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 ...

BOSTON – September 26, 2019 – Kaplan Construction, a WBE general contractor and construction management firm providing comprehensive building programs across Greater Boston, announced today that Chief Operating Officer Jane Kaplan Peck has been named a Women of Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate (FIRE) by Banking New England magazine. The FIRE sector has emerged as a keystone of the New England economy, transforming the knowledge, wealth and dreams of the world’s most ambitious visionaries into reality. As more and more women rise to the top of businesses and institutions in this sector, there is a growing need to shine a light on their achievements to inspire others. Following a management transition in 2014, Jane ushered the family business – one in which half of its employees had been with the company for multiple decades – into its second generation. As COO and majority owner of Kaplan Construction, Jane Kaplan Peck is responsible for the day-to-day operations and ensuring Kaplan’s financial security and ...

Chris Kenney & Mike Sams of Kenney & Sams, P.C. have been recognized in 2020 Best Lawyers in America. Their areas of expertise include: Insurance Law, Labor and Employment Litigation, Construction Law and Construction and Insurance Litigation. Inclusion in Best Lawyers is based on a rigorous peer-review survey comprising more than 8.2 million confidential evaluations by top attorneys. Best Lawyers is the only purely peer review guide to the legal profession and has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. The publication has earned the respect of the profession, the media, and the public as the most reliable, unbiased source of legal referrals. Corporate Counsel magazine has called Best Lawyers “the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice.”Kenney & Sams, P.C. is a boutique litigation law firm representing individuals, businesses, and public authorities in disputes and risk management. Their core value and foundation for their clients’ legal success is without q ...

Boston, Mass. – James Rudolph, managing partner of Rudolph Friedmann LLP, a 20-lawyer Boston law firm, has been included in the 2020 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America in the Construction Law practice area. With this distinction, Rudolph ranks in the top five percent of private practice attorneys nationwide.Inclusion in Best Lawyers is based on a rigorous peer-review survey comprising more than 8.2 million confidential evaluations by top attorneys. Best Lawyers is the only purely peer review guide to the legal profession and has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. The publication has earned the respect of the profession, the media, and the public as the most reliable, unbiased source of legal referrals. Corporate Counsel magazine has called Best Lawyers “the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice.” Rudolph is also rated “AV” by Martindale Hubbell, the highest rating available; has a 9.9 rating and a “top attorney” designation on AVVO, a rating tool that ...

BOSTON – September 16, 2019 – Kaplan Construction, a WBE general contractor and construction management firm providing comprehensive building programs across Greater Boston, announced today that Senior Project Manager Rachael Montosi has been named one of the 2019 Women in Construction by the editorial board at Constructech Magazine. Recipients were honored at the fifth annual awards dinner in Chicago in August and in-depth profiles of the 2019 Women in Construction will appear in the Fall issue of Constructech Magazine, which will be available in print and online. “The evening always exceeds my expectations when we have a chance to connect and learn from some of the best in the construction industry,” said Peggy Smedley, editorial director at Constructech Magazine and president of Specialty Publishing Media. “It’s always such a pleasure to meet and mingle with women who are truly transformative for the industry.” Rachael Montosi is a senior project manager at Kaplan Construction with 15 years of experience i ...

In an effort to attract young professionals to the suburbs as more and more corporate headquarters move out of the city, Alliance Residential Company and G|I|D Boston have teamed with CUBE 3 and Erland to construct a new rental housing development on Middlesex Turnpike—a bustling route that stretches from Burlington through Bedford into Billerica. This luxury complex will bring all the lifestyle offerings of city living to your front door in the suburbs.Made up of 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom apartments, Broadstone Middlesex is home to 211 units featuring stainless steel appliances and top-notch finishes, a 181-space parking garage, and 2,750sf of commercial space. Additional resident amenities include a resort-inspired swimming pool, state-of-the-art fitness center, dog wash, bike repair station, and outdoor firepits with lounge seating. The project will foster a sense of community—offering a portion of affordable housing units and assisting with the revitalization of Billerica.This is Erland’s first time partnerin ...

Contact: Katie Sweet, Marketing 603-502-8392 ksweet@exteriordesigns.com Exterior Designs 184 Rockingham Rd. Londonderry, NH 03053   MANCHESTER, NH - Metro Walls would like to thank all who participated in their First Annual Rally for a Cause, a motorcycle ride for charity! This year’s beneficiary was The National Pancreatic Cancer Foundation. With “Mike’s Match,” $1,585 was raised for this cause.   The trip started at Metro’s home base of Manchester and ended at the well-known Broken Spoke Saloon in Laconia, NH. Motorcycle enthusiasts from Metro Walls, Exterior Designs, Atlantic Prefab, and Patriot Building Systems all attended.   “This year we had 25 riders and our goal is to grow this tradition. This event was both fun and rewarding. It was a chance to spend time with employees and friends while giving to a cause that matters,” said Mike Dion of Metro Walls.   Stay tuned for details on Metro’s next cha ...

Contact: Katie Sweet, Marketing 603-502-8392 ksweet@exteriordesigns.com Exterior Designs 184 Rockingham Rd. Londonderry, NH 03053 Exterior Designs, a leader in commercial cladding is excited to announce that their office has moved to 184 Rockingham Road in Londonderry, NH! This space will accommodate the company’s staff and better serve its customers.   The interior of this office features some of Exterior Designs’ specialty cladding, along with stylish furnishings and most importantly extra space for a growing staff! To celebrate, the company hosted a well-attended Open House and Ribbon Cutting ceremony that included clients, vendors and friends. Exterior Designs will continue to provide outstanding craftsmanship and an excellent workforce for all of your commercial cladding needs.     About Exterior Designs: With one of the largest workforces in New England; Exterior Designs services some of the most complex projects in New Hampshire, Maine and ...

For ABC member companies to continue to thrive, we must take a hard look at our talent pipeline. With an aging workforce that in some cases is not suited to keep up with exponential growth of the construction industry, we need to identify young people at the start of their career and expose them to the many opportunities our member companies can offer. As we well know, the construction industry is about relationships, and a good case in point is the one ABC MA has been developing with Woburn Memorial High School. Our Building Mass Careers team has made multiple presentations to various students about construction. We held an industry roundtable, bringing in five ABC member firms to discuss trends in their sectors of the industry and their specific company hiring practices. Building Mass Careers hosted a three-day OSHA-10 Construction Outreach Safety and Health course attended by 18 students who received their OSHA 10 card. We are currently working to establish a job shadow and externship program in conjuncti ...

BOSTON – September 4, 2019 – Kaplan Construction, a WBE general contractor and construction management firm providing comprehensive building programs across Greater Boston, announced today that Heidi Aliski, LEED AP has joined the firm as a project manager. With over 17 years in the design and construction industry, Heidi started her career as a designer/drafter and intern architect before moving into project management for construction companies. Her background gives her a unique perspective on the design and construction process, one that will serve her well as she works with owners, architects, and engineers to ensure Kaplan projects are built in accordance with construction documents.“Heidi brings a strong background at both design and construction firms, which we feel will benefit our clients on multiple levels,” said Nate Peck, president of Kaplan Construction. “Our work has always been driven by the needs of our clients and we feel Heidi’s project experience dovetails nicely with our portfolio of proje ...