By Logan B. Anderson

FELTON — When James William Burgess III got out of the U.S. Navy he knew he wanted to start his own business and that the skills he learned in uniform would help him reach his goals.

He joined the Navy in 1984 upon graduating from high school. He was stationed on the USS Harry E. Yarnell CG-17 out of Norfolk, Virginia.

Now he is the president and CEO of his own custom-home construction company, Elite Homes LLC. The company, currently based in Milford, is in the process of relocating to Lewes.

When Mr. Burgess got out of the Navy he went back home to Millington, Maryland and started learning the construction ropes from his father.

“When I joined the service, I was stationed in Norfolk for three years. It was great. I got to go around the world, which was great, right out of high school,” Mr. Burgess said. “When I got out of the service, I knew at the time I wanted to open my own business.”

His family has been in the construction business, based in Delmarva’s other Kent County, for many years. When he returned home in the late 1980s, he picked up a hammer and started learning.

“I got in with my dad and learned the basics. My family has been in construction for years, smaller construction. I wanted to take it to the next level and design and build custom homes,” he said.

In 2000, he did just that. He formed his company and set out to create unique homes for his clients.

“I am a custom builder. A lot of people are familiar with developments. I actually sit down; I have a lot of interaction with my clients and design a home. Not saying here is one or two plans to choose from. That’s what I love,” he said.

His joy is found when he sees a design he created come to life and the reaction of his clients.

“I also love that a lot of things that I do start as a figment of my imagination. Then we put it on paper and four, five, six months later I am actually walking through it. That is still one of points of satisfaction along with seeing people’s faces when they actually walk through their home.”

He attributes his time in the U.S. Navy, along with the time spent with his dad, to his success.

“I was taught a lot of discipline in the Navy. The biggest example is the way you deal with people. The respect you have to show when you meet people and how you address them,” Mr. Burgess said.

He still addresses people as sir or ma’am and won’t address someone by their first name unless they say it is OK.

He also said he continues to pay attention to his gig line. A gig line is a military term that refers to the alignment of the seam of the uniform shirt, belt buckle and uniform trouser fly-seam. In order to be properly dressed, these three should align to form a straight line down the front of a person’s body.

“It’s the little details,” Mr. Burgess said.

In the Navy he was an operations specialist

“That would be the person that sits behind the radar and tracks aircraft and ships.”

As a general contractor, he now tracks building plans and specifications.

“In building homes, my discipline is that home has to be as perfect as possible when it is done. People are going to notice it if it is not. Being a small business, I can’t absorb it if a lot of people aren’t happy,” he said.

Mr. Burgess said his company has built more than 100 homes. He currently is working on four projects — one in Felton and the rest in the Lewes area.

Recently the building where his Milford offices are located was sold and he’s decided to use it as an opportunity to relocate his business.

“I do a lot of work in Lewes and Rehoboth. It makes sense for me to relocate there,” he said.

Last week, Delaware Gov. John Carney visited Mr. Burgess on his jobsite near Felton to declare Nov. 1-5 as Veterans Small Business Week in the state.

“Veteran-owned small businesses are the pillar of our state and national economy from industry to high-tech startups,” Gov. Carney said.

“Veteran small business owners have experience and have discipline, a selfless commitment to our country and the communities and a focused passion for what they do.”

For more information on Elite Homes, visit here.