Cody Builders Supply: Built By Austin Trailblazers

From its start as the supply division of an existing building supplies company in the early ‘90s, Cody Builders Supply quickly outgrew its local market. After then-supply operator Pam Patterson’s strategic move to purchase the supply division from her partner Cody McFadyen in 1994, she incorporated Cody Builders Supply and expanded the company’s base in the infrastructure industry by capitalizing on the lack of stainless steel and aluminum suppliers in the manufacturing industry. Pam Patterson aimed her pursuits towards a wide variety of public works infrastructure projects — from waste-water developments to transportation projects — not only in Cody Builders Supply’s hometown of Austin but all across the nation.

Now with a fully women-owned business under her supervision, Pam Patterson hired her daughter Stacy Sass as a part-time business certifications officer and general consultant, keeping her close by with their daily morning coffee briefings. In 2000, after a few setbacks in development investments, Pam sought to hire her daughter full time as the company’s CFO and Contract Controller. With a bit of reluctance, Stacy agreed: “I was willing to jump into the family business under the condition that I could control all financial assets. I had a long-term goal to expand and grow our capacity and employees.”

Today, Stacy Sass is the President and CFO of Cody Builders Supply and has brought the company back to the roots it was built on, garnering additional expertise in a wide variety of infrastructure, water and waste-water, and transportation projects. “We’re focused on long-term continuity while still keeping true to the values and practices my mother built.” The company’s growth in new structural steel projects — like the bison viewing metal canopy at California’s Oakland Zoo and the Union Square Market Street subway station in San Francisco — has become an integral part of the business’ expansion and development.

Tradition and continuity are vital to Cody Builders Supply, so much so that many of the practices and procedures Pam Patterson put in place when she first incorporated Copy Builders Supply are still used in operations today. 

“We still refer to and value the trailblazers before us. We are mindful of where we started and often take a moment to look back and evaluate what we find valuable. What makes us Cody Builders Supply are the values we hold. ”

Additionally, Stacy Sass attributes Cody Builders Supply’s growth to her long-standing banking relationship with The Bank of Austin’s Executive Vice President of Commercial Banking, Lou Clark.

“Fate happened when we first met — I have the financial statements to prove it. Having a banker like Lou believe in your vision provided us with the flexibility to invest in our own growth.”

Now known in the industry for their numerous custom metal projects, Lou Clark distinguishes Stacy Sass’ leadership at Cody Builders Supply to be the driving force in the company’s development.

“Cody Builders is a creative company that can come up with unique solutions in the industry. They are sought after for their approach to the market in their steel projects. Stacy is an amazing leader, she is one of the few women I know in a leadership role in the construction industry and she just takes it in stride.”

Women-owned and operated businesses like Cody Builders Supply motivate us to encourage business expansion with strategic and tailored banking solutions. Together, we can build something better.