Mark Cerrone Inc.: Carrying on a Legacy of Hard Work and Quality Craftsmanship

Mark Cerrone founded Mark Cerrone Inc. (MCI) in 1999, and the company gradually expanded from a one-truck operation into a multidisciplinary contracting operation boasting anywhere from 95 to 200 employees at any given time. Cerrone regrettably passed away in 2007, but his hard-work ethic and generosity live on today through the team at MCI, where each member takes pride in going the extra mile to ensure every job is delivered to the Cerrone standard. Above all, the MCI team carries on its founding legacy with a balance of construction and community, entrepreneurialism and enthusiasm to build something greater than the sum of its parts.

MCI holds an advantage over the competition by employing a staff of highly trained and experienced professionals to provide ancillary services. This allows the team at MCI to provide the gamut of general contracting and construction management services, including site remediation, sports field construction, concrete flatwork, site utility work, landfill construction, landscaping, material recovery, and railroad construction, maintenance and repairs. Every project begins with an in-depth consultation where project schedules are carefully laid out to allow plenty of time for quality completed products, with enough wiggle room to account for any on-site surprises.

MCI supports the wide array of capabilities with an equally diverse selection of equipment, which is also made available to outside contractors through a rental service than can be arranged to include an operator if necessary. The MCI team maintains the entire fleet in-house, so clients can rest easy knowing that an expert is always a phone call away should a truck or piece of heavy equipment break down. The company makes the most of this in-house expertise by incorporating welding and fabrication services into a project if necessary. This allows clients the ability to rely on a singular entity for a broad array of services.

Excellence in All Aspects

MCI has amassed a variety of loyal clients over the years as a result, with a strong reputation in both public and private sectors. Almost all of MCI’s work is concentrated within a few hours drive of MCI headquarters in Niagara Falls, N.Y. However, the company will travel farther for the right projects, setting up field offices to support its efforts farther away from home base.

Municipal and public-sector entities look to MCI for its streetscaping, landscaping and cobblestone rehabilitation expertise. Whereas commercial and industrial customers appreciate MCI’s ability to provide the gamut of site work specialties, as well as the unexpected site remediation or railroad components if necessary. In fact, the few specialties MCI does not hold in-house are limited to asphalt paving and major concrete projects. Even then MCI relies on a regular network of subcontractors to fill in the gaps and set the standard for quality and efficiency when new subcontractors are folded into the mix.

The company’s reputation for making good on its promises continues to set MCI apart from the competition, even as the public-bid market has become increasingly fierce. Part of MCI’s growth can be attributed to the company’s emphasis on creating a sustainably safe working environment. The company puts employee safety first and foremost and the MCI management team aims to continually tweak its safety program to meet the ever-changing needs of clients and the regulatory environment. MCI employees, on the other hand, understand that a sustainable work safety program should go beyond just complying with all federal, state and municipal regulations. Work-site safety procedures are continually revisited on the jobsite, keeping every MCI employee on his or her toes and setting the precedent for all parties involved in the project.

Ready for Tomorrow

Such was the case when MCI was tapped to take part in a major revitalization of New York’s Earl W. Brydges Artpark State Park in Lewiston, N.Y. The park has become a staple concert venue and visual arts showcase for the Niagara community with a thriving artist residency program, but it is also home to Lewiston Mound, a prehistoric burial mound listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. The park itself was created on the site of a former industrial waste dump, and MCI had to be conscientious of the park’s various programming efforts and historic significance when overseeing a complete restoration of the park’s outdoor amphitheater.

The $3.4 million project included a substantial amount of site work to expand the facilities to accommodate an ever-increasing audience. Lawn seating areas were re-graded to increase capacity and improve visibility. An expanded sponsor area was also built and additional concession service areas and restrooms will ensure the facility can comfortably handle an increase in attendance. Construction wrapped up in time for the 2012 concert season and over 150,000 attendees were treated to intriguing musical acts, including Heart, Huey Lewis and the News and Foreigner. The MCI team was honored for its work at the park and its sponsorship commitment to the summer concert series at Sheryl Crow’s performance.

The Earl W. Brydges Artpark State Park project is just one of many MCI has completed for New York, and the company’s diversification and extensive expertise will ensure MCI continues to be a fierce competitor in the public-bid market. No matter what the future holds for the company, Mark Cerrone’s legacy of hard work will serve as an inspiration not just for the Mark Cerrone Inc. team, but also for site preparation, demolition and railroad contractors everywhere.