By Joshua Burd
Gilbane Building Co. has named a new head of its New Jersey office, promoting a longtime team member to the role of vice president and business unit leader in the state.
Chris Cornick, who is based in the firm’s Newark office, will assume his new post effective July 1 after more than 15 years with the construction firm. As business unit leader, he will oversee Gilbane’s operational, sales and administrative functions in New Jersey, having most recently served as director of business development in the state and principal in charge of strategic projects and accounts.
Cornick will succeed Dan Shea, a vice president, who has held a senior leadership role in New Jersey for nine years and will remain a key piece of the company’s operational team.
“Chris has been such an integral part of our ongoing success in New Jersey,” said Shea, who will focus on project delivery and strategic initiatives in advance of his planned retirement. “I am confident that under Chris’ leadership Gilbane, our clients and the communities we build will experience even greater success.”
Cornick has held both field and operations roles with Gilbane, most recently directing business development in New Jersey, the firm said. He joined the company in 2005, rising to project engineer and superintendent before moving into business development.
On Monday, the Providence, Rhode Island-based company touted his extensive experience elevating its presence in New Jersey and working directly with clients across its market sectors and delivery methods.
“Time and time again, we have seen Chris grow Gilbane’s business in New Jersey and cement our company as one of the most trusted and influential construction companies in the Garden State,” said Paul Choquette III, a regional president with Gilbane. “Chris is a true partner to our clients and committed to working with them to deliver the best outcomes, so he was a natural choice for this role. We thank Dan for his leadership in expanding our New Jersey operations, developing our deep team of construction experts, and instilling the principles and best practices that will ensure long-term success in the state.”
Cornick, who holds a bachelor’s from Drexel University, lives in Cranbury with his wife and three children.
“It is an incredible honor to be tasked with building upon the foundation that we have established in New Jersey under Dan’s leadership,” Cornick said. “I am looking forward to leveraging our continuity, where the majority of the leadership team has been with us for the better portion of the past decade, to ensure that Gilbane is a great place to work and a company where the passion that our people have for building is evident. It is an exciting time to be in the construction industry in New Jersey, and I am eager to capitalize on the strengths, from a best-in-class preconstruction offering through superior construction execution, that we can offer clients here in the Garden State.”
Gilbane, which has been building in New Jersey since 1966, has more than 50 construction professionals working across the state. It has completed nearly $5.5 billion worth of construction in the market, including the Prudential Center, Quest Diagnostics’ Clifton laboratory, 50 Rector Park in Newark and others.
The firm recently secured an assignment as the construction manager for the new Lionsgate studio complex in Newark.
