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Brotherly Love: Goshen-Based Ruby Group Is All About Building Community

GOSHEN, N.Y. -- You could say construction runs in the blood of the Berman brothers.

Left to right: Peter Berman (CEO) and Howie Berman (COO) of The Ruby Group

Left to right: Peter Berman (CEO) and Howie Berman (COO) of The Ruby Group

Photo Credit: Submitted

For Howie, COO of The Ruby Group, a Goshen-based development, construction management and consulting company, his memories of sitting at his grandmother's dinner table on Friday nights, listening to his dad and uncle talk about the building industry made him wish that one day he would be part of it.

Peter Berman, CEO of the family-owned company feels the same. "I was always interested in the field," said the Warwick resident. "I remember going to construction sites with my grandfather, sitting on a bucket and eating jelly donuts while watching him work."

Both started early with the business, which began as a building company in Staten Island, but which the two have grown into a professional project management firm.

The brothers started The Ruby Group in the early 2000s and have overseen its evolution over the years. The company now specializes in hands on investing, incubating new companies and founders with great ideas who need time, money and expertise to yield top line business growth.

As fixtures on the Orange County builders scene, they have been involved in a multitude of commercial and residential projects in the area over the past dozen-plus years, including the recently opened Equilibrium Brewery in Middletown as well as Phenix Salon Suites in Middletown and Poughkeepsie.

In early 2018, they will open a third Phenix Salon Suites in Westchester. Of particular note: All of the salon professionals in the Middletown Phenix Salon Suites location are from and/or currently reside in Orange County, and report that they earn 50 percent more money in a Phenix Salon Suites location than they ever did before. (Phenix Salon Suites provide salon professionals the freedom to have their own business without all the barriers to entry via individual suites. They come fully furnished, with commercial wifi, its own heat and air conditioning, and all required insurance.)

The two say the key to their success is execution and diligence combined with diversification. "Community building is crucial as well because, without it, business growth is very difficult," explained Peter. 

We need an expanding local economy to create opportunities, and it's our obligation as successful business owners to reinvest in the world around us."

As they've grown, they've seen Orange grow and are optimistic about the opportunities that exist both within their companies as well as for their partners/vendors, clients and themselves.

"Our ability to continue to push forward, strive and excel will determine our future. Orange County -- like all of New York State -- must get property taxes and regulations under control to enjoy the growth that the rest of the country is having," said Peter. 

"The area remains a great place to live and raise a family."

Go to www.rubygrp.com/ for more information.

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