Our Background
About
Carlton Pulley
Carlton Pulley is a community-minded business leader, a builder of institutional environments, and the Founder and Principal of Dover, a strategic operations and real estate firm advancing the future of construction, facilities strategy, and institutional asset performance across the Mid-Atlantic. His career reflects a steady commitment to excellence, a deep respect for infrastructure as the backbone of thriving communities, and a belief that expanding opportunities for others is a responsibility, not an option.
Early Life and Influences
Pulley was born and raised in Raleigh, North Carolina, in the Dover apartment complex, an environment marked by modest means but rich in values. His upbringing instilled two enduring principles: hard work determines outcomes, and every person deserves a chance to improve their life. Named in honor of this humble beginning, Dover Partners serves as a reminder of Pulley’s roots and of how far determination can carry those who refuse to accept limitations.
His mother’s deep involvement in the church shaped his early understanding of service, community, and purpose. Watching her invest her time and energy into uplifting others left a lasting impression that would later form the cornerstone of his philanthropic outlook and leadership philosophy.
From a young age, Pulley was captivated by construction, how buildings rose from the ground, how spaces shaped experiences, and how the built environment influenced community life. This early fascination grew into a calling.
A pivotal moment in his development came while working with the United Methodist Church on the Garden Gallery project. The experience revealed the profound impact that well-designed and well-executed spaces can have on people, institutions, and communities. It was during this period that Pulley began to understand real estate not just as land and structures, but as a platform for service, stewardship, and transformation.
A Career of Strengthening Institutions
Over the next 15+ years, Pulley built a reputation for leading complex capital projects, improving multi-site property portfolios, and modernizing historic and institutional facilities. His work has consistently delivered measurable value, reducing energy costs, improving operational performance, and strengthening the long-term resilience of the organizations he serves.
He is especially recognized for his contributions to houses of worship. Pulley has helped churches transition from vision to completion, creating environments that enable pastors and ministries to fulfill their mission with excellence. For him, these projects are more than professional milestones, they are acts of service, supporting institutions that shape the spiritual and cultural fabric of communities.
Founding of Dover
In founding Dover, Pulley merged his operational expertise with his commitment to expanding opportunities for others. The firm operates at the intersection of construction, institutional real estate, and strategic facilities management, working to ensure that every project, whether a renovation, modernization, or portfolio initiative, is executed with integrity, precision, and purpose.
Dover is grounded in his lifelong belief that strong systems build strong organizations, and that disciplined execution creates long-term value. While Pulley maintains a forward-focused vision for the company’s future, he keeps his expansion strategy highly confidential, prioritizing long-term stability, stewardship, and excellence.
Philanthropy and Community Impact
Guided by his early experiences in Raleigh, Pulley remains deeply committed to uplifting underserved communities. His annual back-to-school initiatives and ongoing support for local outreach efforts reflect his dedication to expanding opportunities for children and families. His giving is driven by a simple but powerful principle: people thrive when they are seen, supported, and empowered.
Leadership Philosophy and Legacy
Pulley’s leadership is defined by vision, an ability to see potential in people, places, and ideas long before others do. He believes in disciplined work, in the dignity of service, and in building institutions that endure beyond one generation. His long-term aspiration is clear: to build a platform so impactful that, wherever people turn, they encounter a building, environment, or institution touched by Dover Partners.
Through his work, his leadership, and his commitment to expanding opportunities, Carlton Pulley is building more than structures, he is building a legacy rooted in community, excellence, and possibility.
