Derrick Gay: from the Field to the Forefront
When Derrick Gay arrived at Norfolk State University in the early 1980s, he was not entirely sure what he wanted to do with his life. What he found there set the course for everything that followed. Today, Gay serves as President and CEO of Dominion Builders & Contracting, LLC, a Virginia based construction firm he founded in 2010. Before the company, before the multimillion-dollar contracts, there was a young man from Norfolk who needed direction and an HBCU that provided it.
Born in Norfolk, Gay spent a significant portion of his early life in Harlem, New York, moving between both cities from the late 1960s until 1982. It was in New York where some of his earliest lessons about work and independence took shape. His first job was cleaning PS 109 one summer, and watching his sister walk away from a 25-year career at New York Telephone Company to start her own business left a lasting impression. "
She always told me I did not need to work for anyone," Gay said. "That's how Dominion Builders was inspired and created."
"I realized I needed to do something more with my life," Gay recalled of his decision to enroll at NSU after spending his first year out of high school earning $3.35 an hour. "With a degree, you can go further."
Gay initially entered college undecided before discovering Norfolk State's construction technology program. It was a turning point. He graduated in 1989 with a degree in Construction Management, a distinction, he quickly learned, that separated him from those working with their hands.
"I actually thought I was going to be working in the field," Gay said. "I picked construction management, and there's a big difference in that."
Beyond the degree, NSU exposed Gay to people from diverse backgrounds and opened doors he might not have found otherwise. "The degree allowed me to work for major construction companies and eventually own my own company," he said. "Norfolk State really placed me in a position to succeed."
After graduating, Gay entered the industry during a challenging stretch for construction. He started as a surveyor on highway projects in Danville and Lynchburg, then joined the Portsmouth Naval Hospital project. A pivot into project engineering in 1996 launched his management career and led to roles with several major firms over the next two decades, eventually culminating in Dominion Builders & Contracting.
Since founding the company, Gay has led several significant projects, including a $22 million renovation with the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority covering roofing and windows, a $1.2 million NRHA project replacing lighting and doors, and a $2 million office building for the Virginia Department of Transportation in Cape Charles.
His commitment to the next generation runs just as deep as his project work. He regularly mentors students and young professionals in the construction field, making himself available to answer questions and offer guidance. That commitment traces back to a defining moment at Portsmouth Naval Hospital, where Gay recruited fellow Norfolk State alumni into the industry, including one who went on to build a successful company of his own.
"I want to make sure they make it," Gay said. For students eyeing a future in construction, Gay's advice is direct: "Stay focused. Surround yourself with the right circle of people, and if construction is your dream, do not be redirected because it's possible."