Case Studies March 2015

In 2009, just five short years after forming Blasz Construction LLC (Blasz), a commercial finishing subcontracting company, Donna Blaszczyk was named one of Pennsylvania’s Best 50 Women in Business by the state’s governor. Recognized for her entrepreneurial spirit, Blaszczyk understands what it means to be a woman business leader. “True leadership comes through one’s ability […]

In 1992 Jeff Cook and Dick Arnoldy established ARCO Construction Inc. (ARCO), a construction firm dedicated to turnkey design-build work. Over the years, ARCO has grown from a single office in St. Louis to nine locations across the country. The original founders remain involved with the business today, working with a large management team that […]

Few things stand the test of time quite like family ownership – four generations of such ties have kept A.J. Allen Mechanical Contractors Inc. (AJA) going strong and steady for 82 years. Based in Des Moines, Iowa, AJA dates back to 1932 when, Archie J. Allen and his brother Lester formed Allen Brother Plumbing and […]

As engineers formerly working with general contractors and design firms across the country, the husband and wife team of Bryan and Cristie Tate shifted their career focus in 2010 to conceive Tate Management Inc. (TMI) – a business formed to serve commercial construction clients as owner representatives. The couples’ combined backgrounds in large commercial construction and […]

Bill Gallo and Jerry DuBois joined forces in 1985, combining decades of experience in architecture and construction to form JWR Construction Services (JWR). With a headquarters in Deerfield Beach, Florida, the company works throughout the state. Over the course of 30 years in business, JWR has built a reputation for quality construction projects in health […]

In 1969 Ken Hill launched a pattern of innovation while working as a distributor operator at BearCat Trucking in Klamath Falls, Oregon. His first foray into equipment design was modifying a truck in order to control all the machine’s functions within the cab. Ken’s employer, Don Carson, recognized his abilities and the pair partnered up […]

The Horsley family has been in the rental business for more than 30 years. In 1982, James Horsley established Lonestar Rentals, an equipment rental company that he sold in 1997. His employees were working for a conglomerate, so when he established Champion Rentals Inc. (Champion) in 2002, most of his staff followed. For the last […]

Architectural Sales of Minnesota Inc. (ASI) dates back to 1959 when Marv Schenk established a small floor and ceiling installation company. Marv owned and operated the business until 1997, building strong relationships with local and national general contractors. When he retired, father and son partners, Chuck and Mike Tambornino, purchased ASI. The family owners came […]

The Nurisso family has been in the mechanical contracting business for more than 100 years. Charles “Noury” Nurisso established Broadway Plumbing in 1949, alongside sons Norman, Lawrence and Charles Nurisso. Together, the family established a strong market presence in San Francisco and eventually branched into full-service mechanical work. In 1971, the business incorporated as Broadway […]

Robert Cantu, president of Western Builders (Western), says the biggest indicator of success is the phones at the company’s Santa Rosa, Calif., office continually ringing. “When clients call us, wanting to work with us again and again, that’s an indicator we’re doing good work,” Robert shares. “We tend to do about 85 percent repeat work […]