Over the past century, Pinner Construction has overcome a number of challenges, including recession, leadership changes and a global pandemic. But since its founding in 1919, the Anaheim, Calif.-based company has stayed true to its core values of quality customer service and craftsmanship as it continued on its way to becoming in one of the most respected general contractors in the state.
“The secret sauce to Pinner’s success is our employees, and having competent people who care is our No. 1 asset,” says CEO Dirk Griffin. “We’re doing $100 million to $200 million worth of construction on average, and it’s all about the people. Every one of our employees is an ambassador for the company, so we train them properly and take care of them.”
Griffin, who bought the company in 2016, says customer service is another key. “I’m very active and I’m with the owners all the time in the field, and most CEOs don’t,” he says. “We’re also extremely transparent and loyal with our clients, and even share the books with them on the job.”
These relationships are enhanced by the company’s focus on specific sectors and the time to build a strong reputation for excellence. Projects for public entities are a good example of this, and school projects account for between 65% and 70% of Pinner’s work.
The company is currently involved in six projects for the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) with a combined contract value of more than $700 million.
The company experienced a slowdown with the COVID pandemic, with revenue falling from $177 million in 2020 to $133.6 million in 2021. But the company remained nimble by using alternative delivery methods and developing a strong team of contractors, and Pinner bounced back with revenue of nearly $170 million in 2022, followed by $184.04 million in 2023.
The company now projects $250 million to $300 million in revenue by 2024, thanks in part to a pair of California Highway Patrol station projects in Southern California that will add up to more than $125 million.
As a result of its strong recent performance, Pinner Construction has been selected as ENR California’s 2024 Contractor of the Year.
Pinner’s work at the Port of Long Beach’s fire stations exceeded the port’s sustainability goals by achieving LEED Gold certification.
Photo courtesy of Pinner Construction
head of class
Pinner is currently working to complete 11 active projects in Southern California and has several others in the contract award phase, says Justin Davis, president of business development.
The contractor continues to target vertical public works construction opportunities in Southern California. One of Pinner’s biggest current clients is LAUSD, with whom the company has worked on half a dozen major projects since 2014, including new construction, seismic retrofits and retrofits.
“Pinner Construction has a very well-developed understanding of the Los Angeles Unified School District,” says Alix Walsh O’Brien, LAUSD Assistant Director of Facilities. “They understand our goals and our business practices. They communicate with us on every project with both executives and project management and field staff. And executive-level involvement and attention to project challenges is consistently available across all projects.”
“They understand our goals and our business practices. They communicate with us on every project with both executives and project management and field staff.”
—Alix Walsh O’Brien, Assistant Director of Facilities, LAUSD
Walsh O’Brien says Pinner works especially well with the school district during the design phase of its large design-build comprehensive modernization projects. “The number of meetings and various stakeholders representing the Los Angeles Unified School District during the design process is demanding for many of our general contractors, but Pinner recognizes the complexity of planning and design decisions, including the work through mockups collaboratively and the fine. material and color selection points,” he says. “The district continues to work to be decisive and time-sensitive with our business partners, and Pinner makes it look easy.”
Hazim J. Rabadi, principal and office practice leader at CannonDesign, says he enjoys working with Pinner because of its collaborative approach and the involvement of the contractor’s senior team members. “Working with Pinner means they really include us as part of their team. And working with senior people, we’re able to make decisions quickly,” he says.
CannonDesign has worked with Pinner on numerous projects over the years, including three current LAUSD projects: Shenandoah Elementary School, Grant High School and Lincoln High School. These are all multi-year projects that will be completed in 2025, 2026 and 2028 respectively.
Rabadi says that when he was working on pricing for the Shenandoah project, there was a lot of back-and-forth meetings and discussions to make sure the project team could meet the client’s budget.
“Every one of our employees is an ambassador for the company, so we train them properly and take care of them.”
—Dirk Griffin, CEO of Pinner Construction
“We worked hard to identify areas of savings that did not affect the quality of the project,” he says. “Pinner brought solutions to the table and listened to the design and quality needs of the project to ensure the client was happy and the project was successful. They worked collaboratively with us to find these solutions. They were a true partner.”
One of the largest school projects currently underway for Pinner is the more than $220 million comprehensive modernization project at Lincoln High School for LAUSD that includes new buildings, a seismic retrofit and the modernization of existing historic buildings, along with outdoor squares and sports facilities.
Rosendin division manager Dan Domenici, who is working with Pinner on the Lincoln High School project, says Pinner does a great job of communicating throughout the construction process.
“They share timely information across the team and are proactive in advance,” says Domenici, who also works with Pinner at the two CHP stations. “They excel in the planning and pre-construction phases of the project to ensure team buy-in and a clear understanding of the end goal: to deliver the best product the industry can offer while staying on budget.”
Domenici adds that Pinner’s approach to pre-construction planning and coordination is top notch. “They use a third-party consultant, SWAP Integration, which helps direct the workflow through the design process, clearly defining responsibility and expectations.”
AHSD’s Dale Junior High School campus revitalization included an administration building, a band building and the modernization of five existing classroom buildings.
Photo courtesy of Pinner Construction
Running a tight ship
Moving from land to sea, Pinner also recently completed two LEED Gold fire stations for the Port of Long Beach. These stations are part of a $109 million port program to preserve business continuity, security and economic interests. They greatly enhance the shore and land emergency response capabilities of the Long Beach Fire Department, better protecting visiting vessels, cargo and waterfront workers.
Fire Station 15 is a single-level, 7,750-square-foot building on the harbor’s outer harbor with housing, a garage for two fire apparatus trucks, and a dock complete with a bay enclosure of ships of 16,311 square meters. The project exceeded the port’s sustainability goals by achieving USGBC LEED Gold certification when Silver certification was the contractual requirement.
Fireboat Station 20, also LEED Gold, is a two-level, 9,783-square-foot structure with living quarters, a garage for two fire trucks, and a 16,280-square-foot boat bay.
The Michelle and Barack Obama Sports Complex in Rancho Cinega, California is a 49,000-square-foot sports facility that includes an indoor pool and a two-story gymnasium.
Photo courtesy of Pinner Construction
Darrin Lambrigger, director of construction management for the Port of Long Beach, says Pinner’s team were excellent partners and problem solvers on the fire station projects. He says when supply chain issues arose during the pandemic and materials such as HVAC and elevator equipment were delayed, Pinner worked closely with the port to find a way to get everything installed as quickly as possible. possible
“Pinner worked with the electrical suppliers and teams and where possible they tried to move the delivery dates forward. They were very transparent with our teams, saying ‘here are the impacts, this is what we’ve done throughout of the way,’ and it helped us communicate with the rest of the team,” Lambrigger says.
Like the fire stations, all of Pinner’s other current projects are LEED or CHPS certified.
“The culture of construction has changed significantly over the years in response to the absolute need for responsible and sustainable construction,” says Min Zavarella, Pinner’s president of operations. “California has been at the forefront of the sustainability movement since the beginning, and our building codes reflect that. As a builder in California, we are involved both by necessity and by law. For Pinner, the fact that our projects being LEED or CHPS certified validates our own commitment to the future of construction.”