Twenty-five years ago, Foothills Excavating was Todd Robbins and a couple of machines.

“As a kid, I loved machines and being outside. Dad had an old Case Backhoe that he used around our farm and my first machine was an old Massey Fergusion high lift. I didn’t have this huge plan; I just wanted to do good work and connect with good people.”

After gaining experience as an equipment operator for a local excavating company, Todd worked for South Blount Utility District until they decided to subcontract their installation operations and auction off their construction equipment.

“At that point I went back to my first employer, and mentor, and said ‘I think I want to try this by myself.’ He gave me some great advice and referred me to several jobs. I had a wife and a couple of young kids, so it was risky. I bought an old D5 Dozer and a 311 Trackhoe from the South Blount Utility auction and got to work.”

Todd’s first major project was working at Butterfly Gap Resort in Maryville, Tennessee. He partnered with a couple other subcontractors on clearing operations and building the roads, a dam and the pond. He also installed the Resort’s utilities, which he knew well from his time at South Blount.

“After Butterfly Gap I went to Kinzel Springs development in Townsend. My mentor’s company had completed the first phase, and we finished the subsequent phases – driveways, home sites, utilities etc. From there we went to the Homestead (a development in Wears Valley, Tennessee) and did the clearing, roads, infrastructure and some home sites. ”

Those early projects carved a niche for Foothills Excavating and a reputation for doing quality work in and around the mountainous terrain of the Great Smoky Mountains.

“I guess you could say we just grew organically. Relationships forged through hard work over an extended period connect you with quality people and good opportunities. We were blessed – one job seemed to lead to another.”

The watershed moment for Foothills Excavating came when Todd was approached by the individual overseeing the infrastructure buildout of what would become a world-renowned, 5-star resort nestled beside Great Smoky Mountain National Park – Blackberry Mountain Resort.

“That project was truly a journey. I started installing the drain tiles along a roughed-out logging trail that would eventually become a primary road into the resort. Things paused for a while during the recession, but we cleared some pastures and rehabbed the pond.”

“Around 2014 or 2015 they moved forward with the full buildout, and I was approached about finishing the roads and infrastructure for the entire project. It was a huge commitment of men and machinery, but that opportunity helped us become who we are today.”

The aspect of seeing a project evolve from the planning phase to completion is something Todd has always enjoyed.

“What we do – it’s an art. I don’t know how many hours I spent at Blackberry walking through the mountains with a handheld GPS, flagging trees, visualizing the way to the top and how best to integrate their vision while preserving the integrity of the land.”

Post-pandemic, finishing the project at Blackberry Mountain has afforded Todd the opportunity to recalibrate and assess the path forward for Foothills Excavating – including partnering with one of the nation’s largest homebuilders on multiple projects.

“Growth is important, but it must be done prudently. We won’t just take any job that comes along. I tell people we may not be the cheapest, but we will do quality work and do it right. My desire is that we offer a diversified range of services in both the commercial and residential sectors and that our employees enjoy working for us. We are a family here. Everything I’ve ever done has been for my family and I want the same for our employees.”