Written by: Cynthia Logan & Aaron Kampfe
Originating in 18th-century rural North America, barn raising was—and still is—a traditional community event to frame a structure in a short amount of time. Neighbors gather, often in large numbers, dividing into sub-groups, each with their own crew chiefs and specialized skill sets. Others prepare the site, mobilize supplies, plan logistics, and prepare meals for the workers. Within a week, the barn is completed. Most famously executed by Amish communities, this construction process remains a successful model of collective ethics, integrity, and skill.
Collective Execution
In 2019, that spirit found yet another contemporary interpretation in the Yellowstone Club. There, a 32,000-square-foot structure simply known as “the Barn” was built by PRG Group. Roughly 380 tons of structural steel bolster the building, designed by Faure Halvorsen Architects, and features include structural insulated panel walls, a slate roof, and a two-sided, 60-foot stone fireplace. Over a million square feet of reclaimed wood were used for siding, flooring, and accents. Four mechanical rooms keep systems at peak performance. In addition to being a performance venue, the multi-use structureincludes office and meeting spaces, as well as a commercial kitchen. The Barn is also surrounded by a terrace, which boasts a 180-foot viewing bar made of French oak with a live edge. Massive windows enable members and guests to enjoy stunning vistas in every direction.
While this version of barn raising in the Yellowstone Club was far from simple—not built by volunteer labor and certainly not completed in a week—the approach to the project, as with any PRG project, was based on traditional values of ethics, integrity, and experience. For PRG Group principals Jamy Patterson, Damon Rao, and Dan Gibbons, these values reflect a shared commitment and remain core both personally as well as for the company as a whole and partially explains PRG’s success.
“WHETHER IT’S ‘THE BARN’ AT THE YELLOWSTONE CLUB, A CUSTOM HOME, OR DEVELOPMENT IN BOZEMAN, WE BUILD IT TOGETHER.“
Before PRG was formed in 2009, Patterson, Rao, and Gibbons were working for a Colorado construction firm in the early 2000s. Gibbons jokes that PRG started with “three guys, two pickup trucks, and a carpool.” Working from Damon’s and Jamy’s houses, and from jobsite trailers, they parlayed their deep trust and respect for each other into a successful enterprise.
Of the more than 140 projects completed by PRG Group, over half are located in the Yellowstone Club with the remainder in Big Sky and the Gallatin Valley. The scope of their capabilities has expanded since 2009, with numerous commercial, hospitality, and recreational buildings completed. The three partners, each with their own distinct skill sets, led to the creation of four separate but connected businesses: PRG Group, which focuses on residential construction, PRG Commercial, United Concrete, and Mountain States Civil. “Group and Commercial are general contractors, while United and Civil are subcontractors,” Patterson explains, adding that the company now employs a team of nearly 100 professionalswith extensive experience in all facets of construction management, safety, finance, and preconstruction services.
“Trust, love, and brotherhood are key to our secret sauce,” says Patterson, emphasizing that these values extend beyond the three partners. “We remember what it was like being just another hand on the crew. We’re the same guys as we were when we started the firm—just a little more mature, a bit more polished. Whether it’s ‘the Barn’ at the Yellowstone Club, a custom home, or development in Bozeman, we build it together.”
Fulfilling the Client Vision
One of PRG’s first relationships was with the Yellowstone Club, where they have now built dozens of luxury homes. “While every residence is unique and important to us, 804 is particularly special,” says Patterson, referring to a house designed by Reid Smith Architects. Located in the Club’s American Spirit neighborhood, with expansive views of Lone Peak and Big Sky, the home’s design is sleek yet warm. A stone and fir façade is complemented by expansive glass walls, including a cantilevered patio. Inside, ample glass affords an arresting view of the swimming pool, which abuts a firepit that’s integrated into a natural boulder.
“GROUP AND COMMERCIAL ARE GENERAL CONTRACTORS, WHILE UNITED AND CIVIL ARE SUBCONTRACTORS.“
For each project, PRG is brought into the design process early, working with the architects as plans move from development to final construction documents. Patterson stresses that PRG’s role is to execute the vision as intended.
“We know our role; we’re not designers or architects,” he says. “We are builders—that’s core to the three of us. We build to spec… even if we may have a different idea or solution. We listen to our clients, follow the plans, enforce our contracts, and hold our subcontractors accountable.”
Each project builds upon the previous project as PRG continues to refine how it builds in a remote, high-alpine environment. “You don’t build trust on one project; you build it over time,” says Gibbons, who brings substantial infrastructural expertise to the table. “There have been vast improvements in building envelope science, from foundations to chimney. Wind, water, sound attenuation, and settlement are key factors to consider. Movie theaters, infinity pools, hot yoga rooms, heated driveways, and outdoor kitchens are wonderful, but the bones put the building together. There is new science on how to vent an attic, on allowing space in the building envelope. We have amazing technology now, including sophisticated modeling, system-built panelized walls, cold roof systems, and sophisticated wrapping and waterproofing assemblies, all protecting the investment. Science is the way owners get value from builders.”
Building on the side of the mountain requires careful engineering and implementation. “If there’s a problem, if it’s our responsibility, we’ll figure out how to solve it,” says Rao. “We had construction knowledge, but we’ve refined means, methods, and products,” he adds. “We learned what people like, how to build it, and how to execute work efficiently.”
“TRUST, LOVE, AND BROTHERHOOD ARE KEY TO OUR SECRET SAUCE. WE REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS LIKE BEING JUST ANOTHER HAND ON THE CREW. WE’RE THE SAME GUYS AS WE WERE WHEN WE STARTED THE FIRM— JUST A LITTLE MORE MATURE, A BIT MORE POLISHED.“
Implementing with Integrity
As any business scales and takes on larger, more complex projects, its systems must be refined and streamlined. “As a company and individually, we are constantly pushing to learn more, improve, and grow smartly,” says Rao. “You learn one structure at a time. Over time we have built not just a portfolio of structures, but also a team with institutional history that has the know-how to get the job done.”
PRG’s many commercial projects include the Yellowstone Club Gondola Terminal, Big Sky Town Center Plaza, Fire House Subs, Pho Sai Gon restaurant, and the Ridge Athletic Club remodel. One of PRG’s larger development projects is Buffalo Run in Bozeman, a 20-acre neighborhood development. The site consists of 247 front doors of various structures including townhouses, duplexes, apartments, and multiplexes. The public amenities include scenic walking paths, a dog park, and a resort-style clubhouse with a fitness center, spa area, pool, and lounge.
As the firm has taken on larger developments like Buffalo Run, its capabilities have had to span diverse sectors. Rao notes that quality control remains central across all projects.
“Whether we’re building a custom home, restaurants, or large apartment complexes, quality control is paramount,” he says. “Mistakes cost time and money. Our Quality Assurance Quality Control (QAQC) is proactive, identifying mistakes before they happen. An example is when we hire a structural engineer to inspect the foundation and framing, a geo-tech who approves the compaction, and an envelope specialist who ensures that the building wrap, flashing, and window sealants are the specified products and have been installed correctly.”
“YOU DON’T BUILD TRUST ON ONE PROJECT; YOU BUILD IT OVER TIME.“
PRG Commercial General Manager Andy Clapper adds, “We all make mistakes. What matters is how you recover, learn from them, and avoid them in the future.”
Safety is also paramount to PRG. The company received the Montana Governor’s Safety Award in both 2022 and 2024 and is one of only four companies in the state to be accepted into OSHA’s SHARP program. Led by Safety Director Chris Anderson, the “Take 5” program encourages workers to pause, assess, and identify potential risks, and also to complete a job hazard analysis before beginning work.
Left to Right: Jamy Patterson, Partner | Damon Rao, Partner | Dan Gibbons, Partner
“Chris has put us on a new trajectory with regard to the care and attention we give our employees,” says Patterson. “He’s the glue of our internal relationship, which feeds our external relationships. Next to safety, we spend a lot of time making sure our sub and supplier relationships are stellar.”
Back in 2009, PRG was Jamy Patterson, Damon Rao, and Dan Gibbons—three guys with pickup trucks and some tools. Today, the PRG Group is a broad-scope construction firm, building with the same collective values of ethics, efficiency, and experience that defined its beginnings.
“WHETHER WE’RE BUILDING A CUSTOM HOME, RESTAURANTS, OR LARGE APARTMENT COMPLEXES, QUALITY CONTROL IS PARAMOUNT. MISTAKES COST TIME AND MONEY. OUR QUALITY ASSURANCE QUALITY CONTROL IS PROACTIVE, IDENTIFYING MISTAKES BEFORE THEY HAPPEN.“
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