Long before he founded Kent Design Build, Kyle Kent learned a lesson that would ultimately shape his life, his career, and his approach to business: the value of hard work, faith, and integrity.
“I had no idea I was going to go into construction,” he recalls. “But I was always taught the value of hard work.” His early life experiences instilled a strong work ethic in him that would become a pillar to building a successful construction company. However, his interest in construction took him by surprise while in college on a baseball scholarship. After being introduced by his father, Kyle spent a day with a family friend who worked in construction, visiting jobsites and learning about the industry firsthand, quickly discovering this career path involved many of his passions.
After an injury ended his baseball career, Kyle transferred to Northeast Louisiana University–known today as University of Louisiana at Monroe–and earned a degree in Construction Management in 1992. He spent four years working for a construction company in New Orleans, before deciding to take a leap and pursue his vision. As the Northshore (St. Tammany Parish) began growing beyond a bedroom community, he knew opportunities were emerging that would make the area what it is today, and he decided to take a risk and start his own business.
The Founding Years
At 25 years old, with one child and another on the way, Kyle took a leap of faith and founded KC General Contractors in 1996 with another gentleman. In 2001, after he and his business partner separated, he renamed the company Kent Construction, Inc.
Early on, public bids and bids on St. Tammany Parish School Board work became the company’s lifeline as it continued to grow its name within the community.
In 2005, when Katrina struck tragedy throughout the region, the demand for rebuilding across the Gulf South created new opportunities for growth. By this time, the company had established a strong reputation, allowing it to shift from relying primarily on public bidding to securing work through established relationships, referrals, and repeat clients.
“It’s a relationship business that has been built over 30 years of prioritizing doing what is right, no matter the cost,” states Kyle.
In 2012, Kent Construction rebranded to Kent Design Build, a name that reflected what the company had become and continues to be: a trusted building partner who helps owners streamline decision-making, control costs, and reduce risk throughout the project lifecycle.
Built on Sacrifice and Commitment
The growth of Kent Design Build did not come without challenges. Being a young entrepreneur while starting a family brought the everyday challenge of balancing the two, but Kyle was committed to making his family the main priority. “I tried not to miss anything that had to do with my family,” he says. “I always put my family first, whether that meant having to leave work early for my kids’ activities or bringing them to the office for a period of time.”
From personal to professional challenges, the company faced the early challenges of earning client trust, proving its reliability, and navigating the financial ups and downs of the construction industry. However, the company advanced by prioritizing a growth mindset and remaining focused on the company’s core values: Belief, Unity, Integrity, Life, Deliver.
A Partnership that Shaped Growth
The company’s largest support over the last 30 years has been its association with Butler Manufacturing. In 2013, Kyle joined Butler’s advisory council and served three terms. With over 800 builders nationwide, Kyle established relationships with other builders across the network, gleaning business knowledge and wisdom that has impacted the growth, structure, and culture of Kent Design Build.
After years of experience, learning from respected builders nationwide, and having the financial resources to expand, the company was able to strategically reinvest in its staff, processes, and infrastructure as a whole in order to provide comprehensive building solutions that support owners from early planning through construction and beyond. This restructuring allowed the company to establish both a sales and preconstruction team dedicated to pursuing work opportunities and building relationships, and an operations division that executes construction to completion once contracts are set in place.
Building Beyond Construction
Today, Kent primarily serves its clients through two main delivery methods: Design-Build and Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR), offering the reliability of having a single, trusted partner from early planning through completion.
In addition to Commercial Construction, the company has developed its deepest expertise in markets that demand the greatest precision: Healthcare, Diagnostic Imaging and Pharmacy, and Faith/Community projects.
Kent has completed over 290 healthcare projects, 130 diagnostic imaging and pharmacy projects, and has worked in over 40 hospitals across the Gulf South region. Kent has also completed work in over 71 worship centers or church campuses and 26 education campuses, representing more than 1,000,000 square feet of faith/community-based construction across the state of Louisiana. With experience in both new construction and renovations, Kent helps providers navigate complex phasing requirements and strict regulatory standards while minimizing disruption, and delivering spaces that support accurate, efficient, and reliable operations.
Alongside its expanded market reach, Kent operates three sister-companies which include: Gulf South Metal Works, Kent Interiors, and CBP Millwork—an acquired cabinet shop with 45 years of success in the community.
No matter the project, Kent is committed to providing experienced guidance, remaining transparent throughout the process, and ensuring facilities remain dependable, efficient, and aligned with the needs of the businesses they serve.
A Relationship-Business
After three decades of business, with over 100 employees and more than 150 repeat clients, two things remain the same: Kyle’s vision and the company’s core values. The vision is simple: Always keep the owner’s best interest in mind.
“We look at the owner as a friend,” Kyle states. “And if the owner cannot recommend us at the end of a job, no matter how good the job turned out, we failed as a company.”
That people-first conviction is now carried into a second generation. With second child, Brennan Kent, serving as Vice President, primarily leading Preconstruction and Business Development, Kent has grown into a multi-generational company built to outlast any one leader. “My dad started the company on faith and hard work, and I get the privilege to carry that forward one day,” Brennan explains. “He’s always been my role model, and looking back, I believe God was preparing me to follow in his footsteps long before I understood it.”
Carrying the Vision Forward
The next chapter of Kent is about sustaining the culture and developing its people as intentionally as it builds projects. The company is investing in training, systems, and leadership development that will allow it to grow with intention and discipline.
A central part of this effort is geared towards the next generation. This year, Kent welcomed 11 college interns in the second year of its internship program, deepening its involvement on college campuses and creating a pipeline of young builders who can lead and carry its values forward.
The company continues expanding its reach further into key market sectors—Healthcare, Diagnostic Imaging and Pharmacy, and Industrial—while strengthening its sister companies to provide seamless delivery experiences from planning through completion. Through the company’s vertically integrated approach, Kent is committed to delivering a true one-stop solution for design-build and being a trusted partner in CMAR or negotiated design assist.
While the company continues to evolve and expand, its priorities remain unchanged. Kent’s core values, culture, and commitment to putting clients and employees first continues to guide every decision the company makes. “We are eager to see where God leads this company,” Brennan says. “Our team understands the vision and goals of the company, and together we are working to drive the path forward for years to come.”
