PBN Business Excellence Awards 2020
Excellence at an Enterprise Company: Gilbane Inc.
AS A COMPANY now in its sesquicentennial year of operation, Gilbane Inc. continues to succeed with the principles and values it had when Gilbane Building Co. was established in 1870.
The Providence-based, family-owned construction and real estate development firm regularly embraces its eight core values: integrity, dedication to excellence, caring, toughmindedness, loyalty, discipline, teamwork and entrepreneurship in its day-to-day operations.
These values guide the company in all aspects of its operation and in every market, including K-12 education, health care, commercial building, life sciences, higher education, hospitality, sports and entertainment, residential and federal building.
“We embrace our historical family culture and live and operate by our core values,” said Steve Duvel, Gilbane’s New England division senior vice president.
Client advocacy and superior execution serve as a foundation for customer satisfaction, Duvel said. He said Gilbane consistently achieves sustainable growth for the benefit of all stakeholders. Gilbane has surpassed its own record sales and profits for five years in a row.
From 2017 to 2019, Gilbane’s revenue grew from a little more than $5 billion to $6.3 billion.
“Hard work, dedication and an unwavering commitment to our core values guides our growth,” Gilbane senior sales and marketing specialist Tara Crawford said.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Gilbane took steps to ensure that its workers and clients are safe, all the while staying on schedule in order for projects to be completed. Duvel said project milestones are celebrated with adherence to social distancing and Rhode Island’s health guidelines that were implemented for the pandemic. Plus, Gilbane implemented virtual meeting platforms so that meetings and events can still happen.
For employees, Gilbane has donated and allocated nearly $700,000 from the company’s internal paid-time-off donation program to assist employees going through hardships brought on by the pandemic.
Additionally, many Gilbane team members “go above and beyond” to support local communities, as well as developed creative ways to serve the company’s clients and partners, Duvel said.
“We’re inspired by their ingenuity and celebrate their passionate efforts to make a difference,” he said.
Duvel also said Gilbane’s team members, during the ongoing health crisis, have leveraged technology and devised new ways to connect with its clients.
“From establishing a comprehensive resource bank for conducting client interviews and presentations virtually, to using our 3D-printing capabilities to print face shields for local health care workers, our team was able to provide assistance in an unprecedented time,” Duvel said.
As Gilbane looks to the future, the company established a Vision 2025 plan to lay out an initiative for success over the next five years. Employees are encouraged to review this plan and bring up questions, which are then answered at companywide meetings. This plan, Duvel said, keeps core values at the forefront, and Gilbane commits to remaining family-owned and “people-first.”
After 150 years in business, Gilbane continues to thrive in part due to its focus on the development and expertise of its people. For those just beginning their careers, the internal management candidate acceleration program is a heavily vetted rotational program allowing employees to discover personal strengths and career interests. Involving intense oversight and interaction with senior leadership, the program lets employees learn different aspects of construction management through their experiences.
Additionally, Gilbane University ensures that employees continue to grow during their careers. Each year, employees must complete 30 hours of learning in tracks that align with their career trajectory or topics in which they want to expand their knowledge.
“What separates Gilbane from the competition is the fact that we believe [in] everyone in which we engage with. Whether [it’s] an employee, a client, a subcontractor, a community or a vendor, [they are] part of the Gilbane family,” Duvel said. “It is our goal for Gilbane to be family-owned forever. The culture of safety, ethics and core values that is cultivated among our team assures our clients and partners that we always operate with their best interest in mind.”
