"Our firm has always been traditionally focused on thedevelopment of education-related facilities. We felt after eightyears of that devotion that we wanted to spread our wings and focuson other areas of public-private development," Susan Eastridge, CEOof Concord Eastridge, tells GlobeSt.com.

The idea took root when Jeffery Arnold, now president of themerged company, last year bought out his two partners in Concord.Arnold, who also claimed a partnership stake in Eastridge, agreedwith Susan Eastridge that their development goals would benefitfrom combining their resources. "It dovetailed nicely with theirgrowth," Eastridge says. "They've had projects in California,Colorado, Texas and Nevada."

The buy-in costs are subject to financial disclosures, butEastridge says she negotiated the merger as the 51% majority ownerto preserve her legacy as a woman-owned business. With two regionalheadquarters in Phoenix and Washington, DC, the deal includes aSacramento office that Eastridge opened a couple years ago.Additional offices are being considered for Southern California,Denver and either Florida or Georgia.