Todd Weaver went from earning $4 an hour picking up trash at a construction site to leading a Black-owned construction enterprise on track to generate nearly $1 billion in revenue this year, Forbes reports.
Weaver, founder and CEO of St. Louis-based DGN Enterprise, oversees five companies employing 585 people, according to the outlet. The group is expected to approach $1 billion in revenue by the end of 2026, more than double the nearly $400 million it generated in 2025. Much of that growth has been driven by servicing and upgrading data centers for major technology companies, including Google.
Weaver’s introduction to the construction industry began in 1984, when he was 12. With his mother battling diabetes and cancer, Weaver approached a construction site in Hazelwood, Missouri, looking for work. There, he met Bob Clark, founder of construction company Clayco, who offered him $4 an hour to pick up trash, pull weeds, and handle other jobs as long as he stayed committed to school.
Clark eventually became Weaver’s mentor and a father figure. Weaver later attended the University of Missouri-St. Louis, studying marketing and construction management while playing basketball. After working for engineering firms and returning to Clayco, Weaver ventured out on his own.In 2002, he launched Legacy Building Group with a $150,000 loan from Clark, which Weaver repaid within six months. The company was created in part to expand opportunities for minority contractors and workers. Legacy eventually became TW Constructors and expanded into DGN Enterprise, which includes businesses specializing in electrical work, glass, and fire suppression.
Success did not come without challenges. During the 2008 financial crisis, Weaver’s company accumulated $2.5 million in debt and nearly defaulted. Rather than seek a bailout from Clark, Weaver cut expenses and turned to relationships he had developed throughout his career to secure financing and keep the business operating.
Those relationships included World Wide Technology Founder David Steward, whose company became a major TW Constructors customer.
Today, Weaver’s companies have completed
projects for clients including Google, Microsoft, Apple, Pfizer, and World Wide Technology. TW Constructors is also servicing and upgrading data centers across six Google campuses, positioning Weaver’s enterprise to benefit from continued investment in artificial intelligence and data infrastructure.RELATED CONTENT: Ex-Broncos Star Sammy Winder Explores His Passion As A ‘Bulldozer Man’