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. E. O’ Neil Construction
A century of success
How general contractor W. E. O’ Neil Construction has maintained its competitive edge for over a century
The story of W. E. O’ Neil Construction began 100 years ago when William E. O’ Neil, working as an office boy for a local architectural firm, dreamed of bigger opportunities. Through hard work and determination, William founded W. E. O’ Neil Construction in Chicago, though the timing was challenging- just four years later, the Great Depression began. Despite serious economic difficulties, the company survived by taking on projects such as the Chicago World’ s Fair and securing public contracts in New York, Massachusetts, Maryland, and Washington, D. C. In 1935, William’ s son, Art O’ Neil, joined the business, continuing his father’ s legacy of dedication to employees, customers, and the community. Over the years, W. E. O’ Neil
Construction continued to adapt and grow, moving confidently into new markets. During World War II, the company contributed significantly to Army and Navy expansions at Great Lakes and Fort Sheridan near Chicago. In 1946, W. E. O’ Neil introduced a profitsharing plan prioritizing employee benefits, a program still active today, which ultimately evolved into 100 percent employee ownership.
In the 1950s, following successful projects like the Syracuse War Memorial, the company expanded its presence in New York, where it built portions of the US interstate system through New York, Illinois, and Indiana. By the 1980s, the fourth generation of the O’ Neil family joined the firm as it continued geographic expansion, first to Tucson, Arizona, then establishing its first California office in Los Angeles.
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