President
Jason established Block Companies LLC after growing his commercial general contracting firm, Block Construction LLC, to a more than $17 million-a-year company in three, short years, and establishing a second division, Block Builders, LLC, in 2008.
Whether it’s a small, intimate store, an office building, or a multi-million-dollar apartment/condominium complex renovation, Jason believes that each customer deserves respect. He works to foster a solid relationship with his clients as well as the solid building of their dreams. This was Jason’s dream. Achieving that took hard work, close observation and a steady stream of jobs across the southeast U.S.
Jason began working in construction during a summer “vacation” when he was only 15 years old. He was hooked. After earning his Bachelor of Science degree in construction management, he quickly became a full-time estimator for a construction firm, overseeing retail, public works plants, prisons, hospitals, airport terminals, office buildings, apartments, schools, historical projects, rehabilitation, demolition, warehouses and athletic field projects, ranging in size from $50,000 to $100 million. With that experience under his belt, he moved to the role of project manager for a large, national construction company where he bid and managed projects. He spent the next ten years serving as an estimator, superintendent, project manager, safety director and vice president for a large Baton Rouge, La., firm. Today he runs Block Companies LLC, where his clients benefit from his experience, his tenacity and his desire to get the job right every time.
Jason is a board member of the Associated Builders and Contractors Pelican Chapter in Baton Rouge. He is a member of the Baton Rouge Growth Coalition, U.S. Green Building Council, the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, and the Louisiana State University Laboratory School Foundation.
Jason has a degree in building construction from the University of Louisiana at Monroe, a nationally recognized building construction program.
Vice-President
Stephen D. Keller brings more than 25 years experience in the construction and management industries to lead the Block Builders’ team in the multi-family building sector.
In 1982, Stephen moved to Houston to manage N&J Constructors’ Houston office. The company focused on commercial construction. It was there that Stephen first worked with Everett Jackson. In 1988, Stephen and Everett created Creekstone Companies, a fully integrated real estate investment group, offering real estate acquisition, development, construction and property management services. Creekstone has constructed more than $300 million in commercial and residential properties in more than 15 states. In addition, Creekstone owns 2,000 multi-family units and five shopping centers.
As president of Block Builders, Stephen handles everything from development, estimating, management and client service. He has experience with multi-family development, condominiums, HUD and Section 8 housing projects. Stephen’s reputation of high-quality construction – be it a high-end luxury development or housing that provides a suitable living environment and expanded economic opportunities for low and moderate income people – ensures his clients they will receive only the best for their project from start to finish.
Stephen is a member of the Young Presidents Organization, the National Apartment Association, the International Conference of Shopping Centers and the Houston Association of Building Contractors. He is a member of the Louisiana State University Laboratory School Foundation and a past member of Southwest Bank of Texas’ advisory board.
Stephen has a degree in building construction from the University of Louisiana at Monroe, a nationally recognized building construction program.
Brian Monk
Operations Manager
Brian Monk brings more than 15 years worth of experience in the construction industry to Block Builders. As operations manager, Monk is responsible for overseeing project progress, personnel scheduling, safety regulations on each project, and maintaining a good overall client/contractor relationship.
Monk has worked in various facets of construction, starting as a carpenter on slab formation and exterior framing, to interior cabinetry for custom home construction. For a stint, he served as an operator in the industrial field, enabling him to work in many different industrial applications and as an equipment maintenance scheduler.
As both an estimator and project manager for companies in north and south Louisiana, Monk honed his skills in all aspects of projects ranging from $2.5 million to $25 million, including negotiating and writing contracts for subcontractors; preparing conceptual estimates based on limited plans for owner/developer budgets and financing; working with owner/developer, architect, and engineers to develop pricing and construction plans; and working day-to-day with project managers and on-site superintendents to ensure successful and profitable projects.
Monk holds a Bachelor of Science in Construction from the University of Louisiana at Monroe. He is also a member of Sigma Lambda Chi, the honorary fraternity for construction majors.