It all started in the summer of 2009 when Susan and Nick Ovens were in Montana for a friend’s wedding. Part of that trip was to put the finishing touches on their plan to start a construction company.

Within a few months they had incorporated and hired their first employee, pulling Susan’s recently retired father, Don, out of retirement. With more than 45 years of construction experience and a joke for every job site, Don was a great addition to Nick and Susan’s construction and management experience.

After deciding they would start their Southeast-based construction business while in Montana, there was always the ambition of expanding the business to the Northwest. Nick and Susan are no strangers to Montana. Susan is a graduate of Montana State University and was a member of the tennis team. Nick, who is originally from England, has relatives who moved to Butte, Montana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries working in various mines. His great-great grandfather was a sheriff in Butte.

After several years of looking for the right business, Bridger Glass and Windows was acquired. After immediately converting the name to Bridger Glassworks, the next 1.5 years was spent preparing to transition a window and glass company to a General Contractor, similar to their sister company in Atlanta, Georgia.

Bridger Built, LLC was launched, and after a year-long nationwide search, Susan and Nick recruited Justin Hallman to lead the company. Originating from South Carolina, Justin also had ties to Montana, having spent every year since 2010 making numerous trips to Ennis, Montana to fly fish. Not only did he also get married in Ennis, but married a born-and-bred Montanan, Ashly. Justin has 14 years of construction and building experience. More importantly Justin has the same length of experience in building team leadership, culture, and understanding the value we need to present to our team and our clients.