Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1541815
December 2025/January 2026 | maconmagazine.com 91 Ohio as a project manager for a company that did government contracting in Georgia. During periodic visits here I made connections and learned about contracting opportunities at Robins Air Force Base. I was in charge of liquidating equipment for my company whose projects at Robins were finished. Although they put me on projects in other states, but I saw a lot of opportunity on a smaller scale in Central Georgia and asked if they would sell me the equipment. It seemed like they were giving it away. They sold me the equipment with a seller finance loan which was a massive opportunity because I was young and broke. Four guys I worked with here in Georgia took a risk on me, came on board, and that's how we started Unified Defense. From there we quickly started Truss US, making pole barns, sheds, barndominiums, and small homes. We did that to carry us between government contracts, and it really took off. We have a much higher quality product than our competitors, so the business blew up quickly. That was our day-to-day income. In between, I won government contracts and used those funds to grow the company. Prince is a funny story because it was my benchmark. I wanted to be Prince's size by the time I retired. Prince officials ended up visiting my site, and we wound up partnering on a government contract. They manufactured maintenance stands, and I painted them for Robins. It was a contract I had been chasing for years. Being part of the defense industrial base during COVID was a godsend for us. It kept us alive during the pandemic. At the end, the owner, Art Prince, approached me saying he was ready to exit the company, but wanted someone to continue his family legacy. He thought I was a good fit which was the highest compliment. He asked if I had the means to buy the company which I did with the SBA (small business administration) and bank financing. And so I acquired Prince in August of 2022. Since the beginning, the culture at Robins appealed to me. It's family-oriented, and the community cares. It's invested in the people on the base and in its leadership. There's involvement from local Chambers, which generals have told me is rare and not replicated elsewhere. Jami Gaudet is the public information officer for Macon-Bibb County Transit Authority. Company awards P R I N C E 2024 Small Businessperson of the Year by the Small Business Administration 2024 Best & Brightest CEOs in the Nation 2024 Best & Brightest Leadership Teams in the Nation 2024 Atlanta's Best & Brightest Companies to Work For Inc. 5000, America's Fastest Growing Private Companies - 3,252 overall & 90 in manufacturing nationwide; 154 in Georgia 2023 Workforce Development Award, Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce U N I F I E D D E F E N S E Inc. 5000, America's Fastest Growing Private Companies - 307 overall, 10 in manufacturing and 10 in Georgia "Galvanized by memories of his grandmother's transportation challenges on top of her full-time job, decades later her devoted grandson had a novel idea to make life a little easier for bus riders in Macon."