Morehouse Grad Channing Baker Builds $17 Million Construction Empire on Atlanta's $6 Billion Centennial Yards Project

Channing Baker, a Morehouse College graduate with degrees in applied physics and civil engineering from Georgia Tech, has transformed his fledgling construction company into a multimillion-dollar enterprise working on one of Atlanta's most ambitious development projects—the $6 billion Centennial Yards redevelopment in downtown Atlanta.

In less than four years, Baker's company, Evolve Contractors, has generated $10 million in roofing business and $17 million in total construction revenue, evolving from a 50-square-foot space at the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs (RICE)—an incubator for minority businesses—to a 5,000-square-foot operation with 10 employees, six crews, and 85 on-site workers.

"It's amazing to be a part of something so huge that will help transform the city," Baker said. "I believe in myself, but if someone had told me four years ago we'd be doing a sports arena, that would have been hard to believe. It's a true testament to what happens when you give someone a shot."

Baker's company recently completed construction on the roof of the Mitchell Building, the first structure erected at Centennial Yards, and is currently working on the roof of the Cosm Sports Arena, an innovative digital sports venue that will serve as a centerpiece of the massive development project.

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens praised Evolve's work on "really big projects ...

From HBCU Graduate to Major Contractor

Baker's educational foundation at Morehouse College and Georgia Tech provided the technical expertise necessary for his construction career. His journey to entrepreneurship, however, began with mentorship from Jay Bailey, president of RICE, who championed Baker when he was working from a space "the size of a walk-in closet."

"Jay championed me. He would introduce me to everyone as the guy doing this or doing that. At that point, I was just doing renovations within that building. But his faith in me made a difference. That incubator experience meant everything to me."

Before launching Evolve in 2022, Baker worked for FS360 General Contractors, where owner Ernest Ellis recognized his potential and provided crucial networking opportunities. "Channing is a student of the game," Ellis said. "I introduced him to every relationship that I had and gave him every opportunity to shine, build his brand, and build his network. And he did just that."

Legacy of Entrepreneurship

Baker, now 44, credits his entrepreneurial spirit to family legacy and early lessons in discipline. His father, Ted Baker, a renowned Los Angeles builder, would take young Channing and friends to construction sites on Saturday mornings for what was promised to be "10 to 15 minutes" but "always turned into about 10 hours."

"He was teaching us the value of hard work and having the mindset of thinking about being disciplined at an age when you're just looking to have a good time," Baker recalled.

Baker's great-grandfather, Henry Clayton Baker, was freed from slavery at age 12 and became a wealthy landowner in Tuskegee, Alabama—home to the historic Tuskegee University. "It's in his DNA," said Ted Baker, 86. "My grandfather inspired me, and I guess I inspired Channing."

Baker's trajectory from HBCU graduate to major contractor on Atlanta's largest redevelopment project exemplifies the potential of minority entrepreneurs when provided with education, mentorship, and opportunity.

Originally reported by Black Enterprise.