Q&A: Changing of the guard at Cianbro
Photo / Courtesy of Cianbro
Andi Vigue, left, CEO of Cianbro, talks with his father, Pete, the longtime CEO who is now chairman.
Andi Vigue succeeded his father, Pete Vigue, as CEO of Cianbro in January 2018. The younger Vigue was also elected to the board of directors of the Cianbro Cos., while his father remains chairman. Based in Pittsfield and celebrating its 70th anniversary, Cianbro has 4,000 employees and annual revenue of $755 million, and is the state’s largest construction company and one of its largest private employers.
Mainebiz: What accounts for Cianbro’s growth over the past 70 years to become one of the largest employee-owned companies in the U.S.?
Andi Vigue: Two things: a can-do attitude and great people. The Cianbro team believes in the company’s mission and works collaboratively with each other. This in turn creates an atmosphere where our team members are able to do their best work and contribute to the company’s success. These qualities allow Cianbro to expand and — just as important — create more opportunity for team members to grow personally.
MB: What does Cianbro do?
AV: Cianbro is a team of professionals who provide cutting-edge solutions to successfully complete construction challenges. We provide services in all aspects of a project’s life: develop, construct and operate. We focus on applying our experience and expertise to support our customers with their project needs. To do all this we focus on developing people and providing them the opportunity to learn and grow.
Most people think of Cianbro as a bridge builder. The reality is we are much, much more.
MB: What may surprise people about Cianbro?
AV: Most people think of Cianbro as a bridge builder. The reality is we are much, much more. Ranked No. 132 among Engineering News-Record’s Top 400 Contractors, Cianbro is among the largest — and safest — construction companies nationwide. In addition to bridges, we construct commercial buildings such as the new headquarters for WEX Inc. and Bangor Savings Bank, power plants, electrical sub stations and power distribution lines, industrial facilities and massive modular components that we ship across the country.
MB: Cianbro has been involved in some big Maine projects. What’s going on nationally?
AV: We’ve acquired Connecticut-based building contractor A/Z Corp. to expand our vertical construction offerings in New England and the Mid-Atlantic region. We have a work presence in 42 states — projects under construction include a $215 million border crossing station in New York, a $60 million drawbridge in Vermont, a $60 million life sciences project in Massachusetts, 75 miles worth of 138 kv electrical transmission line rebuilds in Indiana totaling $50 million and a $45 million wharf in Washington, D.C.
MB: How does Cianbro manage workforce issues, and are they as critical outside of Maine?
AV: The construction industry is experiencing acute workforce pressure from coast to coast. It’s a simple case of supply and demand. While construction is booming, there are significantly more craftspeople who are retiring and leaving the industry than there are younger people entering the workforce. This dynamic has forced us to focus on how to bridge the gap with technology and training. To that end, we opened the Cianbro Institute, at which 22 instructors offer team members 75 courses, from rigging and welding to project management. They allow team members to accelerate their personal and professional development.
MB: Cianbro’s headquarters are still in Pittsfield — what makes the town special?
AV: Pittsfield is home. In 1906, Ralph Cianchette emigrated from Italy and settled in Pittsfield. The community was, and continues to be, very supportive of the Cianchette family and, by extension, Cianbro. Because the town has always been there for us, the company will be there for the town. It’s not a strategic choice, it’s a moral one that reflects the commitment to the values our team members cherish and allows us to be who we are. Our tagline is, “It’s all about people,” and that is best exemplified by Cianbro’s commitment to the Pittsfield community and Maine at large.
MB: How do you envision Cianbro on its 80th anniversary?
AV: It’s a question I ask our young leaders often. The answer is we will be Cianbro! More specifically, we’ll be employee-owned, we’ll care about people, we’ll be constructors, and we’ll be applying our skills to support our customer’s needs.
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