The Blog

It may seem hard to imagine now, but it wasn’t that long ago when the construction industry was fighting for its life. In 2008, Brian Kennedy was doing some work for clients he had worked with as a project manager for his previous employer. They asked him if he was going to start his own business. He did. It was himself, one superintendent and a part-time office administrator working out of the first floor of a three-family house. His clients fed him some projects.Today, as BW Kennedy & Co. celebrates its 10th anniversary, it is a general contractor that does about $80 million worth of work annually, employs around 35 people, and has moved into newly constructed headquarters in Arlington this summer. Some of those original clients are still with the company.Kennedy had a strong background doing life sciences work, and that remains the biggest sector BW Kennedy & Co. serves, but the company has branched out. It’s now a full-service company doing private school and other types of jobs. Whether it’s new ...

Chris Sheppard Chris Sheppard may not be a contractor, but his career has been as tied to the construction business as any ABC member.  At Eastern Insurance he works exclusively with the industry and is the firm’s leading construction producer. That’s important, because insurance for contractors is fundamentally different than for other industries.  “With construction, you are utilizing all facets of the risk management process.  In many cases risk transfer is just as important as insurance.  A properly constructed risk management program is going to encompass both strategies,” Chris says. He has a particular expertise in helping contractors understand workers compensation and experience rating, having written articles on the topic.  He currently serves on ABC’s board of directors and is also a member of the Construction Financial Managers Association, and the Associated General Contractors of MA. Chris works with all the type ...