2025 Year in Review

Executive Summary

Q&A WITH

Jim O’Leary, Chairman & CEO

John-Paul Saenz, President
James L. O’Leary CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER John-Paul Saenz PRESIDENT

When you think back to 2018 when you launched the Haskell 2025 strategic vision, knowing then what you know now, did we get it right?

Jim O’Leary: We did. We absolutely got it right. In 2018, we set a bold and very aspirational vision for the future of Haskell, but we also knew we had the framework, the structure and the talent to achieve it. The strategy and the pillars we built were exactly what the company needed at that time. We needed to operate with greater excellence across the entire platform of our business. We needed to drive more technology into this business and build a culture of innovation. We needed to be more inclusive and create a stronger sense of belonging, where people felt part of something meaningful and bigger than themselves. And we needed to grow profits in a way that sustained all of that. All of those priorities were anchored in providing the best job of your life. That was intentional from the start. Looking back, it positioned us to get where we are today and where we are going in the future.

What was the greatest accomplishment of Haskell 2025?

John-Paul Saenz: One of the most important lessons is that growth must be disciplined and intentional. Haskell 2025 resulted in significant expansion, but it was never about getting bigger for the sake of growth. It was about getting better. We stayed focused on managing risk and building long-term strength. That mindset carries forward. If we continue improving everything we do—for our people, our customers and our communities—growth will follow. But it must be built on discipline and continuous improvement.

Was there a moment when you realized Haskell 2025 was taking hold across the organization?

Jim O’Leary: There was a point early on when it became clear that success was very attainable. You could feel it across the organization. People were talking about Haskell 2025 in the hallways. Teams were aligning decisions with our values—Team, Excellence, Service and Trust—and with the idea of providing the best job of your life. That level of adoption and energy told me the vision had taken hold and that we had the opportunity to achieve it and go beyond it.

How did the experience of creating and executing Haskell 2025 inform the creation of The Haskell Way, our new 10-year strategic vision?

Jim O’Leary: One of the most important aspects of Haskell 2025 was our commitment to the ultimate goal of not necessarily getting bigger but simply being the best. Through Haskell 2025, although we grew exponentially, we were disciplined and measured, and we carefully mitigated risk to make sure we were on a path to be built to last. That same mindset is clearly front and center in The Haskell Way. We’re focused on getting better at everything we do.

John-Paul Saenz: Haskell 2025 absolutely influenced how we developed The Haskell Way. When you look back at those eight years, it was a very successful period, so we started from a position of strength. If we’ve done something well, we should carry those lessons forward. One of the most important lessons was the value of broad participation. We made the development of the new vision a collaborative process—not just with the executive team, but with team members across the company. We also brought in external perspectives, working with McKinsey & Company and the Center for Intentional Leadership and incorporating client feedback. That combination gave us an outward mindset to complement our internal perspective. In many ways, we followed the same playbook as Haskell 2025—repeat what worked and improve upon it.

Providing the Best Job of Your Life was the first strategic pillar of Haskell 2025. In The Haskell Way, it is the central strategic element. Why?

Jim O’Leary: We have top talent across the entire company, and we are committed to invest in each and every one of our team members. That’s why you see Best Job of Your Life in the center of our new vision. That is what this company is about. When we work toward that, all the other desired outcomes happen.

John-Paul Saenz: That was one of the easiest decisions we made. When we looked back at what drove the success of Haskell 2025, one of the clearest factors was our commitment to our people. That focus made a difference. It speaks to who we are as a company. It’s something we believed in then, and we believe in even more strongly now. Elevating Best Job of Your Life to the center of the strategy reflects the reality that everything else we want to accomplish depends on having an engaged, motivated and supported team.

The next strategic element is Strengthen the Core Business. What is its significance?

Jim O’Leary: It comes from a very straightforward responsibility—to provide stability and security for the business and for our team members and their families. We have built a strong AEC business. But we are not just defending that position, we are advancing it. Over the next 10 years, we are taking the core from being built to last to being built to lead.

How does Transform Through Innovation contribute to the vision?

John-Paul Saenz: Innovation is fundamental to who we are. It’s how Haskell was founded, and it’s one of the key reasons we’re in the position we are today. At the same time, becoming our best is not just about doing more of the same. We will continue to take on larger, more complex work and expand into new markets. But we also want to create new opportunities—for our customers and for our people. That’s why we’ve committed $100 million to innovation over the next 10 years. Most of those investments will support the core business, but we will also look at opportunities beyond traditional AEC if they allow us to better serve our customers.

Champion Our Markets builds on Haskell’s history. How is it evolving?

Jim O’Leary: We’ve always been a market-led organization, and that won’t change. What is changing is the level of expectation. It’s no longer enough to participate or be present. The goal is to lead—to establish clear leadership in every market we serve and to be recognized as the best in those markets.

What does Every Location Matters mean in practice?

John-Paul Saenz: It’s about recognizing that our locations are a significant source of strength that we are continuing to develop. Every location should contribute at a higher level—supporting our markets, helping recruit talent and strengthening our brand in the community. Growth is expected, but growth isn’t the goal. The goal is to have stronger, more capable locations that represent who we are as a company and serve our clients with excellence.

What does Master Our Craft mean across the organization?

Jim O’Leary: It means all of us elevating our performance to become our very best. This is not limited to architects, engineers and builders. It applies to every function—accounting, marketing, HR, IT, legal. Customers recognize mastery as part of our culture, and it sets us apart. Some companies may be larger than us, but we will absolutely be the best at what we do and be viewed as the superior choice.

What differentiates Haskell in a competitive market?

John-Paul Saenz: The technical side of what we do matters, but it’s expected. That’s table stakes. What differentiates us is the experience we provide. Customers know we will deliver projects safely, on schedule and within budget. But they also know what it’s like to work with our team. They know we operate with integrity. They know the experience will be consistent from start to finish. That’s what they remember.

If you were encouraging someone to consider Haskell as their next professional home, what would you say?

Jim O’Leary: I’d say, “If you want to come to a place that does challenging, exciting and meaningful work that has that has impact in many critical parts of the world we live in, and if you want to do it in an environment where you are respected and valued and have an organization that’s willing to invest in you and in your future and feel that you are part of a family, Haskell is the place to be.”

How would you assess the current state of Haskell and where we are headed?

Jim O’Leary: This is a fast-moving business, so you only take so much time to stop and reflect. But as I do, I would say that I’m very proud of this organization for what it has been able to accomplish over the past several years, and I would say I’m extremely optimistic about where this organization is going. The state of the business is certainly the best I’ve ever seen it.

John-Paul Saenz: The company could not be better positioned for the future, and there couldn’t be a better time to launch The Haskell Way. The success of Haskell 2025 and the dedication of our team members have set the stage. We’ve scaled the business, strengthened our brand and reinvested deeply. We are building a company designed to last, and we are positioning ourselves to lead the industry. In many ways, it feels like we are just getting started.

Milestones

60 Year Anniversary

In celebration of the 60th anniversary of its founding, Haskell proudly presented the retrospective “60 Years of Haskell | Built to Last.” The production features interviews with nearly 20 past and present team members. It blends their rich memories and perspectives with compelling archival footage to trace the company’s path from its beginnings to its present standing as a global AEC leader.

Headquarters Move

Summer 2025 marked Haskell’s move across the St. Johns River, from its 40-year home in Jacksonville, Florida’s Brooklyn neighborhood to a new corporate headquarters location at 701 San Marco. The company occupies the totally remodeled 10th through 14th floors of the 19-story tower, atop which will appear Haskell’s logo and its name spelled in capital block letters.

Trades & Supply

Haskell’s Trades & Supply Operating Team coalesced over the course of 2025, gathering and promoting the interoperation of Haskell’s range of self-performance capabilities: the construction and concrete work of Haskell’s longstanding Permanent Craft Employee workforce, the mechanical contracting of Cortez, Inc., the electrical contracting of newly acquired Richard L. Oreair & Company and the AISC-certified fabrication and specialty services of Haskell Steel. A fifth entity, BlueDiamond Construction Supply, leverages its buying power and works with Haskell’s Preconstruction team to procure all materials and equipment used in integrated, self-performed work.

Trusted Partner Network (TPN)

Haskell’s Trusted Partner Network is an invitation-based program focused on building strategic, long-term relationships with subcontractors and vendors who align with Haskell’s values of integrity, collaboration and excellence. It is a curated network of partners aligned on purpose, committed to quality and invested in shared success. TPN partners become an extension of the Haskell team—positioned for growth, supported by our resources and equipped with a unique edge in the market.

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Record Project Award

A focus on serving new and existing markets means Haskell is continually evolving. In response to the exploding demand for next-generation cloud computing, artificial intelligence processing and high-density workloads, the company elected to offer its wide range of relevant in-house expertise in the Advanced Manufacturing and Mission Critical space. The decision led to the opportunity to deliver a greenfield hyperscale data center campus for a confidential client, Haskell’s first project valued at more than $1 billion.

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Culture & Values

Our transparent culture is built on the core values of Team, Excellence, Service and Trust. 

Learning & Development Recognition

After four consecutive years of ranking in the top 10 of Training magazine’s prestigious APEX Awards, Haskell was inducted into the Training Hall of Fame. The achievement placed Haskell among an elite group of 17 companies, industry leaders such as Verizon, E&Y and Booz Allen Hamilton, recognized for their dedication to employee growth and development. 

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2025 Best Workplace Awards/Culture Awards

Haskell earned 14 Top Workplace Awards in 2025. Earning national recognition as a Top Workplace from USA Today, Engineering.com and Construction.com, including special recognition through Spring and Fall Culture Awards, as well as regional recognition as the #1 Top Workplace by the Florida Times-Union. Additionally, Haskell was celebrated in 10 other categories for excellence in employee engagement and organizational culture. 

Haskell Together

Living the Values

Haskell’s quarterly Living the Values award recognizes individual team members who continually demonstrate our core values of Team, Excellence, Service and Trust. Each award is selected based on nominations submitted by fellow Haskell team members. 

To bring order to the complex and expansive AEC industry, Engineering News-Record ranks companies involved in general contracting, specialty contracting, engineering, architecture, and environmental services, among other specialties.  The 2025 edition consistently showcased Haskell’s leadership across markets we serve. Again, Haskell was the No. 1 contractor in the Manufacturing – Food & Beverage category, marking the ninth consecutive year in the top three, and ranked in the top three in eight categories and 13 times placed in the Top 10.

Three Haskell projects earned national recognition in 2025. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Temple in Casper, Wyoming, and the Orlando Health Neuroscience Institute in Orlando, Florida, received 2025 National Awards of Merit from the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA), and Fort Myers (Florida) Biosolids Equipment project earned the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) National Excellence in Construction Eagle Award.

In 2025, for the fifth consecutive year and the sixth in the past seven, Haskell received the Associated Builders and Contractors’ (ABC) National Safety Pinnacle Award, the organization’s highest safety honor, achieving a record-high 19.7 million exposure hours and a record-low Work-in-Place incident rate of 0.64. The true measure of success, however, is each team member’s overall health and well-being. Haskell champions a Field-Focused approach to safety and is obligated to the safety and well-being of all who execute its projects, including subcontract partners. “When we take care of people,” said Lance Simons, Vice President of Safety and Quality,” the numbers take care of themselves.

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Innovating the future of project delivery

At Haskell, innovation means building the future of project delivery. Ideas get tested in the field, refined and scaled. That’s how we improve safety, increase efficiency and deliver with more certainty. Technologies like AI are accelerating this shift, but the real driver is a culture that encourages challenging the present and pushing for better outcomes.

RAPTOR

What started as a novel internal idea has evolved into a patented solution for pneumatic pressure testing. While the industry still relies on manual operation within high-risk exclusion zones, RAPTOR enables fully remote testing, keeping workers out of harm’s way and redefining how safety is approached in these critical operations. 

First Freight

First Freight addresses one of the most complex and time-consuming tasks in steel fabrication, loading structural members for shipment. Each load requires careful planning to balance geometry, safety and logistics. Using AI-driven optimization, First Freight determines the most efficient way to load each truck, reducing guesswork and improving execution consistency. 

StillGuard

StillGuard takes a different approach to innovation by focusing on mental health in the field. Designed as a dedicated space for short, guided resets, it helps workers step away, refocus and return safer and more aware. As a first-of-its-kind solution in construction, it reflects a belief that better outcomes start with people. 

Board & Directors

Executive Leadership

James L. O’Leary CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

James L. O’Leary

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

John-Paul Saenz PRESIDENT

John-Paul Saenz, PE

President

Chris Eyrick SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT & CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Chris Eyrick

Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer

David Thaeler EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT & CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER

David A. Thaeler

Executive Vice President & Chief Human Resources Officer

Peter Kinsley EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT & CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Peter Kinsley

Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer

Kally Gibbs SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT & CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER

Kally Gibbs

Senior Vice President & Chief Technology Officer

Bradford A. Slappey EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT & CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER

Bradford A. Slappey

Executive Vice President & Chief Strategy Officer

Frank Mangin, PE OPERATIONS PRESIDENT – DESIGN & CONSULTING

Frank Mangin, PE

Operations President – Design & Consulting

Mike Woods OPERATIONS PRESIDENT – PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT

Michael Woods

Operations President – Planning & Development

Luis Jiménez Headshot

Luis Jiménez

Operations President – International

Matt Gulden OPERATIONS PRESIDENT – CONSTRUCTION & MANUFACTURING

Matt Gulden, PE

Operations President – Construction & Manufacturing

Ryan Hollister OPERATIONS PRESIDENT – TRADES & SUPPLY

Ryan Hollister

Operations President – Trades & Supply

Board of Directors

James L. O’Leary CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

James L. O’Leary

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

John-Paul Saenz PRESIDENT

John-Paul Saenz, PE

President

Don Evan Headshot

Don Evans

Lead Director

Andrea Inserra Headshot

Andrea Inserra

Director

Ann M. Schwister Headshot

Ann M. Schwister

Director

David Thaeler EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT & CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER

David A. Thaeler

Executive Vice President & Chief Human Resources Officer

Bradford A. Slappey EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT & CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER

Bradford A. Slappey

Executive Vice President & Chief Strategy Officer