Panel Built thrives on dedicated employees, value
August 19, 2025
Local Business Sponsor, The News Observer. Photo courtesy of The News Observer.
Shown from left, Trey Thomas, vice president Welded Steel Division; Lee Beanninger, executive vice president Panel Built; Josh Wallace, vice president Engineering; Dave Arnold, president; and Mike Kiernan, chief executive officer.
If the free movie nights or company-wide bowling outings aren’t enough, Mike Kiernan believes there are other incentives for employees to remain with Panel Built, Inc.
“They sometimes laugh when I say it,” says the company CEO. “But I tell them that if someone joins this company in their early 30s, they are likely to be a millionaire by the time they retire.”
Of course, Kiernan says that outcome requires sound management of finances, taking full advantage of the company’s 401k match, and the continued success of Panel Built, which has enjoyed steady growth since Mike and his brother, Pat Kiernan, founded it in 1995.
Panel Built, with six locations in North Georgia and one in Tennessee, is one of the largest private employers in Fannin County, with approximately 60 employees. It has a 65,000-square-foot facility located at 1506 Ballewtown Road, Blue Ridge.
The company produces a wide array of special-order, prefab structures for various industrial, governmental and military applications. In addition to prefabricated buildings and custom modular offices of various sizes and specifications, Panel Built has an extensive list of specialty products, from ballistic-rated guard booths and bus shelters to pump houses and toll booths.
Panel Built also stands out from its competitors by offering 3D renderings for perspective customers to be able to visualize the final product before making a commitment.
“Our priorities are to hire and maintain dedicated employees and to provide value to our customers,” Kiernan says. “We could not do what we do without having great people.”
For 30 years, that formula has resulted in business success and steady expansion for Panel Built. And Kiernan’s efforts to retain a dedicated workforce have resulted in creative out-of-office activities.
“We want to make it fun and let our employees know how we appreciated them,” he said. “So, at times we will rent out an entire theater for movie night or take half a day for company-wide bowling competition.
“We know there are many other places our employees can work. We want them to know we care.”
Visit panelbuilt.com for a free quote
(Learn more about local businesses and industries at fannindevelopment.com and thenewsobserver.com).