W.E. O’Neil Construction Co
W.E. O'Neil Construction Co is a 100% employee-owned general contractor founded in 1925, delivering construction management, general contracting, and preconstruction services across 13 offices in six U.S. states for enterprise, institutional, and public-sector clients.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1925
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What W.E. O’Neil Construction Co does
W.E. O'Neil Construction Co is a 100% employee-owned general contractor and construction manager headquartered in Chicago, founded in 1925 and operating across 13 offices in six U.S. states (Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Tennessee, and Texas) with project delivery in 36 states. The firm delivers general contracting, construction management, preconstruction, self-perform, and technology-enabled construction services across more than 15 market sectors, including education, healthcare, hospitality, gaming, multifamily, senior living, aviation, government, office, retail, and tribal projects. Marquee clients include Disney, Boeing, American Airlines, Relativity Space, LAWA, O'Hare International Airport, the Obama Foundation (via Lakeside Alliance), DePaul University, University of Chicago, Hines, McCaffery, Belmont Village Senior Living, Caesar's Entertainment, Bally's Corporation, Nordstrom, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Revenue is generated through project-based construction contracts awarded via competitive bidding or negotiated work, with multi-year contract cycles and pricing determined by detailed estimates, scope, and complexity rather than standardized tiers. The go-to-market motion is relationship-driven: more than 80% of work comes from repeat clients, supported by a national-credentialed leadership team averaging 30.3 years of industry experience and an employee base where 46% have tenures of five or more years. The firm employs BIM processes and a proprietary computer software-based inspection system for safety and quality control, and maintains 41 full-time LEED Accredited Professionals supporting sustainable building delivery.
The company began its employee ownership journey in 1994 and completed the transition to 100% ESOP ownership in 2020; it is not publicly traded, has no parent company, and carries no private equity or institutional ownership. Leadership includes CEO John Finn (Los Angeles), COO Todd Guthrie (promoted September 2025 from Denver), CFO Dan Feucht, CHRO Brett Dolan, and Chairman Brian Ramsay. W.E. O'Neil is ranked #95 on the ENR Top 400 General Contractors list and is consistently recognized across BD+C Giants 400 sector rankings, AGC and CMAA project awards, and multiple safety awards from ABC and Chicagoland AGC. The firm celebrated its centennial in 2025.
W.E. O’Neil Construction Co firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- W.E. O’Neil Construction Co
- Legal name
- W.E. O'Neil Construction Co
- Website
- https://weoneil.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1925
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- W.E. O'Neil Construction Co is a 100% employee-owned general contractor founded in 1925, delivering construction management, general contracting, and preconstruction services across 13 offices in six U.S. states for enterprise, institutional, and public-sector clients.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
W.E. O’Neil Construction Co industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Commercial Construction Services
- NAICS
- Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (23622), Nonresidential Building Construction (2362), Industrial Building Construction (23621)
- SIC
- General Bldg Contractors - Nonresidential Bldgs (1540), Operative Builders (1531)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Commercial General Contracting (New Build) (IMAFAAAA)
Keywords
Where W.E. O’Neil Construction Co is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices13 records
Markets served
W.E. O’Neil Construction Co business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Construction Services: General contracting and construction management services for various market sectors including commercial, residential, healthcare, education, hospitality, gaming, and infrastructure projects. Revenue is project-based, generated through construction contracts with diverse clients including developers, institutions, government entities, and tribal clients.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom project-based pricing for construction services |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
W.E. O’Neil Construction Co product offering
Product offeringCore offering
W.E. O'Neil Construction is a 100% employee-owned general contractor providing construction management, general contracting, preconstruction, self-perform, and technology services across 16 market sectors including education, healthcare, hospitality, gaming, multifamily, aviation, government, and senior living. The company also operates a Special Projects Group for projects in occupied spaces requiring rapid execution, delivering services through 13 offices across six U.S. states.
Product overview
W.E. O'Neil Construction Co is a 100% employee-owned general contractor offering a unified suite of construction services. The core offerings include General Contracting, Construction Management, Preconstruction, Self Perform work, Technology services, and a Special Projects Group. The company serves diverse market sectors including Adaptive Reuse, Aerospace/Technology/Manufacturing, Aviation, Cultural/Faith-Based, Education, Entertainment/Recreation, Gaming, Government/Municipal, Healthcare/Life Sciences, Hospitality, Infrastructure, Multifamily, Office, Retail, Senior Living, and Tribal projects. Services are delivered across 13 offices in six states with a focus on relationship-building and sustainable building practices.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Special Projects Group: A dedicated group offering services for projects typically in occupied spaces with rapid execution and deep expertise
Products and services
- General Contracting General contracting services for construction projects across diverse market sectors including commercial, residential, healthcare, education, and hospitality, delivered to enterprise and institutional clients.
- Construction Management Construction management services providing oversight and coordination of construction projects from preconstruction through completion for enterprise and institutional clients.
- Preconstruction Preconstruction services including estimating, planning, value engineering, and project development support delivered before construction begins.
- Self Perform Self-perform services where W.E. O'Neil directly executes certain construction work with its own crews rather than subcontracting, enabling tighter schedule and quality control.
- Technology Services Technology services leveraging BIM, computer software-based inspection systems, and state-of-the-art construction technology tools to increase efficiency and minimize waste on projects.
- Special Projects Group A dedicated group offering construction services for projects typically in occupied spaces requiring rapid execution, deep expertise, and minimal disruption.
- Design-Build Design-build delivery method combining design and construction services under a single contract for clients seeking integrated project delivery.
Quantifiable outcome
- 80% repeat business rate from existing clients
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use W.E. O’Neil Construction Co
Customer profileNamed customers17 records
Segments9 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
W.E. O’Neil Construction Co technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
W.E. O’Neil Construction Co partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Associated General Contractors (AGC) - Culture of CAREcoreW.E. O'Neil has committed to the Associated General Contractors' Culture of CARE pledge, which stands for Commit, Attract, Retain, and Empower. The company is working to create a diverse, safe, welcoming, and inclusive construction industry.
- Trade Partners/SubcontractorscoreW.E. O'Neil works with a network of trade partners and subcontractors across all regions. The company emphasizes relationship building with trade partners and has established qualification processes through Vertikal portal. Many subcontractors participate in preconstruction efforts and are relied upon for quality delivery to project owners.
- Lakeside AllianceminorW.E. O'Neil is involved in the Obama Presidential Center project through Lakeside Alliance, the construction manager hired by the Obama Foundation. Lakeside Alliance serves as the prime contractor responsible for hiring and paying subcontractors on the project.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
W.E. O’Neil Construction Co competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Hoffman Construction: Privately-held, West Coast-leaning general contractor specializing in complex commercial, healthcare, and higher education projects. Comparable on sector mix and ownership profile.
- Walsh Construction: Chicago-based family-owned general contractor with overlapping Midwest presence and comparable healthcare, education, and institutional project focus. Direct regional peer with similar culture and scale.
- Swinerton: 100% employee-owned general contractor with deep West Coast presence and overlapping sector coverage in multifamily, hospitality, senior living, and aviation. Closely comparable on ESOP structure, regional concentration, and project-based commercial/institutional work.
- Pepper Construction: Privately-held Midwest-headquartered general contractor with overlapping Chicago presence and similar exposure to healthcare, education, hospitality, and senior living. Direct regional peer in Illinois and surrounding markets.
- Gilbane Building Company: Family-owned national general contractor of similar revenue scale serving education, healthcare, aviation, and government markets. Comparable in service mix and institutional client base to W.E. O'Neil.
- McCarthy Building Companies: Employee-owned US general contractor with comparable revenue scale and a similar mix of healthcare, education, aviation, and senior living projects. Closely comparable on ownership structure, market-sector mix, and Midwest/West Coast footprint.
- Barton Malow Company: Employee-involved general contractor serving commercial, healthcare, education, and sports/entertainment markets from a Midwest base. Comparable on ownership culture and institutional construction portfolio.
Broad incumbents
- Turner Construction: Largest US general contractor by revenue and a direct competitor for aviation, healthcare, and institutional mega-projects. Comparable on end markets though substantially larger and operationally broader.
- Clark Construction Group: Large national general contractor overlapping in aviation, healthcare, education, and hospitality. Comparable on institutional project focus though at significantly greater scale.
- DPR Construction: Larger national employee-owned general contractor with deep healthcare, advanced technology, and commercial portfolios. Comparable on culture and market focus though at greater scale and broader geographic reach.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
W.E. O’Neil Construction Co social profiles
Digital presenceW.E. O’Neil Construction Co financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
W.E. O’Neil Construction Co leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
W.E. O’Neil Construction Co funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
W.E. O’Neil Construction Co M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about W.E. O’Neil Construction Co
What does W.E. O’Neil Construction Co do?
W.E. O'Neil Construction is a 100% employee-owned general contractor providing construction management, general contracting, preconstruction, self-perform, and technology services across 16 market sectors including education, healthcare, hospitality, gaming, multifamily, aviation, government, and senior living. The company also operates a Special Projects Group for projects in occupied spaces requiring rapid execution, delivering services through 13 offices across six U.S. states.
Is W.E. O’Neil Construction Co a public or private company?
W.E. O’Neil Construction Co is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was W.E. O’Neil Construction Co founded?
W.E. O’Neil Construction Co was founded in 1925. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is W.E. O’Neil Construction Co based?
W.E. O’Neil Construction Co is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does W.E. O’Neil Construction Co make money?
One revenue line is on record: construction Services.
Who are W.E. O’Neil Construction Co's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Hoffman Construction, Walsh Construction, Swinerton, Pepper Construction, Gilbane Building Company, McCarthy Building Companies and Barton Malow Company. Broad incumbents are Turner Construction, Clark Construction Group and DPR Construction.
Does W.E. O’Neil Construction Co have an API?
No public API is recorded for W.E. O’Neil Construction Co.
What industry is W.E. O’Neil Construction Co in?
W.E. O’Neil Construction Co's product category is Commercial Construction Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAFAAAA, Commercial General Contracting (New Build). Its NAICS code is 23622 and its SIC code is 1540.