Swinerton Shifts Focus to National Portfolio
In part one of this two-part EXCLUSIVE, Swinerton CEO Jeff Hoopes recently discussed the company expansion and how it has evolved during its 130-year span.
SAN FRANCISCO—As Swinerton celebrates its 130th anniversary, it has introduced a new brand identity, as well as changes to The Swinerton Foundation. Its new logo reflects a shift from Swinerton Builders to Swinerton to highlight the company’s future with an expanded portfolio of offerings.
Swinerton provides commercial construction and construction management services throughout the United States and is a 100% employee-owned company. The rebranding stemmed from the need for a more consistent presence as Swinerton has expanded into one of the nation’s largest commercial construction companies.
The San Francisco-based company is already a staple of the construction industry in the West. However, Swinerton has most recently experienced a surge of growth in the Southeastern United States, including markets such as Atlanta and Charlotte, NC.
In addition to growing geographically, Swinerton has expanded its services as well. What started as a brick masonry and contracting company 130 years ago now boasts technical expertise in mass timber, seismic retrofits and prefabricated technology, and serves clients in aviation, healthcare, education and renewable energy.
“Swinerton has spent the last 130 years building some of the most iconic buildings in America,” said Jeff Hoopes, Swinerton chairman and CEO. “We are a company steeped in tradition, but one that’s also looking towards the future.”
Iconic projects such as the Oceanwide Center in San Francisco, Grey Hawk Solar in Arizona, First Tech Federal Credit Union’s new mass timber headquarters in Portland, OR, Viega USA’s new mass timber office building in Denver, the Anaheim Ducks’ new training facility at the Great Park Ice & Sports Complex, and the Los Angeles LGBT Center Anita May Rosenstein Campus, all showcase Swinerton’s new brand identity.
Beyond its geographical and portfolio growth, Swinerton has also expanded its charitable footprint. The Swinerton Foundation was formed in 2002 and in 2018, the Foundation’s board of directors adopted a new mission, new focus areas and made the transition from a private to a public nonprofit organization.
In part one of this two-part exclusive, Swinerton CEO Jeff Hoopes recently discussed the company expansion and how it has evolved during its 130-year span.
GlobeSt.com: In the 130 years of Swinerton’s operations, of course, technology has been a big factor. What else has been a key part of the evolution of building?
Hoopes: Perhaps the biggest difference in the world of construction is the emphasis on safety. When I started in this industry in the 80s, there was no personal protective equipment and we had just one safety manager for an entire company. Now, we’ve focused on building a culture of safety, which we capture in our motto “Your Family Needs You”. Every recordable, lost time and near miss on every project is reported to the executive committee, and that personal commitment to safety drives us to improve our safety program and processes every year. From daily stretch and flex sessions to safety stand-downs and site-specific safety plans, the critical importance of safety is one of the biggest changes that I have seen in my career.
The other big difference in building has been the focus on energy efficiency. LEED building standards, a continued emphasis on green building and the integration of renewable energy solutions have all been major factors in changing the construction industry. Swinerton built one of the nation’s first green buildings in 1970, and since that time we’ve built over 32 million square feet of sustainable projects and over 3 gigawatts of renewable energy projects.