James Dyck and Daniel Shirley met through their wives who have been friends since junior high in Lufkin, Texas. Over the years, their friendship deepened through shared experiences, mutual respect, and a common outlook on life, work, and community. Daniel grew up in Lufkin, where his father built more than 100 homes throughout the area. From an early age, Daniel was immersed in construction, learn
ing firsthand what it takes to build homes the right way. Naturally, he followed in his father’s footsteps and has spent his entire career in construction, performing and managing every stage of the building process. His father has been both a teacher and a lasting inspiration, instilling in Daniel a strong work ethic, attention to detail, and pride in craftsmanship. James grew up in Missouri, where his father was also deeply involved in housing—as a home builder, home inspector, and realtor. While James pursued a career in engineering and later worked in the oil and gas industry, construction was always part of his life. He regularly took on remodeling and building projects for himself and for friends, studying proper techniques and learning how good construction should be done. James later spent a year and a half working for a developer in California, where he gained valuable insight into the business, planning, and management side of construction. As James and Daniel’s friendship continued to grow, they began to recognize not only their shared values but also how naturally their strengths complemented one another. Both care deeply about people, are passionate about quality work, and believe professionalism and integrity should guide every project. Though they were each running their own construction companies, they came to realize that combining Daniel’s extensive hands-on construction experience with James’s engineering and business background would make them stronger together. What they discovered was more than the benefit of partnership—it was the power of working side by side, supporting one another, and accomplishing more than either could alone. Both James and Daniel are builders at heart. They love working with tools, staying involved on the jobsite, and can perform nearly any task required during construction. Their hands-on approach ensures high standards, thoughtful problem-solving, and close attention to detail throughout every phase of a project. Pine Co. was formed on a simple belief: great construction is built on great relationships. That means transparency in how work is priced and managed, clear communication at every step, and treating each home with the same care they would give their own. From the first conversation to the final walkthrough, James and Daniel strive to make the process clear, collaborative, and trustworthy—building not only well-crafted projects, but relationships that last long after the work is complete. Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Ecclesiastes 4:9–10
