Ten Minutes With: John Finn, W.E. O’Neil Construction’s New CEO

 

   CEO John Finn
 

John Finn, 54, grew to become CEO of W.E. O’Neil Building in March as the Chicago-based common constructing contractor marks its centennial. Promoted from chief working officer and president of its California area, the 35-year trade veteran says his “largest precedence” is to use its profitable technique to challenges going through all of its U.S. places. The agency ranks at No. 107 on ENR’s Prime 400 Contractors record, reporting simply over $1.2 billion in income final yr.
In dialog with ENR Senior Editor Emell Derra Adolphus, Finn shares his strategy to constructing additional progress for the worker–owned firm and to preserving W.E. O’Neil Building’s household roots.

This interview has been edited and condensed for readability.
 

FINN: Invoice was a a really grounded folks particular person, and he knew that our persons are the explanation why we succeeded over the previous many years. He needed to ensure that we handled all of our staff nicely. In 1994, Invoice and his dad, Artwork O’Neil, created a partial worker inventory possession plan on the firm. Workers purchased out the O’Neil household house owners in 2020, and that was one of many legacies Invoice needed to ensure that going ahead, staff had a giant stake within the group.

In earlier undated picture, former CEO William O’Neil II, (proper) stands with father Artwork O’Neil (left), who joined W.E. O’Neil in 1935.
Photograph courtesy of W.E. O’Neil

FINN: I grew to become disenfranchised with the scale of [his former employer]. I felt extra like a quantity, so I began to assume, what else may there be? I checked out a number of totally different firms, greater and smaller. I settled on O’Neil as a result of [after] interviewing with [two executives], they informed me what I wanted to listen to on the time: ‘John, in case you’re in search of alternative, O’Neil’s the place for you. Alternatives have solely been restricted by how onerous you’re employed and the place your creativeness can take you.’

ENR: What do you assume is going on that extra staff and purchasers appear to crave extra firm connections over large operations?

FINN: Know-how was purported to make the whole lot simply that significantly better. However what occurred was it began to drag groups aside. Being digital would not at all times assist construct a relationship. It is advisable to be nose to nose. It is advisable to have that point to get to know the particular person on the opposite aspect—how [he or she] is pondering, goes to strategy points and the way they may get resolved. Like I mentioned earlier, it would not actually matter the way you get by good instances. The check is at all times the way you get by the more durable instances. We encourage [younger employees] to choose up the telephone and stroll a job along with the architect, with the house owners or the rep. That is the place that actual connection can come and I feel that is why you are seeing extra purchasers want that.

ENR: Throughout W.E. O’Neil Building subsidiaries, how does the corporate determine what markets to put money into and the place to construct sources?

FINN: We’re a fairly various constructing contractor, concerned in virtually each market sector all through the U.S. We had a pivotal second In California from 2016 to 2018, taking over $400 million in tasks at one time, all in several market sectors—retail, gaming, hospitality and multifamily residential. We had been simply actually various. That was the second when the remainder of the event neighborhood actually seen us. As a result of we laid these relationship foundations, they had been the constructing blocks for us to barter and companions with these purchasers. Once I took over in 2013, we had been a few $200- to $250-million income operation in California. Now [it’s] an $850-million operation.

 CEO John Finn accepts a Finest Place to Work award for W.E. O’Neil Building.
Photograph courtesy of W.E O’Neil

FINN: Now greater than ever, these relationships with commerce companions are essential to our enterprise. We’re beginning to see a bit of extra inflow now, though it isn’t making up for what we misplaced throughout the pandemic. In our Arizona market, giant tasks going up corresponding to information facilities and chip producers have actually put a pressure on general labor availability, and we’ve to verify we’ve these relationships so we get [workers] to our jobs. It is no totally different in Chicago, Texas, Tennessee and Colorado, these relationships should be person-to-person with commerce companions, so you’ll be able to name them and say, “I want to verify how we work by this situation about getting [workers] right here so we hit these deadlines.” Embody [those partners] within the course of … to assist them have pores and skin within the recreation.

ENR: Wanting on the firm’s subsequent 100 years, how do you see the subsequent part of its growth?

FINN: Staying true to our values, dwelling our values, might be the core to our enterprise. If we begin to deviate from that, we’ll lose who we’re. We have now a knowledge and automations group, so actually harnessing our personal information has been actually highly effective for us to make knowledgeable selections. The information we’ve entry to at present, I want we had entry to fifteen years in the past. It is actually making extremely knowledgeable selections about threat, forecasting, workforce availability, scheduling.

ENR: How do you view growth of firm management?

FINN: I wish to ensure that I do not sit in an ivory tower. I am touring fairly a bit to speak with all of our staff. Marking our centennial in enterprise this yr, my mantra is growing the group to construct this firm to final for one more 100 years, and we will try this by higher connections, higher relationships and constructing upon that platform for our youthful staff. They’re those who personal the corporate, and I wish to be certain that I do proper by them.