WILL GAITHER
PARTNER | PRESIDENT
EMAIL WILL: wgaither@pillarco.com
ABOUT
As a kid, Will loved building things — whether it was Legos, Lincoln Logs, model cars, or just building things with cardboard and tape. That led him to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Building Science degree at Auburn University.
He has since built an 18-year track record of success overseeing all phases of multimillion-dollar construction projects for public- and private-sector clients. This includes management of construction activities for more than $300 million worth of various healthcare, education, and research-related projects. Will brings exceptional credentials to every project backed by a proven history of on-time, in-budget, and high-quality project completions.
In his spare time, Will loves traveling with his wife Margaret, playing with his four kids and coaching their sports teams, woodworking, and doing most anything outdoors — especially hunting and playing golf. He also loves Auburn athletics.
PAST PROJECTS
Among the numerous healthcare projects that Will has worked on are the Erlanger East Hospital's Imaging Suite and the Erlanger Children’s Hospital Outpatient Center. The imaging suite consisted of an 11,000-square-foot renovation and build-out, including MRI, CT, ultrasound, and multiple X-ray and exam rooms. The project enabled Erlanger to provide multiple imaging services to more patients in one location, and its construction cost savings, early completion, and revenue generated over projections allowed Erlanger to fund the build-out of a second MRI in the same space. The three-story, 90,000-square-foot outpatient center featured many child-friendly enhancements, including 72 exam rooms, state-of-the-art capabilities enhancing the patient experience and minimizing wait times for clinic visits, and the incorporation of specialized imaging equipment. This collaborative project between design and construction teams — as well as hospital staff, donors, artists, and kids — finished on time and under budget.
Will worked on a complete interior renovation and building systems upgrade of the four-story, 86,000-square-foot Hunter Hall at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga. The project included a new roof and exterior building façade improvements, along with site enhancements and accessibility upgrades. The team overcame several obstacles and challenges with unforeseen conditions inherent with a historic structure that had been through various past renovations. They also faced an increased sitework scope that required additional phases during peak pedestrian traffic, but overcame those challenges and the added scope with minimal impact to the original project schedule or fall semester.
He also worked on the construction of the seven-story, 225,000-square-foot Georgia Tech Engineered Biosystems building. The new research lab building features a flexible laboratory and animal space for researchers collaborating in the fields of chemical biology, cell therapies, and systems biology. In addition to achieving LEED Platinum certification, the project was named the CMAA Project of the Year, won first place for the AGC Build Georgia Award, and earned awards of merit from AIA and ENR Southeast.