MEET THE TEAM

The Connection…

Eli and Gail met at Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Program at Babson College in Boston, MA. Both being in construction and related fields, they bonded. Eli opened an office in DC and Gail opened an office in Syracuse, NY.

Later, while, Emanuel Henderson, Eli and Darin Price were in DC to meet with Senator Schumer about contracting opportunities and programs necessary to support small businesses, the team met with Gail and consolidated.

Eli, Emmanuel and Gail decided to move forward together to create Salina 1st, LLC.

Emanuel B. Henderson III

President of JHP Industrial Supply Company, Inc. Mr. Henderson and his family have owned and operated JHP on the south side of Syracuse since 1981. His commitment to the community is exemplified by his ownership of 321 W. Taylor Street, a foundational property in the neighborhood. He holds positions on the Urban Jobs Task Force as well as other non-profit boards and holds certifications throughout the NE. JHP is a M(W)BE firm and Mr. Henderson is a policy activist at the state level helping to ensure more equitable contracting throughout the NE region.

Eli Smith

Managing Director of E Smith Contractors LLC and SGTR has offices in Syracuse and the District of Columbia. Mr. Smith is committed to the redevelopment of the south side of Syracuse. His companies SGTR and E Smith Contractors have won numerous awards including the Carey Gabey Excellence and Innovation Award from Governor Cuomo that recognized them for entrepreneurial spirit and achievement in contracting. Eli serves the community by donating his time to the Board of the Girls and Boys Club of Syracuse and mentoring area students.

Gail Montplaisir

President of Taurus Development Group and Taurus Renovation & Construction. She has been in the development and contracting business since 1987 and has built numerous single and multifamily housing and mixed use projects. An early adopter of environmentally friendly construction techniques, she led the community in use of energy efficiency, green roofs, storm water management as well as solar installations. She is deeply involved in green economy workforce development training and Building Performance Institute sciences training as part of her commitment to energy efficiency and its concomitant of community development.

“Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much”

— Helen Keller