When Clune Construction was founded in Chicago in 1997, our early growth was driven by strong client relationships. As those clients expanded into new markets, they asked Clune to do the same — and the company agreed.

“These clients trusted us — they didn’t want to find somebody new to work with in these markets. They wanted us to travel with them, which inspired us to expand into more cities and create new opportunities for our employees,” Clune Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer Tom Nickele said.

Today, Clune has offices in Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. Its people travel throughout the country to assist clients wherever they need them. This flexibility has been key to the company’s evolution — and so has its commitment to its team.

“We’ve got great employees, and when you have a good team, it makes work more enjoyable for everyone, from the employees to the vendors and trade partners, and ultimately, to our clients,” Vice President of Human Resources Lisa De Lor said.

That employee-first mindset is embedded in Clune’s structure. The company is 100% employee-owned — a decision made when founder Mike Clune began planning for retirement and wanted to ensure that ownership would stay with the people who helped build the company and maintain the culture.

“It’s created retirement savings and wealth for employees, and it’s also helped them focus on the long term,” Nickele said. “Other businesses may be looking for an exit strategy or to sell down the line, but our strategy is to be around for the long haul and be a part of our employees’ retirement plan.”

Clune also backs its people with a wide range of benefits, including 100% coverage of health benefit premiums since Day 1, 75% reimbursement for gym memberships and mental health apps, a 401(k) and Roth individual retirement account match, and education assistance through tuition reimbursements and student loan contributions.

“Recently, we introduced a 529 contribution plan, so similar to the student loan plan, we’re going to contribute money towards our employees’ children and their children’s children’s student loans to ensure they get the education they want,” De Lor said.

The company’s project work has also evolved. In recent years, Clune has seen significant growth in data center construction, a reflection of the rising demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure and cloud services. It continues to serve a wide range of sectors, including tenant interiors, healthcare, aviation, life sciences and retail.

Nickele said that as the company has grown, maintaining consistency has remained a priority.

“There may be no perfect project, but there is an effort and attitude that needs to be maintained in pursuit of that perfect project,” he said. “We’re committed to that pursuit as a company.”

As Clune looks to the future, talent development is top of mind, especially as the industry sees more skilled professionals retiring.

“We’re seeing more skilled and experienced people retiring, and we don’t have enough of a pipeline to backfill those roles,” De Lor said. “In response, we’re looking at new hiring pools to actively pursue candidates who may not have a traditional education or experience in construction and engineering.”

That includes partnerships with Hiring Our Heroes, which provides training and experience to service members, veterans, military spouses and caregivers; Revolution Workshop, which offers construction job training to diverse populations in Chicago; and the ACE Mentor Program, which introduces high school students to the design and construction industries.

When recruiting, Clune places more emphasis on mindset than pedigree.

“We look for people who are adaptable, good problem-solvers with a strong work ethic who approach each interaction with curiosity,” De Lor said. “Technical skills can be taught as long as someone has the drive and ambition to learn.”

Mentorship plays a central role in onboarding and development, with mentors and mentees encouraged to learn from one another.

“We believe that teamwork — both on a project site and in the office — streamlines workflows, enhances problem-solving and drives innovation,” De Lor said. “This will ultimately lead to efficient, high-quality project delivery.”

With open roles across all of its markets, Clune is focused on growing its team — and helping employees grow in return.

“We have paths to the C-suite that come from both sides of the organization,” Nickele said. “Our COO, Ben Walker, spent his career in the field until he came into the corporate office, and Dave Hall, our CEO, was a project manager. We excel in bringing people over to a new side of the company that they may have never considered before.”

This article was produced in collaboration between Clune Construction and Studio B (Bisnow).