Strong Focus on Green Building
Believing that green building is good for the environment, building occupants and the bottom line, Walsh has developed experience and expertise in sustainability practices. The company has 125 LEED accredited professionals on staff and plans to add nearly 100 LEED green associates by the end of this year.

Because of its belief in sustainable construction, Walsh will construct the new 80,000-sq-ft building it is adding at its Chicago headquarters as a LEED platinum facility.

Safety Programs and Performance Paramount
The company’s “no one gets hurt” philosophy is guided by a carefully planned and communicated safety program, and each business group’s leader is accountable for keeping the safety record on target. Walsh conducts several kinds of safety training, including job-hazard analysis, task-hazard analysis, site-specific training and a wide range of individual safety training.

Its companywide Review of Employee Actions and Performance behavior-based safety program identifies at-risk behaviors through employee-to-employee observation, then changes worker behavior as needed.

Crane safety training is mandatory for all supervisors and all operators of the company’s 150 cranes are certified.

Subcontractors Treated as Project Partners
“Walsh makes subcontractors feel like a valued part of the construction team,” says Kay Anagnos, president of Anagnos Door Co., which has provided Walsh with overhead and fire-rated doors for 17 years. “Everyone at Walsh is interested in getting the job done and done right, but they’re fair and open to ideas.”

Anagnos is the 2008-2010 president of the Association of Subcontractors and Affiliates of Chicago, which has 450 member companies from all over the metro area. “Walsh has been a member of ASA Chicago’s General Contractor Council ever since the council was founded 10 years ago,” she says. “The council members advise subcontractors how to partner with GCs on issues that affect both of us.”

Happy Customer is Ultimate Measure of Success
“We’re a repeat customer of Walsh Construction’s because they always do a great job for us,” says Richard Hanson, founder and a principal at Mesa Development LLC of Chicago.

Walsh has built two 356-unit, high-rise luxury condo buildings for Mesa over the past eight years. First came the 57-story Heritage at Millennium Park, finished in 2004. It was followed by the 73-story Legacy at Millennium Park, completed this year.

“Walsh understands our business and what we’re trying to do,” Hanson says. “It teams up with the architect right from the beginning. Working together, they give you the building you want at a price you can afford.

“The construction team is organized so the building owner always knows whom to talk with about various aspects of the project. And there’s almost no turnover, so you get to know the team. We had the same Walsh team—almost to the person—for 10 years.”

Dan Walsh says his firm is “thrilled to be named Midwest Construction’s contractor of the year. This recognition is all about the thousands of Walsh employees who bring a great attitude and skills to the job, and who work hard every day to make Walsh Group successful. They are really the contractors of the year.”