Trey Cole
Owner, Designer, and Builder, 1986

A designer, artist and recognized scholar of the Arts & Crafts Movement, Trey Cole has more than a quarter century of designing and building residential projects throughout the upstate of South Carolina.

Trey is the founder and owner of both the Trey Cole Design Group and O’Leary-Cole, Inc. construction company, which gives him the unique role as both designer and builder. Trey's distinctive hands-on approach to his work simplifies the transition from design through construction by encouraging efficiency in planning, communication, and budgeting.

Trey values a close working relationship with his clients to design a living space that supports their personal lifestyle and interests while blending gracefully with the lot, existing structures and surrounding neighborhood. Trey’s return clients and client referrals are a testament to his dedication. 

Trey has been a licensed residential builder and general contractor in South Carolina since 1986, as well as a longstanding member of the Home Builders Association. Over the years, he has made numerous, valued contributions to the international Arts & Crafts Conference held annually in Asheville, North Carolina. Trey has also received regional recognition for his work, including:

In 2004, Builder/Architect Magazine awarded a home on Lake Keowee that Trey designed and built in the Arts & Crafts style as its “Home of the Year.” 

More recently, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control honored Trey’s “Sally Nicholson Residence” as a 2011 Earth Day Award winner.

Chris Newell
Designer & Project Coordinator, 2013

Chris was hired by O’Leary Cole in January of 2013 as a designer and project coordinator. He attended Clemson University Architecture School and has over eight years of experience in the building industry, including construction, law, and design. His skills include Site and Environmental Analysis, Engineering Systems Coordination, Building Cost Analysis, Code Research, and Specifications and Materials Research.

Chris has been involved in all parts of the design process from Schematic Design through Construction Documents and Construction Administration and Project Management. He has worked on design teams with the full range of residential and mixed use building typologies, as well as urban design. He is versatile in a wide range of computer programs and drawing techniques, including production of 3-D computer models, fly though visualization, marketing drawings, AutoCAD and Vectorworks.

Max Oliver
Project Manager, 2015

Max joined our team in the spring of 2015 as a project manager to plan, schedule, execute and complete projects for O'Leary-Cole, Inc. Max's work covers a wide range of responsibilities, from construction budgeting and project accounting to job site supervision and client coordination. After graduating from Appalachian State University with a Bachelor of Science in Appropriate Technology in 2003, Max held a variety of positions related to real estate and construction. He worked in Land Acquisitions and Permit Management with builder D.R. Horton in Atlanta, as an associate broker for a land developer, and most recently as a Project Manager for a small renovation company in Greenville.