Pearson-Barrons Secures 40 Under 40

Posted on August 1, 2025 by Elizabeth Meeth

Greta Pearson-Barrons Named to Moody on the Market’s 40 Under 40

Pearson Construction’s own Greta Pearson-Barrons has joined the prestigious list of emerging leaders recognized by Moody on the Market. These individuals are described by Moody on the Market as “stellar professionals among us that are making a difference at their workplace, excelling in their industry and making valuable contributions to betterment of Michigan’s Great Southwest. These professionals clearly stand head and shoulders above all others in the region and have been able to excel at what they do regularly. Those selected for representation in the 40 under 40 will be those that set the tone for what every person should ascribe to in Michigan’s Great Southwest.” Each was nominated and chosen by a panel of independent judges.

Here’s more on how Pearson-Barrons answered questions asked of her after winning the honor, from MoodyontheMarket.com

Name
Greta Pearson-Barrons

Age
29

Company/Organization

Pearson Construction Company, Inc

What Does Your Company/Organization Do?
Pearson Construction Company, Inc., headquartered in Benton Harbor, Michigan, began providing construction services in 1918 and since that time has evolved into a full service general contracting, design build and construction management firm. Long noted for their leadership in commercial, industrial, and institutional construction, Pearson continues to broaden their professional services to serve the industry needs of today and tomorrow.

Education
I attended Ferris State University and earned my bachelor’s degree in Construction Management.

Accomplishments
I graduated Summa Cum Laude from Ferris State University, where I also served as President of the Omicron II Chapter of Sigma Lambda Chi, the national honor society for the construction industry. Since beginning my career, I have earned both my Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control certification and my Michigan Builder’s License. Last year, I completed the Leadership Accelerator Course hosted by the Lake Michigan College and Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber. I am honored to have served on the Star Building Systems Presidential Advisory Board and currently hold leadership roles as Vice Chair of the Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber Board and Chair of the NextGen Young Professionals Board.

What else do you hope to accomplish by the age of 40?
Before I turn 40, I hope to become a visible and active role model for women in construction, helping to shift the gender balance in leadership across the industry. I aim to do this by mentoring and supporting young women as they begin their careers, and by sharing my own journey to inspire others to pursue leadership roles. Additionally, I’m committed to continued personal and professional development – not only for my own growth, but to better serve and empower the teams I lead.

Current City
Benton Harbor

Place You Were Born
St. Joseph, MI

What was your first job?
My first job was shredding documents at Pearson Construction; I think I burned through at least two paper shredders in the span of one summer.

What’s the best advice you ever got?
The best advice I’ve ever received was, “The only way through it is to get through it.” While simple, it’s a powerful reminder that during challenging times, perseverance is key. It reinforces the importance of staying focused, taking things one step at a time, and continuing to move forward – even when the path is difficult.

Who inspires you most?
My dad inspires me daily. He leads with dedication, clarity, and compassion – always decisive and firm when needed, yet deeply understanding of the people around him. He genuinely cares for his employees and clients, earning their trust and respect through both his actions and integrity. While he may be direct and no-nonsense in his approach, it’s a style that reflects his authenticity and commitment to doing what’s right. His leadership has shaped not only my career, but also my values.

That one thing about you we’d be most surprised to learn.
I am an accomplished equestrian, having competed nationally and in Canada under the Arabian Horse Association. My experience in the sport has instilled in me a strong sense of discipline and attention to detail. Unsurprisingly, I am a perfectionist and trying to hone my skills in hand embroidery and gardening.

What do you love to do in your downtime?
I love spending time with my son & husband. My husband has a knack for pulling together out-of-the-box adventures for our little family.

What book are you reading now?
I am currently reading the Crescent City series and plan to read the Throne of Glass series next.

Volunteer activity you love the most.
One of the volunteer activities I’ve enjoyed the most is working with children through equine therapy programs. The experience of seeing how horses can help build trust, confidence, and emotional resilience in kids – especially those facing any sort of challenge – has been incredibly rewarding. While I haven’t had as much time recently to be as hands-on as I’d like, this type of meaningful, unconventional therapy work continues to be close to my heart. I deeply value the opportunity to give back in ways that create a lasting, personal impact, and I look forward to reintegrating this type of service into my life as my schedule allows.

What motivates you to give back to your community?
As someone who lives, works, and raises a family in our community, I understand that the community’s success is the foundation for our collective well-being. I feel a deep sense of responsibility to contribute to that success – not just professionally through my work in construction, but personally by supporting initiatives that strengthen the place we all call home.

What Superpower would you most love to have?
I would love to be able to teleport anywhere in the world (good-bye long car rides & flights) or to stop time (there are never enough hours in the day!).

What would you like to leave behind as your legacy once you are gone?
I hope to leave behind a legacy of impact, both in the spaces I’ve helped build and the people I’ve worked with along the way. As a woman in construction, I want to help pave the way for others – especially young women – to see that leadership, strength, and success in this industry are not limited by gender. I want to be remembered as someone who led with integrity, empowered her team, uplifted her community, and contributed to building more than just structures – helping create opportunities, confidence, and connection for the next generation.

What does the honor of being named to the 40 Under 40 most mean to you?
I am so honored to be recognized along with so many other impactful people in the community. It reminds me that hard work, purpose, and passion do not go unnoticed. I’m very thankful for the people who have supported me, the opportunities I have had, and the impact I have been able to make so far. As a young woman in construction, this recognition also carries extra meaning. It reinforces the importance of representation and inspires me to continue mentoring others, pushing boundaries, and giving back to the community that’s shaped my journey.

Elements of Smart Architectural Design

Posted on December 21, 2022December 21, 2022 by Elizabeth Meeth

Creating the best Vision for the Business Owner takes a Team Approach

Arunas Rumsa of Pearson Construction’s In-House Architectural Design Team, TERA Architects, shares insights into what elements are essential for Smart Design.

“What I enjoy about a design build scenario is doing what I do best, and being part of a team that does what they do best. It’s not so much that I am the overall designer or master planner, a lot of the decisions we made are done collectively,” says Rumsa. “We go through an iterative process of accessing information, and it may not have anything to do with architecture. It may have something to do with finances, building location, timing, sequence. All that goes into solving a problem for the owner.”

When choosing the design/build process – the contractor is always known. In this case, Pearson Construction. So Arunas and his team don’t have to detail every single thing. He is able to rely on the experience of the general contracting team, and their expectations, so they are able to cut out a lot of the drawing time in a more traditional, design-bid-build process.

“There is a big convenience of me being able to walk across the room and discuss technical questions. We could have a question about the cost of one foundation system versus another foundation system based on poor soil qualities, and make a decision fairly quickly on how we want to proceed with that part of the building,” says Rumsa. “Pearson Construction crews can come to me and ask questions about code reviews, code questions, and a lot of times those conversations lead to changing design plans that save the business owner money.”

When talking about Smart Design – the more each side is able to talk to each other, and discuss plans, the better the project becomes. At the beginning of a project, TERA Architects team members have a pretty good understanding of what a building might look like and what it’s going to cost. Our design team works to stay on top of the business owner’s needs and budget through the whole design build process. The majority of meetings are productive where we work directly with the owners, and contractors in order to get immediate feedback on the project.

What about setting a budget?

Rumsa says the best thing about a building is setting parameters, or definition, guidelines – the budget being one of them.

“When I look at a project, initially, and I look at the owner’s budget, we can all analyze with the help of the construction site whether it’s a realistic budget or not,” says Rumsa. “The real creativity comes in when you are actually designing within that budget, and can create something spectacular for the owner for the price they want to spend.”

The resulting product is something that we hope our client is excited about, because we know we have taken all of their wants and needs into consideration, and designed a vision everyone can be proud of.

“You go into the archives from 60 years ago and you look at the tremendous amount of work this company has done for the community, and you want to be part of a team that is passionate about what they do,” says Rumsa. “Others being passionate makes you want to be passionate.”

The creation of Pearson Engineering, Inc. in 1956, dba TERA Architects, Inc., has allowed Pearson to remain on the forefront of innovation and construction deliverables. Staffed with highly trained and experienced architects, engineers, and designers, TERA provides efficient, economical project design through both traditional and design build methods of project delivery.

Click Here to View more of Person Construction and TERA Architects Projects

Pitfalls of Historical Construction

Posted on November 28, 2022November 28, 2022 by Elizabeth Meeth

Learn the 5 pitfalls every real estate investor or business owner should know about before purchasing a historical building.

Our team of project managers, contractors, engineers and architects can help you navigate the best way to approach your historical building construction project. We have decades of experience working on historical buildings in southwest Michigan. Pearson Vice-President Sean Ebbert says there are a few main things to keep in mind before singing on the dotted line. The first pitfall is many business owners and real estate investors believe the building they are looking to purchase is in better shape than it is.

Pitfall #1 – They underestimate the amount of work it takes to bring it up to code.

“It’s imperative that those interested in purchasing these types of properties rely on experts like our team at Pearson Construction to tell them what could be hidden beneath the surface,” says Ebbert. “It often takes a lot of work to revitalize these buildings and bring them up to code.”

The utilities, the water system, electrical infrastructure – in essence a lot of the things you don’t see – it’s hard to put that into terms of how much work needs to be done and that can be a real driver of cost.

Pitfall #2 – Sometimes you underestimate what the building is.

Our team of in-house design professionals, including engineers and architects can determine what parts of the building can be salvaged. We have the advantage of being able to establish a realistic budget on the front-end of your project.

“We try to minimize the surprise and sticker shock at the end of the project,” says Ebbert. “You can save costs if you utilize more of the building. So just taking down a crumbling wall all the way isn’t necessarily a cost-effective approach. Salvaging some of that wall keeps some of that historical character and at the same time saves money.”

Pitfall #3 Is there a Historical Designation attached to the building?

A lot of older buildings that have been around a while don’t necessarily have a historic designation by the state or other organization, but some owners do like to maintain that historic integrity and flavor. However, it’s important to keep in mind some areas do require special building materials.

Pitfall #4 Scheduling Issues

Unforeseen conditions can shift the construction timeline. Ebbert says when considering historical renovation it’s an “if” not “when” you will come across unforeseen situations that cause your timeline to shift.

Pitfall #5 Public Reaction

“Be prepared for neighbors and area businesses to weigh-in on your project,” says Ebbert.

This last one is something many business owners don’t think about before their project has started. Ebbert says people in the community tend to be pretty passionate about change, and whether you are saving things or changing things there can be feedback from the community that could be a deterrent to some business owners when considering a historic project.

So why choose Pearson Construction for your Historical Construction project? The main reasons are simple – Our Experience, Our Knowledge of the Local Market, and our Team Approach of sharing information and using the strengths of our best team members for each individual project.

“It’s not a one size fits all situation,” says Ebbert. “It’s not ‘I can handle this particular type of project all the time.’ There may be a project manager who is better suited based on previous experience and timing to take on that project. We connect the right people for the right project.”

Pearson – WE BUILD. Historical Projects.

Great Lakes Eye Care Building Renovation

Posted on October 11, 2022 by Elizabeth Meeth

Pearson Interiors was able to Give an Old Building a New Life

Chances are you’ve heard the saying “When the Bones are Good.” At Pearson Construction, we have the experience necessary to determine whether it’s possible to take a run down building, with a solid structure, and transform it into something special again. We recently had the chance to do just that for Great Lakes Eye Care, who purchased a dilapidated former fast food restaurant, in order to turn it into a new clinic for their patients in South Haven. Take a look at how it all turned out.

Pearson – WE BUILD. for Healthcare

Contact our team for any of your commercial, industrial or institutional construction needs: CONTACT US

Constructing for Man’s Best Friend

Posted on August 24, 2022September 23, 2022 by Elizabeth Meeth

Humane Society of Southwestern Michigan Renovation

Sometimes a project comes along that tugs at our emotions. One that our crews feel truly good about completing – because it impacts the health and well-being of our clients. This is that project. In this Pearson In Focus, we got to come up with an idea that will ultimately protect the dogs hoping to be adopted at the Humane Society of Southwestern Michigan.

Pearson – WE BUILD. for the health of Man’s Best Friend.

Contact our team for ideas that will benefit your business.

Church Construction

Posted on April 13, 2022October 11, 2022 by Elizabeth Meeth

Pearson – We Build. Churches

We’ve had a hand in designing, building and renovating numerous places of worship across Southwest Michigan – from Buchanan to Benton Harbor, Stevensville to St. Joseph, and beyond. Here’s a look at some of our most recent Church construction projects.

Learn more about how we can support your church placement and expansion efforts by contacting our business development team.

Pre-Construction Services

Posted on December 23, 2021September 23, 2022 by Elizabeth Meeth

Take the Guess Work out of your Construction Project

An important part of every project is design and planning. Pearson’s pre-construction services offer the necessary pre-project planning, cost and schedule development, constructability reviews, and value engineering prior to the start of a construction project. These services can be provided individually or bundled in a group. Proper pre-construction services can mean fewer changes during the construction phase – which keeps your project on schedule and budget.

Sit down with our industry experts and let us take the guess work out of the scope, pricing, and timeline for your construction project. Contact our team at info@pearsonconstruction.com

RBA Capital Design Build

Posted on November 15, 2021September 23, 2022 by Elizabeth Meeth

Pearson Construction In Focus: RBA CAPITAL (HARTFORD, MICHIGAN) Pearson DESIGN/BUILD

We always appreciate when we can help make a business owner’s dream become reality. Pearson Construction crews recently wrapped work in Hartford, Michigan transforming an old garage into a business development center and podcast studio. Take a look at how our design build team helped this local entrepreneur do his part to revitalize the local community.

To connect with a member of our team, visit CONTACT US

Client Testimonial: Lars Petzke (REMAX by the Lake)

Posted on November 3, 2021September 23, 2022 by Elizabeth Meeth

We can help you bid out a project, or design and build it from scratch. Wondering about our quality? Just ask our clients. Here’s one testimonial from Real Estate Broker and Owner, Lars Petzke.

Pearson – WE BUILD. for Real Estate Brokers

To learn more about how we can put our design and build experience to work for you, visit our CONTACT page

Pearson Interiors

Posted on October 25, 2021September 23, 2022 by Elizabeth Meeth

Pearson Interiors is dedicated to helping business owners redesign and construct their existing building space quickly and effectively, so owners and tenants are able to put that space to work, sooner. We utilize a dedicated team of in-house project managers, architects, field superintendents, and trade craftsmen for our construction projects. By streamlining that process – we keep costs in check and projects on time. From raw space to renovations, we understand the unique challenges of every type of construction.