Some people know what they want to do from the time they are young. That is true of George Compo. At age 7, he was already building things including a tree fort. Over the years, there were many tree forts including one that was four stories tall.   When one fort was torn down, another would be built. His first paid job was with a residential contractor when George was in high school.

 

George’s dad was with the Navy Exchange system which took them around the world. George was born in Pensacola, Florida. The family lived in Subic Bay, the Philippines, New York, a six month stint in Hampton Roads, and San Diego. When he was 17, the family moved to Virginia Beach where George finished at Cox High School. Hampton Roads area wasn’t totally foreign to George as his grandparents lived here. His grandfather was in the U. S. Navy and was the first commander of the Norfolk Naval Air Station and the Naval Base Norfolk.

 

His dad’s job with Navy Exchange had a side benefit for George and his love of building. He had lots of used wooden shipping containers to use to build tree houses. After high school George headed off to Virginia Tech sight unseen. In fact, George didn’t even go to the orientation program. On his first day on campus, George met Saunders, who was a great tennis player. Pretty soon, Saunders invited George to meet her parents when they came to campus. Turns out, the two families knew each other. George and Saunders married when George was a junior.

 

After graduating from Virginia Tech, George and Saunders moved to the Hampton Roads. Saunders had grown up in Norfolk next door to Linwood Beckner. After looking at a variety of homes, George remembered that a house across the street from Linwood and Frances Beckner was for sale….so they bought it. 

 

George’s first job was with Tidewater Construction and later he joined Hoy Construction before founding Compo Construction, a commercial contractor. When George was with Hoy Construction, the company encouraged all its managers to be actively involved in community organizations. Linwood introduced George to Rotary. George liked the business networking aspects of Rotary and joined the club in 1988. He is a Paul Harris Fellow.

 

George and Saunders have two daughters. Elizabeth, a graduate of the University of Georgia, works in Charlotte as an advocate for children suffering from cancer. Hunter graduated from Auburn University. She lives the majority of the year in Lake Tahoe where she has an event planning firm. It is highly seasonal so she is trying to establish an office here in Hampton Roads for the winter months. 

 

George served on the Westminster-Canterbury board of directors and is on the Virginia Tech construction school advisory board.  He is also the state chair for the Association of General Contractors.   In his free time, he enjoys building furniture with Chick Robinson, playing tennis, and rooting for his favorite team (Virginia Tech, of course!).  He also enjoys reading particularly murder mysteries when he is on vacation.