers feel that at SEMA there is “more to look forward to.”
