Jackson Contractor Group: Building Montana's Communities One Project at a Time

When Doug Jackson started his construction company in 2000 with a single desk in a small warehouse and the loyal company of his yellow lab, Maggie, he couldn't have imagined that twenty-five years later, Distinctly Montana readers would name Jackson Contractor Group Best Residential Apartment Development in our 2025 Best of Montana awards.

Twenty-five years later, Jackson has grown into a regional powerhouse with nearly 300 employees and offices spanning Missoula, Miles City, and Bozeman, proof that building relationships matters as much as building structures. The company's residential apartment developments stand out across Montana, from student housing at Montana State University to multi-family projects that blend thoughtful design with the durability Montana living demands.

What sets Jackson apart isn't just their technical expertise in construction management, though their $45 million bonding capacity and design/build capabilities speak to that. It's their approach: combining the sophistication of large construction firms with the personal touch of a neighbor who knows your name. They handle everything from civil infrastructure to commercial projects to custom homes, but their residential apartment work has earned particular recognition for creating spaces where Montana communities actually want to live.

The company operates on five core values they call "actions not words"—building relationships, operating with integrity, sparking passion, chasing hard challenges, and pursuing greatness. These aren't boardroom platitudes. You see them in projects like Hyalite Hall at MSU Bozeman and The Springs Living, developments that required creative problem-solving and the kind of personal commitment that defines Montana work ethic.

Jackson's team includes safety-oriented professionals who ask difficult questions and develop solutions together. They're the kind of people who celebrate five-year anniversaries with blue hard hats and who bring their dogs to work. The company serves local, state, and federal agencies alongside private clients throughout Montana and into the Pacific Northwest, but their focus remains rooted in the communities where their employees and families live.

From inception through warranty, Jackson oversees every phase of residential apartment development with attention to owner expectations, budget realities, and Montana's demanding timelines. It's the kind of building that lasts—the reason Distinctly Montana readers recognized them as the best at creating the places we call home.