Cooper

Brunson Cooper

Brunson Cooper, managing director of Corenic Construction Group and former Hemingway native, will serve as guest speaker at the Williamsburg Technical College commencement on Friday, May 12, at 7 p.m., on the college campus. Over 200 WTC students are slated to receive certificates, diplomas and degrees during the ceremony. Cooper grew up in and attended Hemingway area schools. A gifted artist, he was chosen to attend the first Governor’s School of the Arts Program at Lander University in Greenwood. He later went on to receive a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering at North Carolina A&T University in Greensboro. Upon graduation, he accepted a position with the largest general contracting builder in the United States in Washington, DC where he worked through the ranks to become the youngest African American Project Executive.

Recognizing the need for a minority commercial general contractor in the DC area, he left the company to found the Corenic Construction Group and led the company to become one of the most respected general contractors and design/build firms in the DC metropolitan area. His projects include AT&T, Ft. Belvoir, Arlington VA courthouse lobby, George Mason University, Maritime Plaza at the Navy Yard, BMW, BMW MINI, Rolls Royce of Sterling, VA, Friendship Public Charter Schools, and Boston Globe offices in Washington, DC. In addition to managing a highly successful firm with three office locations in the Maryland and DC areas, Cooper understands the importance of community involvement. He is an active member of the greater DC area community and serves on numerous boards. He has also given back to his home community by creating the Brunson Cooper, Jr. Memorial Scholarship fund in memory of his late father. The scholarship, to which he has donated nearly $15,000, is given annually to a graduating senior at Hemingway High and to a student at his home church, Mt. Carmel UME in Stuckey.

Cooper and his company are recipients of numerous awards including: Prince George County Maryland’s “Prestigious 40 under 40” and Small Business Awards, Top 25 Minority Business Leaders for 2015 and 2016, “Smart CEO Skyline” finalist, African American Real Estate Professionals 2015 Small Business of the Year, Goldman Sach’s 10,000 Small Business Certificate for Entrepreneurship, and was featured in Black Enterprise.com as a small business success.

He is the proud husband and father to his family: wife Tia, daughter Lillian, and son Brunson. The WTC commencement will be held on the college courtyard. In the event of rain, it will be held in the Kingstree Senior High School gymnasium.

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