Gilbane Building Company Announces CEO Transition
President and CEO Michael McKelvy Plans Retirement from Gilbane;
Thomas M. Laird, Jr. Appointed President & CEO
After Historic 2021 With Celebration of 150 Years In Business & Record-High Backlog,
Gilbane Enters 2022 In Strong Position With New Leadership & Plans
for Strategic Growth
Providence, RI – Thomas F. Gilbane, Jr., Chairman & CEO of Gilbane, Inc. & Chairman of Gilbane Building Company today announced plans for executive leadership transition as President and CEO Michael McKelvy retires from Gilbane and Thomas M. Laird, Jr. (“Tom”) is appointed President and CEO. McKelvy departs the company in a strong position after seven-and-a-half years in his role to spend more time with his family. This strategic CEO transition reflects two years of company succession planning resulting in Tom Laird, a 35-year Gilbane veteran who has worked across the company in diverse leadership roles, becoming President and CEO.
McKelvy departs Gilbane after multiple years of strong growth and company-wide accomplishment. The company recorded $6.5 billion in revenue in 2020 – the highest total in its 150-year history – and is projecting revenue to be in excess of $6 billion for 2021. Gilbane enters 2022 with a record backlog of projects in diverse and growing market sectors across the country and the globe. Under McKelvy’s leadership, the company chaired two industrywide initiatives in 2021: the inaugural Construction Inclusion Week and National Construction Safety Week.
“Mike McKelvy leaves Gilbane in a tremendously strong position, with company revenues reaching new heights during his tenure,” said Thomas F. Gilbane, Jr., Chairman & CEO of Gilbane, Inc. and Chairman of Gilbane Building Company. “Under Mike’s leadership, Gilbane has strategically grown its diverse portfolio, expanded into new markets, built a 5-year plan for profitable growth, and developed a talented team of executive leaders. We thank Mike for building this foundation of success and wish him well as he looks forward to a new chapter with his family.
“With his 35 years of experience, Tom Laird is a leader who knows our business, our people, and our clients. He takes the reins at a time when Gilbane is expanding into growing market sectors and geographies, delivering innovation and new solutions for our clients, and leading positive industry change in the areas of inclusion, safety, and sustainability,” continued Gilbane.
“My time with Gilbane was the pinnacle of my career, and it was the most rewarding experience I could have possibly imagined,” said Michael E. McKelvy. “Though this moment is bittersweet, I am confident that I’m leaving the company in Tom’s more than capable hands. I look forward to seeing the company continue to build on its tremendous record of excellence, safety, and client satisfaction.”
Laird joined Gilbane shortly after graduating from college more than 35 years ago and is a product of the company’s management training program. He is the company’s longest-serving executive leader and has directed multiple divisions in various geographies. He has also spearheaded key Gilbane initiatives, including both the company’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) commitment and its Innovation Council.
“I am honored to succeed Mike McKelvy as Gilbane’s next leader and am incredibly excited to help shape the future of one of the world’s oldest and most celebrated construction management companies,” said Tom Laird, President and CEO, Gilbane Building Company. “Gilbane is filled with the most talented and innovative builders in the industry, and I know that we are poised for continued success.”
In his new role, Laird will advance the company’s Vision 2025 strategy, a comprehensive multi-year plan for profitable growth, innovation, and people investment, and continue Gilbane’s leadership in furthering safety and inclusion across the construction industry.
About Gilbane Building Company
Gilbane Building Company provides a full slate of construction and facilities-related services – from pre-construction planning and integrated consulting capabilities to comprehensive construction management, close-out and facility management services – for clients across various markets. A family business founded in 1870, Gilbane has active participation from the 4th, 5th and 6th generations of the Gilbane family and has more than 45 office locations worldwide.
For more information, visit www.gilbaneco.com.