Case Studies Region: West

When a former competitor asked Michael Thomas to start a construction business during the height of the economic recession, he said yes. It wasn’t the logical response—at the time, other companies were laying off or going out of business—but it’s worked out nicely. President and CEO Michael Thomas founded Pier Construction & Development LLC in […]

How do you renovate one of America’s busiest and most beautiful places? You get some friends to help, of course. Dennis Kennelly, project manager for the engineering firm T.Y. Lin International, says that to win the bid to renovate facilities at Niagara Falls State Park, it turned to long-standing partners and architectural landscaping experts, The […]

Reveal Windows & Doors by Pacific Architectural Millwork is carving a niche for itself and opening doors to untapped design possibilities with its “timber curtain walls,” a product that, until now, has only been produced in Europe by companies like RAICO. From the exterior, these look like traditional curtain walls, which use aluminum frames to hold walls […]

When Roger Sanchez attended the Business Marketing Association Conference in Chicago last summer, the topic of conversation wasn’t the keynote speaker or discussion panels. All anyone could talk about was the fact that the venue’s internet kept crashing. No one could understand how a well-to-do hotel could have such a poor Wi-Fi service. Everyone except […]

For more than five decades, Knez Building Materials (KBM) has been a family-owned business. Now in its third generation of management, KBM is a leading supplier and distributor of building materials, plaster, insulations and drywall. Headquartered in Tigard, Oregon, KBM maintains the ability to complete any project regardless of size or scope for commercial and […]

Design-build fire suppression contractor FireTech LLC has been providing leading service throughout the Midwest since 2003. The St. Louis-based company specializes in the design, service, sales, maintenance, fabrication and installation of fixed fire suppression systems, making FireTech a one-stop shop for all of a customer’s fire suppression needs. Founded by principals Jamie Howes, and Rich […]

For nearly 70 years Redwood Painting Co. has been serving industrial, commercial, and residential clients throughout the western United States with top-tier protective coating systems. Founded in 1947 by D.P. Del Monte, Redwood has been built on a belief in professionalism, customer service and environmental stewardship. With headquarters in Pittsburg, California, Redwood operates primarily in […]

Founded on the principles of supplying the construction industry with the best possible service and satisfaction at the most competitive prices, Idaho Pacific Lumber Company Inc. (IdaPac) has developed a loyal following in its 37 years in the business. Based in Meridian, Idaho, IdaPac is an employee-owned company that specializes in providing contractors with top-quality […]

During the depths of the Great Depression, contractors in Wyoming, like those in other parts of the country, competed fiercely for a limited supply of jobs. Their livelihoods depended on being awarded projects by the state highway department. In this climate, it was tempting for contractors to view their peers as competitors, even nemeses, but […]

For more than 27 years JW Zunino Landscape Architecture (JWZ) has been one of the top landscape architecture, land planning and environmental design firms in the western U.S. Since forming in 1989, the firm has been using drip irrigation, native and indigenous plants to create beautiful, highly functional outdoor spaces that balance environmental sensitivity and […]