Baratto Brothers Construction (BBC) has a reputation around the Brainerd Lakes area for high-quality work, whether it involves new custom homes, remodels, decks or additions. Since its founding in 2002, BBC has focused on individual construction needs with the goal of becoming a customer’s builder for life. In the past decade, the company has been named the Builder of the Year three times by the Mid Minnesota Builders Association.

With two Bemidji State University graduates playing integral roles in the ownership and management teams, Baratto Brothers is thinking bigger. Co-owners Jim Baratto and his son Ben Baratto have expanded the business to include a commercial division to seek large-scale projects across the region.

“When the economy went south, a lot of businesses shut their doors,” said Jim, a 1977 BSU graduate who taught industrial arts for 25 years before helping start the firm. “Now things are coming back.”

The new division has helped remodel a bank, motel and chiropractic clinic, as well as build an employee dormitory at a local resort. They have hired Eric Halbert, a 2006 Bemidji State grad, to lead the group, which is involved with a new hotel project in Hibbing while seeking additional projects.

“Our hope with the new division is to expand into a market we haven’t normally ventured into because our custom home division eats up a lot of our time,” Ben said, noting that 99 percent of BBC work has been residential. “The plan is to start getting a backlog of commercial jobs so we can hire more employees and keep them busy.”

Jim, who is also the BBC president, and his wife, Deanna, have raised two children in addition to Ben, who has worked at the company since he was 15. Ben is married to Amy (Lawson), a 2008 BSU graduate who is the city clerk in Ironton. They have two young children.