NEW YORK, N.Y., July 11, 2016 — Suffolk Construction Company, Inc., one of the largest privately held construction companies in the U.S., has named industry veteran and Suffolk Construction executive Grant Gagnier as its new Chief Operating Officer of the New York Region. Suffolk recently opened an office in Manhattan at One Pennsylvania Plaza.
Gagnier will be responsible for overseeing areas of governance, strategy, operations, non-operations business support, company advocacy and brand expansion in support of Suffolk’s vision and strategies within New York City and its surrounding areas.
Grant Gagnier
Gagnier has more than 25 years of experience in the construction industry. His background in project management and corporate leadership roles at Suffolk, including experience in field operations and the integration of innovation technologies and processes company-wide. Gagnier led the effort to scale the company’s “Build Smart” approach across various regions and offices.
“The New York market is ripe for an innovative, collaborative contractor such as Suffolk,” said Gagnier. “I look forward to strengthening Suffolk’s position in this expanding market and implementing our ‘Build Smart’ approach to deliver a unique and predictable construction experience for clients using state-of-the-art technologies and processes that are revolutionizing our industry.”
Charlie Avolio, Suffolk Construction’s President and General Manager of the New York City region, said, “As Suffolk continues to build momentum in New York, I am confident Grant’s strong leadership, industry knowledge and innovation mindset will help us strengthen our market share and establish us as a major player in the region.”
Gagnier began his career as a carpenter and mason tender and then served as an engineer for Vincent P. Guntlow and Associates. He also held operations and leadership positions at Barr & Barr Builders. Gagnier first joined Suffolk in 2003 and has managed complex projects such as D Street Hotels, Waterside Place and 50 Post Office Square in Boston. In New York City, he is helping to oversee the Suffolk project teams on 222 East 44th Street and Hudson Exchange West. Throughout his tenure at Suffolk, Gagnier has assumed key leadership positions in operations and has been one of the most passionate advocates of Suffolk’s innovation strategy and “build smart” approach, which includes the use of virtual design and construction, Lean principles and state-of-the-art technologies and collaboration tools.
Over the past nine years he has served as an Assistant Coach for Plymouth Youth Hockey and South Plymouth Youth Baseball. He currently sits on the Board of Directors of the Plymouth Boys & Girls Club, where he formerly served as Vice President of the Board. In the past, he has also served as an invested member of the following boards and committees: Associated General Contractors (AGC) Young Contractors Council, AGC Contractor Relations Committee, Union College Alumni Admissions Committee, and Union College Department of Civil Engineering Academic Advisory Committee.
Gagnier graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Union College, and in 2003 he became a recipient of the Union College Silver Alumni Award.
Suffolk Construction Company
Suffolk Construction is one of the most successful privately held building contractors in the country. With annual revenue of $2.5 billion, Suffolk provides preconstruction, construction management, design-build and general contracting services to clients in the healthcare, science and technology, education, federal government and commercial sectors.
Suffolk is committed to delivering its “build smart” approach to construction management on every project. The company’s project teams provide clients comprehensive planning services, innovative solutions and technologies and proven processes, such as Lean Construction principles and Virtual Design and Construction (VDC), to deliver the most complex building construction projects on schedule and on budget, with minimal risk.
Related Stories
Contractors | Jun 4, 2024
Contractors expect to spend more time on prefabrication, according to FMI study
Get ready for a surge in prefabrication activity by contractors. FMI, the consulting and investment banking firm, recently polled contractors about how much time they were spending, in craft labor hours, on prefabrication for construction projects. More than 250 contractors participated in the survey, and the average response to that question was 18%. More revealing, however, was the participants’ anticipation that craft hours dedicated to prefab would essentially double, to 34%, within the next five years.
Airports | Jun 3, 2024
SOM unveils ‘branching’ structural design for new Satellite Concourse 1 at O’Hare Airport
The Chicago Department of Aviation has revealed the design for Satellite Concourse 1 at O’Hare International Airport, one of the nation’s business airports. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), with Ross Barney Architects, Juan Gabriel Moreno Architects (JGMA), and Arup, the concourse will be the first new building in the Terminal Area Program, the largest concourse area expansion and revitalization in the airport’s almost seven-decade history.
Construction Costs | Jun 3, 2024
Escalation: Predicting project costs in a volatile market
Thad Berkes, Chief Cost Estimator, Design Collaborative, shares that one of the major hurdles that Design Collaborative attempts to forecast for its commercial construction projects is escalation.
Multifamily Housing | Jun 3, 2024
Grassroots groups becoming a force in housing advocacy
A growing movement of grassroots organizing to support new housing construction is having an impact in city halls across the country. Fed up with high housing costs and the commonly hostile reception to new housing proposals, advocacy groups have sprung up in many communities to attend public meetings to speak in support of developments.
MFPRO+ News | Jun 3, 2024
New York’s office to residential conversion program draws interest from 64 owners
New York City’s Office Conversion Accelerator Program has been contacted by the owners of 64 commercial buildings interested in converting their properties to residential use.
MFPRO+ News | Jun 3, 2024
Seattle mayor wants to scale back energy code to spur more housing construction
Seattle’s mayor recently proposed that the city scale back a scheduled revamping of its building energy code to help boost housing production. The proposal would halt an update to the city’s multifamily and commercial building energy code that is scheduled to take effect later this year.
Mass Timber | May 31, 2024
Mass timber a big part of Western Washington University’s net-zero ambitions
Western Washington University, in Bellingham, Wash., 90 miles from Seattle, is in the process of expanding its ABET-accredited programs for electrical engineering, computer engineering and science, and energy science. As part of that process, the university is building Kaiser Borsari Hall, the 54,000-sf new home for those academic disciplines that will include teaching labs, research labs, classrooms, collaborative spaces, and administrative offices.
Construction Costs | May 31, 2024
Despite challenges, 2024 construction material prices continue to stabilize
Gordian’s Q2 2024 Quarterly Construction Cost Insights Report indicates that supply chain issues notwithstanding, many commodities are exhibiting price normalization.
University Buildings | May 30, 2024
Washington University School of Medicine opens one of the world’s largest neuroscience research buildings
In St. Louis’ Cortex Innovation District, Washington University School of Medicine recently opened its new Jeffrey T. Fort Neuroscience Research Building. Designed by CannonDesign and Perkins&Will, the 11-story, 609,000-sf facility is one of the largest neuroscience buildings in the world.
Affordable Housing | May 30, 2024
General contractor’s keys to a successful affordable housing project
General contractors can have tremendous influence over a project’s success in terms of schedule, budget, and quality. However, to ensure a project is put on this path, there are a few factors that must be considered.
