Cullen Construction Management
Cullen Construction Management is a privately held construction management and owner's representation firm serving property owners, developers, institutions, and municipalities across 24 states from offices in Chicago, Austin, and Denver with a 31-32 person team.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Cullen Construction Management does
Cullen Construction Management (Cullen CM) is a privately held construction management and owner's representation firm headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with regional offices in Austin, Texas, and Denver, Colorado. Founded in 2014, the firm employs a team of 31-32 professionals and has completed over 300 projects spanning more than $2 billion in managed budgets and 5 million square feet of built space, with active engagements across 24 U.S. states.
The firm's service offering is organized around four integrated pillars: Owner's Representation (advocacy and oversight on the owner's behalf), Construction Project Management (schedule and budget control), Preconstruction and Due Diligence (cost estimating, constructability reviews, procurement), and Construction Monitoring (subcontractor performance and quality control). These services are deployed across six market verticals — Residential, Institutional, Education, Hospitality, Workplace, and Transportation — serving a mix of enterprise developers (Core Spaces, Marquette, Bader Development, JK Equities, The Drake Group), municipalities (City of Chicago, Village of Tinley Park, O'Hare International Airport, Austin Convention Center), and nonprofit and institutional clients (Start Early, TimeLine Theatre, Brookfield Zoo, Trinity High School, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign). The firm holds WBE, DBE, and BEP certifications that expand eligibility for diversity-mandated public and institutional RFPs.
Cullen CM generates revenue through professional services fees structured as fixed fee, percentage of construction cost, or hourly rates depending on project scope, with multi-year contract cadence typical. Go-to-market is relationship-driven and field-based: 90% of work is sourced from repeat partners, supported by content marketing (company blog, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram) and earned-media recognition including Best Workplaces 2026 (consecutive year) and the 2025 Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies. Leadership is anchored by founder and President Shaylyn Cullen and Executive Vice President Chris Hume, supported by regional and project directors.
Cullen Construction Management firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cullen Construction Management
- Legal name
- Cullen Construction Management
- Website
- https://cullencm.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Cullen Construction Management is a privately held construction management and owner's representation firm serving property owners, developers, institutions, and municipalities across 24 states from offices in Chicago, Austin, and Denver with a 31-32 person team.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cullen Construction Management industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Construction Management Services
- NAICS
- Construction (23)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Construction Management (Agency/Owner’s Rep) (IMAFAAAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Construction Engineering & Constructability Consulting (BPAHAIAN)
Keywords
Where Cullen Construction Management is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Cullen Construction Management business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Owner's Representation Services: Cullen CM provides owner's representation consulting services where they act as advocates for property owners, developers, and institutions throughout construction projects. Services include preconstruction, due diligence, construction management, cost estimating, equity monitoring, contract compliance, and program management.
- Construction Project Management: Direct project management services overseeing contractor performance, schedules, budgets, and quality control for renovations and new builds across all market sectors.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom project-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Cullen Construction Management product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cullen Construction Management is a professional services firm that provides owner's representation and construction management consulting for property owners, developers, institutions, and municipalities. Core offerings include owner's representation, construction project management, preconstruction and due diligence, cost estimating, construction monitoring, contract compliance, and program management, delivered across residential, institutional, education, hospitality, workplace, and transportation market sectors using a "Boots on the Ground" hands-on approach.
Product overview
Cullen Construction Management operates as a construction management and owner's representation firm offering a unified suite of professional services. The core offering consists of four integrated service pillars: Owner's Representation (advocacy and project oversight), Construction Project Management (schedule and budget control), Preconstruction & Due Diligence (early-stage planning and cost estimation), and Construction Monitoring (ongoing oversight and quality control). These services are deployed across six market sector verticals—Residential, Institutional, Education, Hospitality, Workplace, and Transportation—enabling the firm to serve diverse client types from private developers to municipalities. The firm's 'Boots on the Ground' approach combines hands-on leadership with deep business case expertise to reduce costs, minimize risk, and shorten schedules. With over 300 completed projects, $2B+ in budgets managed, and operations spanning Chicago, Austin, and Denver, the firm positions its services as adaptable to projects ranging from residential developments to large-scale institutional and entertainment venues.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Owner's Representation Advocacy and oversight service where Cullen CM acts as the client's representative throughout construction, driving projects from concept to beneficial use with detailed oversight, real-time reporting, and seamless coordination with architects, engineers, equity firms, and other stakeholders. Intended for property owners, developers, institutional clients, and municipalities.
- Construction Project Management Expert project management ensuring projects stay on schedule and within budget through deep understanding of existing conditions, critical challenges, and new construction delivery for renovations and new builds across all market sectors.
- Preconstruction & Due Diligence Early-stage engagement services including due diligence assessments, proforma development, design and constructability reviews, cost estimating, and procurement strategies provided to property owners, developers, and institutions before construction begins.
- Construction Monitoring Investment protection and oversight service delivered through expert construction monitoring, proactive management, and precise execution including real-time updates, subcontractor performance monitoring, quality control, and equity monitoring for owner clients.
Quantifiable outcome
- 300+ projects completed with $2B+ budgets managed
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Cullen Construction Management
Customer profileNamed customers18 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Cullen Construction Management technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Cullen Construction Management partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- Reinsdorf and Wirtz Families (The 1901 Project)flagshipCullen CM serves as part of the Owner's Representative team for the historic $7 billion 1901 Project - the largest private investment on Chicago's West Side. Mission is safeguarding client vision and benefit to the West Side community.
- MortensoncoreGeneral Contractor partnering with Cullen CM on the Start Early Educare Lake County School project in Zion, IL. Mortenson handles construction while Cullen CM provides owner's representation services including preconstruction through construction oversight.
- Juan Gabriel Moreno Architects (JGMA)coreArchitectural firm providing design services for the Educare Lake County School project. Collaboration ensures design vision aligns with construction feasibility and community needs.
- Lakota GroupcoreDesign firm that designed Harmony Square plaza in Tinley Park as a 'third place' beyond work and home for community gathering. Collaboration ensured adaptive plaza design with year-round programming capability.
- RC WegmancoreGeneral Contractor for Harmony Square project in Tinley Park. Cullen CM managed complexity with responsive, accountable approach throughout every project phase.
- TriacoreArchitectural firm collaborating on Harmony Square design alongside Lakota Group for the $40M multi-stakeholder public space redevelopment.
- Rebuilding Together Metro ChicagominorCommunity service partnership where Cullen CM team participates in annual home renovation projects. Chris Hume served on Board of Directors in organization's early years.
- Girls in the GameminorChicago nonprofit supporting young women ages 15-18 through Leader-to-Leader interviews and educational site tours. Cullen CM provides exposure to construction and real estate industry careers.
- Habitat for Humanity ChicagominorCommunity partnership for annual Women Build Event in Chicago. Cullen CM team helps raise funds, build awareness, and actively contribute on build day.
- Lakeside BankminorPartner with Cullen CM on Rebuilding Together Metro Chicago home renovation project in April 2026, working alongside team members on build day.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Cullen Construction Management competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Hill International: Global construction management and owner's representation firm providing program, project, and construction management services across infrastructure, commercial, residential, and institutional sectors. Directly comparable to Cullen CM in core owner's-rep and CM service model, though at materially larger scale.
- Brailsford & Dunlavey: Program and construction management consultancy focused on owner's representation for education, cultural, government, and institutional clients. Comparable in service model, vertical mix, and project complexity to Cullen CM's institutional and education segments.
- Vanir Construction Management: National construction management, program management, and owner's representation firm specializing in K-12, higher education, healthcare, and civic/public-sector projects. Closely comparable to Cullen CM in the institutional and education verticals where both firms concentrate.
- Mark III Construction: Mid-market construction management and general contracting firm serving education, healthcare, commercial, and industrial clients in the Western U.S. Comparable in size and service mix to Cullen CM, though with a heavier general contracting tilt.
- Owner's Project Manager (OPM) consulting firms (e.g., PMA Consultants): Program and construction management consultancy providing owner's project management for public-sector capital programs. Directly comparable to Cullen CM in the institutional and government owner's-rep segment.
- Massaro Construction Management Group: Mid-Atlantic construction management and owner's representation firm serving higher education, healthcare, cultural, and corporate clients. Comparable business model, vertical mix, and relationship-driven GTM to Cullen CM.
Broad incumbents
- AECOM Tishman: AECOM's building construction division delivers program management, owner's representation, and CM services for large commercial, institutional, and mixed-use developments globally. Overlaps with Cullen CM on owner's rep mandates for large-scale projects like the 1901 Project.
- Gilbane Building Company: Large private construction management and general contracting firm with strong owner's representation and program management practices across education, healthcare, hospitality, and mixed-use development. Comparable service breadth to Cullen CM but at significantly larger scale.
- JLL Project & Development Services: Global real estate services giant whose Project & Development Services division delivers owner's representation, program management, and construction management for commercial, institutional, and residential clients. Overlaps with Cullen CM's service lines but operates at much larger scale and across a broader real-estate platform.
- CBRE Heery (Project Management): CBRE's project management practice (including legacy Heery International) provides owner's representation, program, and construction management for public and private institutional clients nationwide. Comparable in service offering and client types, but embedded in a much larger global real estate services firm.
Market position
Strengths1 record
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Cullen Construction Management social profiles
Digital presenceCullen Construction Management compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Cullen Construction Management financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cullen Construction Management leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Cullen Construction Management funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cullen Construction Management M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cullen Construction Management
What does Cullen Construction Management do?
Cullen Construction Management is a professional services firm that provides owner's representation and construction management consulting for property owners, developers, institutions, and municipalities. Core offerings include owner's representation, construction project management, preconstruction and due diligence, cost estimating, construction monitoring, contract compliance, and program management, delivered across residential, institutional, education, hospitality, workplace, and transportation market sectors using a "Boots on the Ground" hands-on approach.
Is Cullen Construction Management a public or private company?
Cullen Construction Management is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Cullen Construction Management founded?
Cullen Construction Management was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Cullen Construction Management based?
Cullen Construction Management is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Cullen Construction Management make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Owner's Representation Services are the primary driver. The others are construction Project Management.
Who are Cullen Construction Management's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Hill International, Brailsford & Dunlavey, Vanir Construction Management, Mark III Construction, Owner's Project Manager (OPM) consulting firms (e.g., PMA Consultants) and Massaro Construction Management Group. Broad incumbents are AECOM Tishman, Gilbane Building Company, JLL Project & Development Services and CBRE Heery (Project Management).
Does Cullen Construction Management have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cullen Construction Management.
What industry is Cullen Construction Management in?
Cullen Construction Management's product category is Construction Management Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAFAAAC, Construction Management (Agency/Owner’s Rep), with a secondary code of BPAHAIAN, Construction Engineering & Constructability Consulting. Its NAICS code is 23 and its SIC code is 8700.