Our Mission
We Make Land Beautiful
Our Method
We strive to make the most complex property challenges look simple. We’re local, and so is our expertise. Our size and breadth allows our self-performing teams to respond quickly, and our back-office support is second to none.
Our Mindset
We accomplish our mission and methodology through a commitment to our core values.
Keep the main thing the main thing.
We know your goals, and ours, and we keep our focus until we achieve them.
Think long term.
We build long-standing partnerships, as evident by our repeat business. We do what’s right for our clients’ long-term success and don’t cut corners. You can count on it.
Be willing to help.
We understand the reality of tight timelines, tighter budgets, and unexpected issues. We’re quick to offer solutions, and have the expertise and manpower to deliver.
Pursue mastery.
We strive for perfection, holding ourselves to the highest standard. We grow a lot more than trees at Cornerstone, we grow talent and promote from within.
Be fearless.
We shine brightest when a client brings us a complex project or a daunting deliverable. Becoming your resource amidst the most challenging situations is what excites us.
Our History
When Scott and Eric Meister purchased Cornerstone in 2012, they saw an opportunity to better serve companies in the area. Eric’s experience and good-standing in construction and landscaping, combined with Scott’s track record of building successful companies started a new era for the 25-year-old company.
The company has grown considerably in the decade since the acquisition, entering new territories in West Central Florida including adding satellite office locations. Cornerstone has grown from 70 employees to over 200 to better assist the ever-expanding list of commercial and residential clients.
Scott and Eric credit this growth to a simple mindset: whether you are talking to a customer or an employee, do what you say you are going to do. For Cornerstone’s clients, that means showing up on time, staying on schedule, meeting specs, and communicating every step of the way. For our employees, it means being treated like family, being given opportunities for growth and internal promotion, or volunteering within the community to help those in need.
The owners agree, “our goal is for Cornerstone to put out the best product and develop the best people in the green industry.” Since taking over, the company has done just that – becoming a trusted partner among major developers, general contractors, architects, home builders, property managers, CDDs, and homeowners throughout West Central Florida.
We grow a lot more than trees at Cornerstone, we grow talent as well.
OUR LEADERSHIP
Eric Meister
“We build relationships first,” is more than a catch phrase for Eric Meister, co-owner of Cornerstone. It’s central to his approach to business. “It’s not just about a finished product,” says Eric. “The people behind the project really make all the hard work worth it.”
Naturally drawn to construction from a young age, Eric recalls the buildings his grandfather erected decades ago. “I grew up around commercial real estate, intrigued by what my own family built,” he says while sitting in one such structure. That interest drove Eric to pursue his Master of Science in Construction Management at the University of Florida, then to a coveted position with Hardin Construction, where he remained until the purchase of Cornerstone in 2012.
As a licensed General Contractor, Eric brings a multi-dimensional perspective to every project. “Not only do I oversee the landscaping, I offer solutions in other areas as well.” This breadth of knowledge, along with Eric’s willingness to tackle daunting jobs and tight timelines, has made him a welcomed industry resource. When he’s not working, you’ll find Eric fishing, diving, or wake surfing with his wife Megan and their three children.
Scott Meister
Scott’s been building and renovating as long as he can remember. His father, Scott Sr., owned a group of convenience stores and some commercial real estate in Tampa Bay. “With Dad, there was never a lack of projects to work on, properties to renovate, or landscaping to finish - all making his customers feel more welcome.”
As Scott fell in love with making things better, the decision to purchase Cornerstone in 2012 became an easy one. “My brother, Eric, and I both loved the business, and we saw a great opportunity to serve more customers.”
With Eric’s mastery in the field, Scott attends to the health of the company, adding, “I focus on building our internal culture and making us financially secure. With my accounting background, watching the numbers comes naturally. But my real passion is caring for our team. Building relationships and making sure our people grow – in and out the office - drives me. So does equipping team members with resources to succeed, and supporting and praying with them through life’s challenges.”
Scott met his wife Elizabeth at Washington & Lee University, and they have been blessed with four children. When Scott isn’t working, you’ll find him with his family or volunteering at church. He also loves to go offshore or fish the Tampa Bay flats.
LICENSE NUMBERS: CGC1515492 | SCC131151795
Cornerstone is a drug-free workplace.