Over the past nine decades, the Raymond Group has grown from a small lath and plaster company in Orange, California to one of the leading design aid, specialty finishes and theme contractors in the regional wall and ceiling industry.
Today, the company has 1,200 field employees and offices in San Diego, Northern California and Las Vegas, as well as its headquarters in Orange. And in addition to plaster and drywall, the Raymond Group’s self-executing capabilities include metal framing, drywall systems, acoustic ceilings, fireproofing, prefab, virtual design and construction, and more.
The company is still run by descendants of founder George Raymond, with granddaughters Kirsten Potter and Nicolle Winsor taking over operations in 2017.
“Kirsten and I have held various roles within the company over the years and have been on the board since the 1990s, playing a role in shaping the company’s strategy and financial success” , says Principal/Owner Nicolle (Nikki) Winsor. . “Since 2017, Raymond has been predominantly owned and operated by women, and we are proud to have recently been recognized as a Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE).”
Work on the 8th & Figueroa residential tower project in downtown Los Angeles included drywall and framing as well as intumescent fire protection.
Photo courtesy of The Raymond Group
She says being certified as a WBE is an “important part of what we stand for: diversity, integrity and teamwork.”
The company reinforces its commitment to encouraging women in construction by participating in the Future Construction Leaders Foundation (FCL) camp for teenage girls in the San Diego region. The program hosts an annual summer camp for high school girls where they are introduced to different construction activities.
Principal/Owner Kirsten Potter says Raymond is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse work environment and as part of this employs many women at different levels of the organization, from leadership roles to operational positions and field work.
“This culture directly influences our final product and our relationships with our customers. To keep us busy, we rely on the strong, long-term relationships we’ve built with our clients and our commitment to delivering high-quality work,” says Winsor.
The Raymond Group installed the low walls and substrate for the tiles in Snapdragon Stadium’s 12 unique bars, as well as the manipulation of intricate ceilings and ceilings to complement the lighting.
Photo courtesy of Clark Construction
Based on firm foundations
The company, founded by George Raymond in 1936, began by helping to complete some of the first planned residential communities in the country.
In the 1950s, the company expanded into commercial construction. In 1964, George’s son Carl Raymond took over the company, further expanding its operations to include a commercial plasterboard division.
Today, Raymond stays on the cutting edge of technology and helps streamline field operations by utilizing an in-house virtual construction and design department specializing in BIM. The firm also offers extensive prefabrication techniques for building components and exterior wall systems.
“To keep us busy, we rely on the strong, long-term relationships we’ve built with our clients and our commitment to delivering high-quality work.”
—Nicolle Winsor, Principal/Owner, The Raymond Group
“We are constantly expanding our reach, exploring new opportunities and clients when it aligns with our goals,” says Winsor. “We work hard to stay ahead of the curve and embrace industry innovations and improvements, and take on a mix of large and large projects as well as smaller specialist tenant improvement projects.”
Thanks to its varied services and solid reputation, the Raymond Group has seen a remarkable increase in its business recently, with revenues of $335 million in 2023, up 11% from 2022.
Raymond Group CEO Travis Winsor says major projects like 8th and Figueroa in downtown Los Angeles, the new courthouse in Sacramento, the IQHQ in San Diego and the Fontainebleau in Las Vegas have led to the high volume that the firm has experienced in 2023. He says that while 2024 has been a challenging year for construction, he projects that 2025 will be at or above 2023.
The company’s current markets include healthcare, senior/assisted living, college/university, warehouse, hospitality and entertainment venues. “There has also been a notable emphasis on sustainability and energy efficiency, with greater growth in LEED-certified buildings,” adds Nicolle Winsor.
Projects like Echelon Studios, a 550,000-square-foot film studio project with MATT Construction that is just getting started in Los Angeles, are helping Raymond increase revenue. In this work, Raymond is performing structures, plasterboard, fireproofing, fireproofing, gypsum, EIF, insulation, fiber cement cladding, as well as budget assistance.
Another major current project is the Gateway at UC Berkeley, which will be the new home of the College of Computing, Data Science, and Society, the first new college at UC Berkeley in 50 years. Raymond is performing structures, drywall/sheathing, insulation, tape, acoustical plaster, scaffolding, GFRG, structural engineering and BIM for Turner Construction.
Also worth noting is North City in San Marco. This is a 204-acre mixed-use development where Raymond is making structures, plasterboard, duct tape, fiber reinforced polymer, fire caulk, safing, plaster and spray-applied fireproofing.
The Raymond Group performed extensive interior work on the Chicken Ranch casino project in Jamestown, California for Suffolk Construction.
Photo by Moonshot Photography
An excellent reputation
Because of his strong work ethic and commitment to quality and innovation, Raymond has built strong relationships with general contractors and clients.
Rick Solomon with Clark Construction is one such contractor. He worked with Raymond on SoFi FIFA World Cup Modifications, Avenger’s Campus Disney California Adventure, Pixar Pier Disney California Adventure, and Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout Disney California Adventure.
“Raymond is a top-notch contractor who helps the team in any way he can, even if it’s a little out of his comfort zone,” says Solomon. “As a general contractor, having subcontractors like Raymond Group make my life easier is a dream come true. They are industry leaders in safety, quality, schedule certainty and are just exceptional partners.”
On the SoFi project, he says the project team faced an extremely tight window to work in to complete the scope between the end of football season and the start of concert season. “It was clear that Raymond would be the preferred business partner,” says Solomon. “They had teams working in all areas to make sure the material and sub-level crews stuck to the schedule. At the end of the day, the project was a resounding success with a very satisfied customer.”
The Raymond Group has built a reputation for reliability and collaborative problem solving.
Photo courtesy of The Raymond Group
Bernards project executive Steve Evanco, who worked with Raymond on the Viejas Casino floor expansion project in Alpine, Calif., says that from job estimate to completion, he felt full support of the Raymond team to support the execution of the project. project
“The estimating effort was collaborative and comprehensive, and the execution of the work was well coordinated and of the highest quality,” says Evanco. “As a major project trade performing structural, drywall and waterproofing, Raymond understood the challenges of the project’s compressed schedule and overcame these challenges by openly creating work plans, being agile and collaborative with other trades and always provided proactive input on how to better sequence and attack work.”
