VILLA RICA, Ga. — June 17, 2026 — Caliber 1 Construction, a Georgia-headquartered commercial general contractor with nearly 100 employees, has been named the 2025 Business of the Year by the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce. The award was presented in May at the Chamber’s Derby-themed Annual Meeting by Rhyne Owenby, the Chamber’s President and CEO, recognizing Caliber 1’s outstanding business achievement and longstanding commitment to the community.
Caliber 1 was founded in 2005 by Chris and Jenny Elliott, who launched the company from the loft above Paulding Kids University, a childcare center Chris built and Jenny operated. They’ve grown into a nationally recognized general contractor delivering projects across 37 states. Today, Caliber 1’s portfolio spans municipal, education, professional, retail and restaurant projects, including ground-up builds, multisite retail developments, and historic renovations.
“This award belongs to our entire team,” said Chris Elliott, owner and CEO of Caliber 1 Construction. “We started this company right here in West Georgia and no matter how far our work takes us, this community is still home. Being recognized by the Carroll County Chamber means a lot, because it reflects not just what we’ve built, but how we’ve built it — with integrity, accountability and a real commitment to the people and places we serve.”
Caliber 1’s commitment to Carroll County extends well beyond the jobsite. The company led the revitalization of the CERC Professional Building in Villa Rica, which now houses multiple local businesses along with Caliber 1’s own headquarters. Each October, the company hosts an appreciation event honoring local first responders.
Its investment in the region’s workforce runs even deeper: since 2016, Caliber 1 has hosted more than 45 interns from schools across the Southeast, and in 2025 the company made a $1.5 million investment to help launch a construction management concentration at the University of West Georgia’s Richards College of Business.
The recent Business of the Year recognition adds to a growing list of milestones for the company.