Known for its integrity, ingenuity and commitment to the people, President Nordic Construction Inc., Glen Kanehige, has become a main point in the Hawaiian Islands for more than 40 years in the construction industry. But initially he did not plan this race.
“When I was in high school, I thought I would follow my brother’s footsteps to turn a doctor to me,” he recalls. “Somewhere between my younger and oldest year, I realized that working in a hospital was not my concert.”
In the summer before the Senior Year of Kanehige, his father, Mitsuru Kanehige, who was president of the Nordic construction at the time, helped him land a job in a local team company delivering to jobs. . “I thought it was great, I liked being out and I also liked the math. It was when I decided that I would leave medicine plans and engineering,” he says.
While obtaining a degree from Michigan University to Ann Arbor and a Master’s Degree from California University in Berkeley, both in civil engineering, Kanehige spent summers in Hawaii in jobs and a union worker with both workers. Like the Carpadores. He did a little of everything, from placing concrete and forming to nailing frames in place. “I had no experience, but I liked working with the crews: they were very smart and very skilled,” he says. “And so I thought, this is a great industry. I did the right movement when I left health care and decided that engineering and construction were for me. “
After graduating, Kanehige started in Nordic Construction as a project engineer, constantly working up for the next 15 years for the project manager, Vice President of Operations and Executive Vice President. He was President and CEO of Nordic from 1999 to 2008, when Nordic merged with PCL to form Nordic PCL. Kanehige served as executive vice president of the new company until 2011, when he was appointed president.
“Glen grew in the business, literally. The result of their training life is that when they speak, people know that they come from a place of personal experience. He knows what is possible, because he has done it himself, “says Lance K. Wilhelm, president of the Wilhelm group.” In our business, there is simply no substitute for practical experience. “
The James Campbell building was the first major commercial building in Kapolei, causing community development after its completion in 1993. The three -storey building of 73,493 square meters is the headquarters of the James Campbell Co.
Photo courtesy of Nordic PCL Construction Inc.
The older teacher
One of the first projects that Kanehige worked on was for Kamehameha School, the largest owner in Hawaii. “We were building several buildings on their campus. It was a hard work logistically, the team was very difficult to work and we had an inspector who intended to make it difficult for us to work,” he recalls. “The projects present their own challenges. , but the element of the people launches a very different perspective and challenge.
Although the project reached the finish line without disputes, the conflicts that Kanehige encountered in this job paused him, asking, if all projects will be so controversial.
“But I persevered and learned a lot because suffering is the oldest teacher,” he says. “At the beginning of your career, the breach of knowledge is huge. In a project, I learned a lot not only about construction, but also about people. “”
“Glen grew in the business, literally. The result of their training life is that when they speak, people know they come from a place of personal experience. ”
—Lance K. Wilhelm, President, The Wilhelm Group
Each project is different, since each work has a different character, according to him. These first obstacles gave Kanehige confidence to meet new challenges.
“When you go through a series of difficult projects, you will be more durable. Each experience makes you wiser and stronger, “he says. This kind of mental strength and grain has often been proven vital, especially in some of the most demanding jobs with the most impossible deadlines.
“In one of these projects, we were near the end of the program and there were still some important specific work to complete outside the building. I went through the last concrete discharge to the outside of the project in the middle of the Center for Honolulu and there was a gluen with a steel palette in hand, working right next to its craftsmen and captains, “recalls Wilhelm. “The fact that he came out there without fanfare and no warning to the customers told me what he needed to know about Glen. He assumes the personal responsibility of his company, and is a large part of Nordic’s success. PCL ”.
Milestones of life
The construction has the great advantage of giving rise to a tangible product, producing structures through which those in the industry often land their lives. Although Nordic PCL has caused work in a wide range and number of projects throughout Kanehige’s term, there are some prominent.
One of these is the James Campbell building of 73,493-PPPP-Peus, one of the few buildings dressed in stone in Hawaii, built on the west side of Oahu in Kapolei, which was known as “Second City”, the 1993. The James Campbell estate, a large owner of Hawaii, wanted to develop an urban area on the west side of the island. With Nordic as a general contractor, the estate promised to build a new office building in a green field in the middle of the old sugarcane fields. The office building ended up being a catalyst from the city of Kapolei, transforming the cane fields into the animated area today.
In the center of Honolulu, Nordic PCL is currently located in Alii Place, a 24 -story office building, 316,000 square meters that the firm helped build in 1992. Most commercial offices projects like this are built using Reinforced concrete, but alii Place is a large structural steel building on top of a concrete podium. “There are not many, but at that time it was the largest steel project. It is covered with prefabricated concrete that was manufactured in Denver,” says Kanehige.
More recently, Nordic PCL and G70 joined Maui to build Kulanihako’i High School, the first public public school designed to be clean zero under the Living Building Challenge. He has won multiple awards, says Charles Kanehiro, President and CEO of G70.
“We have a long story of working with Nordic PCL with GLEN at the helm, and some of these projects are some of the most recognized buildings in Hawaii and have been the winning awards,” says Kanehiro, who went to high school with Kanehige. (But he admits he has no “dirt” to share, as Kanehige was a model student).
“Recently, our companies finished a new office building that was winner of the prize on several fronts called Civil Beat Plaza. We have also done more than 20 years of work at the Iolani school with Nordic PCL, “he adds.
Nordic PCL is located in Alii Place, an office tower of $ 59.6 million, 24 floors, 316,000 square meters in Honolulu completed in 1992.
Photo courtesy of Nordic PCL Construction Inc.
Walking the walk
When it comes to doing business, Kanehige has some key philosophies. One is always doing the right one, regardless of what the contract indicates, especially since contracts cannot address all situations that could arise during a project. And when it comes to being an effective leader, Kanehige cited Samurai Miyamoto Musashi, who wrote famously: “To win any battle, you must fight as if you were already dead.” From a business point of view, this translates into: “You have to manage as if they had already been fired, because fear will always maintain the effectiveness you can be,” he says.
Its leadership and influence through the Nordic PCL is evident for colleagues in the industry. “His peace of mind translates into a deep commitment to the vision and culture of his company,” says Bettina Mehnert, President and CEO of AHL. “Nordic PCL is our chosen contractor, which is a direct reflection of Glen leadership.”
In addition to his responsibilities at the office, Kanehige serves the advice of multiple professional associations and the local chapter AGC. “It is part of our business to return to the communities we build,” he says. Today he is a trustee of the Trust Carpenters Fund, as well as the Union Trust Fund and is in four chair chair chair advice. It is also deeply involved with the National Association of Industrial and Office Parks (Naiop).
“Naiop has a delivery ceremony every year and they used to hire remarkable personalities to broadcast,” recalls Kanehiro. “One year they asked Glen: he was co-broadcasting the delivery ceremony with Lance Wilhelm, and they have done so since.”
Wilhelm adds that while he and Kanehige they have created a reputation to throw beards in these events, “the only thing I hope people realize is that I don’t think you can have this kind of relationships unless there is mutual respect Deep. , “He says.
A detached reputation
While construction has been transformed greatly over the last four decades, Kanehige admits that it remains in the industry for people, collaboration and challenges.
“There is so much unpredictability in what we do. It is to find out how to identify the risks, to ensure that everyone at the table understands them and how they will be addressed. It’s about solving problems and the challenges we have,” he says.
The Kanehige team -focused mentality is the one that Mehnert has observed firsthand. “It has a highly collaborative approach with the entire design team, which only exceeds its willingness to entertain -the thought of the Caixa. Once a project is granted, it remains involved and checks with the project and its Teams, “he says. “Glen wants to say that the project is successful, fully understanding that it is a team that gives a project to a client. It is fair to say that his only focus focuses on the success of the project, not the success of his company. “
“You know, sometimes architects have crazy ideas; it does not say crazy ideas, but it will only say,” Well, that’s interesting. Let’s explore – ‘”
—Charles Kanehiro, President and COO, G70
Kanehiro agrees, calling Kanehige one of the most reliable people in the industry. “You know, sometimes architects have crazy ideas; it does not say crazy ideas, but it will only say,” Well, that’s interesting. Let’s explore – Will really hear. This is a high quality that separates it from others in this industry, “he says.
In 2011, the Regional Council of Carpenters de Hawaii honored Kanehige with the prominent prize of the Builder of the Year, which is given to an individual in the direction who has made important contributions to labor management relations and the industry. By 2024, Kanehige became the first person to win -twice.
“I have worked with Glen for many years on various problems of labor relationships. Negotiations are always difficult, but again and again, I have seen Glen reflectively and skilled both labor leaders and management through these treacherous waters, “says Wilhelm. “It remains calm as temperatures increase and make their points clearly, without malice or judgment. He understands that at the end of the day, the relationships we share are more important than some cents in a salary package.”
