Hermann is the Chief Operating Officer (CEO) of COLAS, and has been actively participating in the day to day functions of the company since 1997.
Hermann graduated from Portland State University receiving his Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics and computer science in 1977. Hermann served over 20 years in various roles at Pacific Northwest Bell which later became USWEST. He controlled and managed very large budgets for equipment planning and deployment in the Portland Metropolitan area. He later become a regional manager for Global Positioning Systems (GPS) deployment in the US WEST territory that included thirteen states. He served on the American National Standard Institute (ANSI) where he represented the standards for US WEST deployment of GPS. He occupied many subsequent positions during his career that helped strengthen his ability to lead and effectively communicate with project team members. The entrepreneur in him was always looking for that perfect opportunity to start his own firm. Through his early investment in real estate rentals and renovations, he learned to understand the risks that accompany modern construction projects. These experiences led him to the ultimate formation of his construction firm.
Hermann Colas, Jr. entered the world of construction with a rich background that propelled COLAS in ways that established it as one of the premier companies in Portland. Through Hermann’s vision of having a more positive impact in our community, COLAS started to be involved in larger projects that included sub-division developments.
Hermann’s leadership and involvement in the community is positioning the company towards a growth pattern that will set COLAS in the direction of achieving the objectives of having relevance in our community as well as meeting the projected revenue and profitability that is required for the continued growth in our organization. He is actively putting the mechanisms in place to ensure that the next generation transfer will be smooth. He does feel blessed.