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FALLS CHURCH, Va. — HITT Contracting is busy building, for itself and for its customers.
Contractor based in The Falls Church, Virginia inaugurated its future headquarters in January 2025 and has steadily progressed construction as he prepares to move in.
It is also moving forward for its customers. HITT Contracting was named best data center builder i eighth largest commercial contractor by revenue in the US by 2026, according to Engineering News-Record, with revenue of $13 billion. That’s a two-point jump from 2025, where it ranked No. 10 with $8.7 billion in revenue.
For Kim Roy, CEO of HITT, these moves present opportunities for growth. Roy assumed the role of C-suite in 2017, according to his LinkedInbut his story with HITT began in 1999 when he began his career in the workplace as an assistant project manager.
Since then, she has risen to the position of executive director and has addressed issues affecting builders across the country, particularly how contractors are positioning themselves as weather reaction of data center projects of their surrounding communities.
Here, Roy talks to Construction Dive about HITT’s key markets, data centers, how the company is navigating the labor shortage, and how his workplace experience informs his work as CEO.
Editor’s Note: This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
CONSTRUCTION DIVE: In which markets does HITT see strength?
KIM ROY: We continue to work in data center, corporate office, hospitality, federal areas. I would say that our work also continues, but has grown a lot, in the areas of industry, advanced manufacturing and energy. I think in the coming years, you will continue to see a broader market reach in these areas for us as well.
We’ve been building data centers for over 25 years. This is something that the competition and our team have been invested in for quite some time. Obviously, there is a slower growth trajectory in other sectors. We have invested heavily in the hyper-growth of the technology sector.
As you continue to build data centers, what do you notice has changed?
Kim Roy
Permission granted by HITT Contracting
Our teams are highly technical data center builders. I think customers like our project management style, and we’ve invested heavily in relationships with the data center community.
I would say that our entrepreneurial culture is very well aligned with a rapidly changing industry like data center construction because we are very nimble and nimble.
Data centers are changing rapidly. They need builders who can change quickly, change their process very quickly. So I think it’s a good match, and I think our customers see the value in that match.
Data center growth has driven our growth, as the numbers show. Bigger picture, maybe, I think there’s an absolutely smart way to build a data center, and I think it’s great that communities are questioning that and looking to hold that very high standard. And I’ve found that our customers are very sensitive in this regard.
It’s the small things, the dirty roads, please clean them, to the bigger things, maybe the noise and disruption during the course of construction.
How is HITT recruiting workers and navigating this job landscape?
The bigger projects we’ve done, and maybe even in remote, more rural areas of the country, we go in and often bring labor with us. They are eating at local restaurants. They stay in hotels. These projects are several years old and are shaping the local community.
I think with the labor shortage, it’s an opportunity for us to put more effort into R&D.
We have invested heavily in our robotics program and will continue to look at automation and digital transformation to increase the efficiency of our work, which should help. It won’t bridge the entire gap.
I had people very early in my career discourage me from being in construction. I think they felt it was somehow a lesser option. I think it’s amazing. I think if you know the talent is there, you should focus on how you get them into the industry.
We have specific programming for talent and recruitment and retention. But considering the trades as a high career option in the US is also the future. More people are interested in doing it.
Which markets do you think will show strength over the next five years?
Industrial and energetic. At the beginning of this year, HITT bought Brycon. It is a company based in the southwest that specializes in semiconductor work. I think we will continue to expand in very technical areas.
Our planning really starts with smart, strategic growth, and we spend a lot of time on where it should go, where we see segments of opportunity for us in the U.S.
We mix that with innovation and research and development and ultimately we think very long term. I have been with the company for 28 years and long-term planning has always been our approach to new markets, new areas, new investments.
What are HITT’s M&A plans for 2027?
We are looking at our fast growth areas such as energy, healthcare and advanced manufacturing. I would say those are key areas. But really, anything that helps strengthen our non-tech work is of interest to us.
How has starting in the workplace influenced your tenure as CEO? What would you say to people starting out in construction today?
I’ve lived it.
I love our trades. I learned all my good things about being a builder from our site operations team. Working with superintendents who patiently showed me how construction comes together, and I think that’s important.
There are people who are thinking with technological solutions or pieces of innovation, and that’s good. But what makes it great is having the understanding and technical expertise like our team.
I hear a lot of good ideas, but how are they implemented and at what pace, I think this experience helps because I am a builder at heart.
If you had asked me when I was little, I would have said: dream bigger. Have the confidence to continue on this path.
