Case Studies

Time was when the potential of solar panels wasn’t widely recognized by conventional builders. It took a young generation to see the light, and among them was Richard Bergman, who, during the late 1970s, would become one of the solar energy pioneers in the Buffalo, New York, area. “I was the first green-certified builder in […]

When the military has a project involving construction or engineering, it’s not swayed by low bid alone. The stakes are too high, the margin for error practically nonexistent. It takes a contractor with a track record to impress the brass. All the better if it’s a company known for completing work on time and within […]

Operating amid the hustle and bustle of Canada’s biggest city of Toronto, Joseph Waldman has a knack of seeing regions ripe for development north and south of the 44th parallel and even overseas. The constantly on-the-go president of Highgates Group, Waldman is the man behind many successful projects in such diverse locales as Ontario, Iowa, […]

During the 40 years Louis Sigman has worked in Colorado’s glazing construction industry, he has lived through the leanest of times. So he had a pretty good idea of what to expect when he took the reins of a glazing contracting company shortly before the economy took yet another nosedive. While working for his family’s […]

For Sam Hunt IV, success starts with a sense of heritage. As president, Hunt is the third generation to run Hunt Electric Supply, an electric supplier for residential, commercial and industrial contractors in North Carolina. His grandfather, Rector Samuel Hunt Jr., started the company in 1971—one year before Hunt was born—with his longtime friend, Ed […]

Imagine a senior care facility has experienced severe water damage, or an apartment complex is smoldering and first responders have gone home. HarenLaughlin Restoration (HLR) arrives on the scene, and the first thing it does is hand deliver mugs to each resident. Inside those mugs, HLR rolls a write-up detailing what the repairs will entail, […]

In 2014, HESS Construction + Engineering Services Inc. (HESS) partnered with Grimm + Parker Architects to host faculty, staff, students, and parents of the newly constructed Wilson Wims Elementary School, located in Montgomery County, Marylan d, to partake in an event called Green Apple Day. The event, which partners with the United States Green Building […]

People couldn’t understand why Bob Whalen wanted to convert HB McClure Company into an ESOP, or employee stock ownership plan, just after he assumed ownership of the company in 2008, but Whalen had a vision. By putting the company in its employees’ hands, Whalen believed HB McClure would be more successful financially, earn a reputation […]

Paul MacQuinn says he was stunned when, in 2004, his company received an order from the White House. President George W. Bush’s second inauguration ceremony was approaching. His wife, Laura, wanted to pave the ceremony with a type of pink stone that could only be found in Harold MacQuinn Inc.’s inventory. “My estimator came up […]

Florida leads the country with more than 900,000 boats registered in the state. From personal watercraft and dinghies to fishing boats and yachts, the Sunshine State has no shortage of boats puttering around its coasts, lakes and swamps. Given the state’s status as a watersports and lifestyle destination, it is little surprise that one of […]