Brent Hayes for Athens: Glimpses of Home

Athens glimpses of home: Developer says it’s all a question of opportunity

Jenaye Antonuccio
August 18, 2008

He says he’s just a hillbilly farm boy.

Brent Hayes, one of the best-known local developers, spent all his spare moments until high-school graduation on a circa 1877 family-owned dairy farm. He never gave a thought of doing anything else but helping his father.

Daily tasks hadn’t changed much in 100 years – cows needed to be fed and milked twice a day, 365 days a year, no matter what. Floods or drought damaged hard work.

Hayes claimed it never upset his father. “I learned so much from my dad — to look at problems as an opportunity, not a failure. You look at it, step back, and think about it a little bit.”

Hayes didn’t think anyone from his family would leave farming and break the cycle. But his father had a different idea.

“I was out raking hay,” remembers Hayes, “and he came in the fields and said, ‘Are you going to do this? What do you want to do? There’s not a lot of money in this farm. I think that you ought to look for something else.’”

Opportunity was before him. He believes his father’s offering of a choice brought him to where he is today. Said Hayes, “That was a great thing, that I could make my choices. I may have still been on the farm if he hadn’t come to me that day.”

Hayes said he began his career as a developer and businessman with a roustabout crew, a ditcher and a bulldozer.

The company’s roustabout crew paid $5 an hour plus overtime in the early ’80s. Working hard extra hours was second nature for Hayes, yet now he had incentive. With these earnings, he incrementally bought his step-grandfather’s trencher. Evenings and weekends, he dug ditches.

Hayes figured he could build a business by taking out a loan to purchase a bulldozer and a truck. Hayes recalled, “My father said, ‘You don’t even know how to run a bulldozer.’ I said, ‘I can learn.’” The elder Mr. Hayes volunteered to cosign a loan with his son.

“People would hire me, though I didn’t know what I was doing,” said Hayes. “I wasn’t very good but I worked hard, did the best I could, and tried to do better and extra things. I didn’t charge as much because I knew I wasn’t as good as some.”

He hired a small crew. Barely able to afford new tires, he found replacements in junk tire shops. Patched machinery was repaired with used parts. Looking back, he is amazed they got anything done.

Nonetheless, JB Hayes Excavating and Pipeline, Inc. was born. Soon to follow were such partnerships and companies as Southeastern Ohio Management Company, LLC, and East State Street Development Co. (ESSDC).

He attributes his success to having good people around him. “It was out of (having) good people. I still am blessed with that, just having good people around,” he said.

In addition, his parents instilled confidence. “My parents never held me back. It was never negative; it was always positive. They never said, ‘I told you so’ or ‘You shouldn’t have done that.’” He tries to model his actions after his 75-year-old father — firm but fair.

Today, Hayes (with partners) has most recently been known for ownership and renovation of the University Mall and refurbishing the former McBee building for its current tenant, Diagnostic Hybrids. He has also been publicly criticized for his decision to clear-cut a very visible hillside along Harmony Ridge, across from the East State Street shopping district. Most recently, in proposing to build an assisted-living facility on the outskirts of Athens, he criticized the Athens Planning Commission for being anti-development.

However, he claims that different opinions are good to hear, and he’s always willing to talk things through.

“I’ve got an opinion and I respect (others’) opinions,” he said. “We don’t always agree. There are different opinions of what is good and what is not good.”

He added, “People can depend on that I’m committed to Athens, this area, to do things that improve the quality of life for people that live here.”

Comparing Athens’ growth to that of larger cities, Hayes maintains that there hasn’t been much growth here at all since he was a kid. “I think the changes that I’ve seen in Athens have been positive,” said Hayes. “Does everybody think it’s smart? Well, everybody’s not going to think it’s smart.”

According to Hayes, opportunity looks different for different people. “As a farmer, you grow up and see some of those nice soybean, hayfields or cornfields (along highways) that now are houses — that’s kind of sad,” he saids. “But to that farmer that is barely getting by (who sold the land for residential development), he is getting more than he ever dreamed of. That may be smart to him.”

Hayes says he loves what he does. “I like work. I enjoy the people I work with,” he said. “I love to make deals, to see things come together. Problems come up and you come up with the answer. That’s an adrenaline rush.”

Though he never attended college, he claims that most learning comes from other people. “I learn something from everyone,” said Hayes. “I’m influenced every day by people just listening, talking, and asking questions. Every day, that’s my goal — to try and expand knowledge.”

The aforementioned assisted-living project refects his stated dream to treat the elderly citizens of Athens with deserved respect. He said he’s sad that many residents have been forced leave town when faced with the decision to move into assisted living.

“There have been so many people that have built and contributed a lot to this area,” he said. “I would like for whoever makes that choice to feel good about that choice.”

The 300-acre site, located on the west edge of Athens near where River Valley Community School was located, inspired in Hayes visions of playing fields and farming space to keep life front and center. “In my opinion, these kinds of places need youth and life. Let’s introduce life,” he said.

He said he hopes to provide contentment and peace. “I’m probably more passionate and excited about it than anything I’ve ever done,” he declared.

About Athens, Hayes said, “There’s a lot of life here, a lot of great opportunity, and a lot of great people.”

He hopes misconceptions about his goals and character will dissipate. “People think I’m a big business person, or they think I’m here to cut down trees,” said Hayes. “I’m a local guy that grew up on a farm, and my roots are still here. I am here to do what’s right for the community.”