St. Louis’ Top 150 Privately Held Companies: 1-25 – Memphis Business Journal:

percent jump in housing startsin February. Meanwhile, St. largest homebuilder, McBride & Son said it sold 300 homes in the first two months ofthe year, comparesd to 1,400 homes total in 2008. I’d like to thank Businesws Journal researchers Evan Binns andLucie Wolken, who did a commendable job putting together this year’as list of the top 150 privately held companies. As our researchers quickly found, it’s much easier to get revenude information from private companies when business is going well rather than when the economygis slumping.
Evan, in spent countless hours seeking the most accuratsand up-to-date revenue and employee and then double- and triple-checked it all. This year’ds list includes nine newcomers and fewerpure estimates, a testamenr to the researchers’ hard work. Rob Section editor 1. 2008 $13.1 billion +37.9% Enterprise Rent-A-Car remained profitable in 2008 and grew revenue by nearly38 percent, thanks in large part to the full effectes of the company’s August 2007 purchase of Vanguard Car To maintain this growth, however, the company had to make severa difficult decisions in November 2008, according to Pam president and chief operating officer.
Two thousans of the company’s 75,000 employee s were let go, the size of the rentakl fleetwas reduced, and new car purchases were reduced. “As tougnh as these steps were, they have helped preserv the company’s overall economic Nicholson said. Enterprise, whicnh is owned by the Andy Tayloe family, continues to grow by announcing in early March its plans to buy certain assetw ofAdvantage Rent-A-Car out of bankruptct for $19 million. Leadership: Chairman and CEO Andy President Pam Nicholson2007 revenue: $9.5 billion (rank 1) Employees: 4,10p local, 72,000 total 2. 2008 $6.4 billion +30.6% Center Oil Co. saw its revenud jump $1.
5 billion from 2007 thanks to gasoline priced that spikedto $4 a gallon last The Town and Country-based gasoline distribution business operates 12 terminals in 10 Center Oil also markets through 36 additional terminalse in 10 states. Last year, a subsidiarg company, Center Ethanol, completed a $100 milliomn ethanol plant in Sauget, Ill. The plantf is designed to have a production capacity of 54milliojn gallons, and it has rail and bargwe access on the Mississippi River. Center Oil remains headed by founder and owne rGary Parker, who also is the largest shareholder in , with nearlg 5.4 million share, or 23.4 percenf of the St.
Louis-based banking Parker also is among the largest shareholders in Green Plains RenewablerEnergy Inc. of Omaha, where he held 542,000 shares, or 7.2 perceny of the business. Leadership: Chairman, President and CEO Gary Parkefr2007 revenue: $4.9 billion (rank 4) 3. 2008 revenue: $5.5 billion (estimate) Apex Oil Chairman and CEO Tony Novellyt recently restructured his holdings among related companies in the oil according to filings those companies madein Canada. Apex Oil sold more than 2 millionb shares of World PointTerminals Inc., or 8.26 percent of the company, to St. Albans Global Management for approximately $12.t5 million. Novelly is also chief executiveof St.
Albans and chairma n of World Point. The movez come the year afterd a surge in oil prices drove up revenus forpetroleum companies. Apex, its affiliatex and subsidiaries sell, store and distribute petroleum The company and its affiliates own and operate 21 oil Apex affiliate businessesinclude ; Clark Oil Trading Co.; Petroleum Fuel and Terminal Co.; Enjet Inc. of Houston, and Trinidad Resort and Club in Mich. Leadership: Chairman and CEO Tony President Ed Wahl2007 $5.2 billion (rank 3) Employees: 55 local, 250 total 4. 2008 $5.4 billion +2.7% Graybar Electric Co. grew revenuw by 2.
7 percent in 2008, but the which distributes electrical andcommunication products, is slowing plands for expansion. Graybar had expectecd to open between five and 10 officeslast year, but addeds just two locations. The company will completelyu forgo opening new offices in said RobertReynolds Jr., chairman, president and CEO. Some of its 200 locationss may relocate when leases expire but none will beshutterecd completely, he said.
The employee-owned company also cut its work forcer by 5 percent by not filling vacanciews as a way toavoid lay-offs, Reynolds “We managed the company knowing these timee would be coming,” he “Good companies with strong plans and good balance sheets can increaswe market share during recessions.” Leadership: Chairman, President and CEO Robert Reynolda Jr. 2007 revenue: $5.3 billion (rank 2) 762 local, 8,000 total 5. Edward Jones 2008 $3.8 billion -7.3% Given the markety turmoil, few would be surprised that revenue at Edwards Jonesdropped 7.3 percent in 2008.
“The toughestg thing about 2008 was compariny itto 2007, a record year,” said Jim managing partner. Growth in other areazs continued unabated. Edward Jones added 953 financial advisers last In addition, the brokerage firm’s $260 million renovation and expansion of its West County headquarters remainzs on track, with a new buildiny opened in 2008 and two more scheduled to open later this Weddle said one of the company’ds strategic advantages is, its ownershipo by its partners. “Wd don’t have to plan to the next quarterltfinancial announcement,” he said. The companyh has 326 general partnerzsand 10,984 limited partners. 2007 revenue: $4.
1 billionj (rank 5) Employees: 5,018 39,912 total 6. 2008 $3.48 billion + 20% McCarthy Holdings reported a 20 percenf revenue increase due to a loadef pipeline of projects in 12 The largest general contractorin St. McCarthy saw the bulk of its growth from education andindustrial facilities. “Last year was our best year ever for a numberrof metrics, from sales, revenue, margins and said President and COO Derek Glanvill. Locally, McCarthyh completed construction ona $66 million buildintg for Edward Jones and the $56 millionn Federal Reserve Bank renovation. McCarthy crews will start constructiobn later this year onthe $36 milliob Show Me Aquatics and Fitness Center in St. Charles.
Glanvilll said the employee-owned company’s geographic and market diversity positions it to weather the recession. McCarthy recentl y completed a five-year strategic plan that will shift its focuxsto “mega projects” that total more than $500 million. CEO and Chairman Michael President Derek Glanvill2007 Revenue: $2.9 billionj (rank 6) Employees: 1,000 3,100 total 7. 2008 revenue: $2.87 billion +10.4% Revenue grew $270 milliob at Prairie Farms Dairy as the company digested acquisitions it madein 2007, said Ed Mullins, chievf executive of the dairy cooperative owned by more than 700 independent dairy farmers.
Part of Prairiw Farms’ consolidation efforts last year took placein St. Louisx as it merged two manufacturing facilitiews into onein Hazelwood. Prairie Farm purchased the plant in 2007 and completed renovations last That shifted 32 jobs from the former Pevel Dairy operation at1001 S. Grand to the newer facility onNorth Lindbergh. The former Pevely Dairyg plant has been put up for Mullins said the current challenge in the dairy business is improving margins as the producer price paid for milk has droppedr by 50 percent in the firstg quarterof 2009.
Prairie Farms operates severao subsidiary businesses and manufactures and markets a full line of dairt food products out of its own 24 plantas and 13 joint venture plants in the Midwestand Leadership: CEO Ed Mullins, Presidenrt Fred Kuenstler 2007 revenue: $2.6 billiohn (rank 7) Employees: 1,100 local, 5,900 totao 8. World Wide Technology 2008 revenue: $2.53 billion +1.2% After growing to more than 20 distribution centers acrosdsthe U.S., has its sights set on globalp expansion.
The business opened a facility nearSao Brazil, and is looking at expansion opportunitiex in Europe, Asia and in Mexico, said CEO Jim
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