Top North Bay contractors of 2014

JQUACKENBUSH

October 6, 2014

The following are profiles of top executives of the highest-ranking companies on the following lists: Commercial General Contractors, published on March 17; Commercial Landscape Contractors, Sept. 8; Electrical Contractors, Feb. 10; HVAC Contractors, Sept. 8; licensed contractors on the Solar Companies list, June 16.Commercial general contractorsRichard GhilottiGhilotti Construction Co., 246 Ghilotti Ave., Santa Rosa 95407; 707-585-1221; ghilotti.com; 425 employees; '13 revenues: North Bay $142.2 million, companywide $190.0 million

President and Chief Executive Officer Dick Ghilotti, 67, co-founded the general engineering contracting company in 1992. The company, which recently celebrated its 100th anniversary, has established offices in Marin and Napa counties and the East Bay and acquired North Bay Construction in 2010.

Revenues increased 25 percent companywide and nearly 44 percent for North Bay projects last year. The largest projects last year were $20 million in site work for the new Sutter Health medical center set to open this month north of Santa Rosa, $8.5 million at the Deer Creek Village shopping center project in Petaluma, and $7.8 million for SMART's maintenance facility and pathways in various cities in Sonoma and Marin counties.

A large project this year is $53 million on Interstate 580 in Livermore.

Widening of Highway 12 through Jameson Canyon between Napa and Solano counties, a project the company was involved with, was recognized in the October issue of Roads & Bridges trade magazine as one of the top projects nationwide, according to readers.Mike GhilottiGhilotti Bros., 525 Jacoby St., San Rafael 94901; 415-454-7011; ghilottibros.com; 100 employees; '13 revenue: North Bay $62.8 million, companywide $98.6 million

Mike Ghilotti, 52, became president in 2000 of the general engineering contracting company his grandfather James Ghilotti started in 1914.

Revenue last year increased 5.9 percent for North Bay projects and 9.4 percent companywide.

Major projects last year were $20 million for widening Highway 12 through Jameson Canyon, $5 million for the first phase of the SMART rail line between Sonoma and Marin counties and $5 million in road improvements leading to the Graton Casino & Resort, finished in November in Rohnert Park.

A big project this year is $72 million for widening the Petaluma River Bridge on Highway 101 in Petaluma.Roger NelsonMidstate Construction, 1180 Holm Rd., Petaluma 94954; 707-762-3200; midstateconstruction.com; 65 employees; '13 revenues: $84.0 million

Roger Nelson, 68, has been owner and president of 78-year-old Midstate for 36 years.

Big projects last year were $23 million in Petaluma the East Washington Place regional mall project, named a Business Journal Top Real Estate Projects winner for 2013, $12.7 million for the performing arts building at College of Marin in Kentfield and $8 million for Kellgren Senior Apartments in Petaluma.

Big projects this year have been $10.8 million for Dublin's public safety complex and $8 million for the latest expansion of The Meritage Resort & Spa in south Napa. Midstate also completed the $20 million-plus, 56,000-square-foot new science and humanities building at College of the Redwoods in Eureka.Glen GhilottiTeam Ghilotti, 2531 S. Petaluma Blvd., Petaluma 94952; 707-763-8700; teamghilotti.com; 35 employees; '13 revenues: $15.0 million

President Glen Ghilotti, 56, started this general engineering contracting company in 2007, the fourth Ghilotti family business in the North Bay.

He is the son of Henry "Babe" Ghilotti, co-founder of San Rafael-based general engineering contracting company Magiorra & Ghilotti and what is now Petaluma-based Shamrock Materials. He got into the construction business driving a truck for the family business as a teenager.

A major project this year was $2.4 million in rockslide prevention measures along Highway 1 near Fort Ross.

The biggest jobs last year were the $2 million rehabilitation of East Blithedale Street and underlying sewer through Mill Valley and the $1.9 million installation of a roundabout on Arnold Drive at Agua Caliente Road near Sonoma.Kelly KolanderO.C. Jones & Sons, 1520 Fourth St., Berkeley; 510-526-3424; ocjones.com; 53 employees; '13 revenues: North Bay $22.7 million, companywide $156.3 million

Kelly Kolander is president and chief executive officer of the Berkeley-based general engineering contractor founded in 1924.

While 2013 revenues from North Bay projects was on par with those of 2012, that figure will be a significant part of company revenue this year, thanks to a $100 million project at the Cordelia truck scales on Interstate 80 in Solano County. The project rebuilds and relocates the existing eastbound truck scales at the interchange for interstates 80 and 680 and Highway 12, builds a four-lane bridge across Suisun Creek to connect the new scales to eastbound ramps from 80 and 12, and constructs a 29,000-square-foot building for the California Highway Patrol and truck inspection. Paving will include about 5,800 tons of rubberized asphalt, which the contractor said would divert millions of tires from landfills.

Major projects last year were $23 million in upgrades to Sonoma County Airport, $2.5 million in projects along Highways 12 and 121 near Sonoma and $1.2 million for new athletic fields at Redwood and Tamalpais high schools.

Mr. Kolander also is founder and president of TLC for Kids Sports, a nonprofit organization O.C. Jones started in 2009 to create athletic fields in underserved communities.Mark DavisWright Contracting, P.O. Box 1270, Santa Rosa 95402; 707-528-1172; wrightcontracting.com; 45 employees; '13 revenue: $69.2 million North Bay, $81.7 million companywide

Mark Davis was promoted to president from vice president and operations manager in 2009. He has been working at Wright Contracting for 30 years. Paul V. Wright started the company in 1953.

Major projects this year include $19 million of the $23 million College of Marin new Academic Center, due to be complete next year, and a $1 million remodel of Ukiah Valley Medical Center's cancer treatment and infusion center. And structural retrofit and renovations continue on Dominican University of California's 30,000-square-foot Meadowlands Mansion, built originally as a home in 1888 for the de Young Family.

Major projects last year were $65 million Herman Family Pavilion at Queen of the Valley Medical Center in Napa, $18 million Hamel Family Wines production facility near Sonoma and $15 million Logan Place Apartments in Petaluma.Jim MurphyJim Murphy & Associates, 464 Kenwood Ct., Ste. B, Santa Rosa 95407; 707-576-7337; j-m-a.com; 42 employees; '13 revenues: $11.3 million North Bay, $35.1 million companywide

President Jim Murphy, 72, started the company in 1968. It specializes in design-build, hospitality, private-school, custom-home and wine-related projects.

A project for the company for the last couple of years has been $20 million through 2016 for the Union for Reform Judaism’s 600-acre Camp Newman property near Santa Rosa. Phases include nine sleeping cabins with 1,300–2,600 square feet each, a new administration and clinic building, and new dining hall.

Yet JMA also is directing Sonoma County's largest office project, a 120,000-square-foot new headquarters for American AgCredit and agriculture-related trade groups. The project is under construction near Charles M. Schulz--Sonoma County Airport. Completion is anticipated in fall 2015.Jeff LuchettiJeff Luchetti Construction; 70 Stony Point Rd., Ste. D, Santa Rosa 95401; 707-527-5788; jlcbuild.com; 35 employees; '13 revenues: $40.0 million

Jeff Luchetti, 57, started general contracting company JLC in 1998. Since then, the company has diversified. JL Builders erects custom homes, and JL Modular constructs permanent and movable buildings for schools, hospitals and correctional facilities.

Nine years after starting, JL Modular this fall plans to open its first factory, a 45,000-square-foot facility in the former Standard Structures property north of Santa Rosa. The division will be producing modular and prefabricated structures for the division’s projects as well as for jobs underway by JLC and JL Builders.Craig Nordby, Dave Schroeder and Rick ShoneNordby Construction, 1229 N. Dutton Ave., Ste. C, Santa Rosa 95401; 707-526-4500; 707-526-4500; nordby.net; 30 employees; '13 revenues: $20.0 million

Nordby Construction was founded in 1978 by Wendell Nordby Jr. His sons "Del" and Craig Nordby were involved in senior positions in the family business, until Del Nordby left a few years ago to pursue real estate development and Craig Nordby in 2010 assumed full ownership of the company.

Del and Craig Nordby in 1996 started Nordby Wine Caves. Rick Shone is president and co-owner of that company.

The Nordbys started Nordby Signature Homes in 2004. Dave Schroeder became half-owner with Craig Nordby in 2011 and manages that custom-home builder.

Companywide revenues increased by one-third last year, when a large project was upgrades to the Kendall-Jackson Welcome Center on Fulton Road north of Santa Rosa.Richard KirbyKirby Construction Co., 3262 Airway Dr., Ste. B, Santa Rosa 95403; 707-526-0880; kirbycon.com; 32 employees; '13 revenues: $11.0 million

Richard Kirby and York Saccomanno started Kirby Construction in 2003. Mr. Kirby earned a construction management degree from California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo.

The company's portfolio includes new commercial and residential construction, clean rooms, laboratories, medical offices, tenant improvements, historic restoration, seismic retrofit, facility upgrades, wineries, tasting rooms, barns and guest homes, design-build projects and "outdoor elemental spaces."

The largest current project is a $6 million headquarters for a confidential Sonoma County company.Commercial landscape contractorsSteve GlennonCagwin & Dorward, P.O. Box 1600, Novato 94948; 415-892-7710; cagwin.com; 168 employees

Steve Glennon became president, chief executive officer and chief operating officer when longtime top executive Dennis Dougherty retired. Previously, Mr. Glennon was vice president and COO. Ornamental horticulturalist Tom Cagwin and economist David Dorward started the company in 1955 and retired in the early 1990s.

From Novato, the company serves California from 11 locations, from the Novato headquarters and offices from Santa Rosa in the north to Monterey in the south and east to Modesto and Sacramento.John and Denise FitzgeraldLandesign Construction and Maintenance, P.O. Box 2326, Santa Rosa 95405; 707-578-2657; landesign-inc.com; 85 employees

President John Fitzgerald and Denise Fitzgerald, vice president and director of marketing, started Landesign in 1990.

Landesign serves Sonoma, Marin, Mendocino, Napa and Solano counties as well as San Francisco. In 2012 the company started a new division, One Putt Greens, to install artificial turf to meet increasingly stringent water standards in Marin, Sonoma and Mendocino counties.

In June, the company won Commercial Landscape Contractors Association first-place awards in the Large Commercial Installation category for Fountaingrove Lodge, an independent senior community on 10 acres with golf course in Santa Rosa; Medium Commercial Installation category for Hansel Auto Group revamped dealerships in Santa Rosa; Small Commercial Installation category for Boudin SF's new North Bay bakery in Montgomery Village shopping center in Santa Rosa, also a 2013 Business Journal Top Real Estate Projects winner; and Medium Residential Installation category for a large residential estate in Santa Rosa featuring low-water-use perennials, grasses and drip irrigation.Jeff PottorffNorth Bay Landscape Management, 444 Payran St., Petaluma 94952; 707-762-3850; northbaylandscape.com; 75 employees

Jeff Pottorff started the company 1996 after acquiring a small landscaper. The company grew two more times by acquisition.

Recent projects include Indian Springs Resort in Calistoga, Kistler Vineyards west of Santa Rosa and Smith Ranch Homes in San Rafael.Pierre MarizcoMarizco Landscape Management, P.O. Box 8160, Santa Rosa 95407; 707-546-9100; marizco.com; 55 employees

President and Chief Executive Officer Pierre Marizco started the company with just a truck and a mower in January 2004 and has expanded it to serve clients in Sonoma, Marin, Solano, Napa and Contra Costa counties from locations in Santa Rosa and San Rafael.

The company's employees have told the Business Journal that it's one of the Best Places to Work in the North Bay for seven years.

Recent projects include Rodney Strong Vineyards grounds south of Healdsburg, Airport Business Center north of Santa Rosa and Corte Madera Town Center in Marin County.Peter Andreucci, Bud Reeves and Michael Greene

[caption id="attachment_100740" align="alignleft" width="288"] Bud Reeves, Michael Greene[/caption]

Bartlett Tree Experts, 60 Hoag Ave., San Rafael 94901; 415-472-4300; bartlett.com; 40 employees

For 19 years, Peter Andreucci has been vice president of the western U.S. division of Stamford, Conn.-based Bartlett Tree Experts, which has more than 100 offices and started in 1907. He has been with the company since 1987.

Bud Reeves, an ISA board-certified master arborist, joined Bartlett Tree Experts in 1994 and has been manager of the Sonoma office since 2005.

Michael Greene, an ISA board-certified master arborist, is manager of the San Rafael office. He has been working in tree care in Marin County for more than three decades.Ed NessingerNessco Construction, 244 Colgan Ave., Santa Rosa 95404; 707-541-0107; nesscoconstruction.com; 30-plus employees

President Ed Nessinger, 50, started Nessco in 1994. The company not only installs and maintains commercial landscapes but also works on erosion-control and site-improvement jobs as a general engineering contractor.

Mr. Nessinger also is co-owner of Santa Rosa-based commercial general contractor R.E. West Builders.Tony BertottiBertotti Landscaping, 2425 Adobe Rd., Petaluma 94954; 707-559-7077; bertotti.com; 25 employees

Tony Bertollii, CLP, CLT, started the landscape design and construction company in 1974 as Anthony Bertotti Landscaping.

In July, the company won North Coast CLCA chapter first-place awards in the categories Large Residential Maintenance and Residential Estate Installation.Greg BakerValley Oak Landscaping, P.O. Box 2327, Santa Rosa 95405; 707-573-3733; valleyoaklandscaping.com; 25 employees

The company started in 1980, and Greg Baker has been a sole owner since 1989. Sixty percent of the company's business this year has been commercial and multifamily landscape maintenance, with 15 percent involved with installations.Greg Shooter and Marianne ShooterThe Shooter Co., 79 Galli Dr., Ste. E, Novato 94949; 415-883-7223; theshootercompany.com; 24 employees

The Shooter family started this landscaping, general engineering and class B building contracting company in 1970.

Almost all the company business this year is commercial landscape maintenance.Harry NorthCreative Environments, 1540 Gravenstein Hwy. S., Sebastopol 95472; 707-827-1929; creativeenvironments.biz; about 20 employees

Harry North founded Creative Environments in 1978. Raised in Marin County, he earned a bachelor's degree in biology from Humboldt State College.

With in-house design, the company focuses on constructing single-family home landscapes.Darryl Orr and David PenryPacific Landscapes, P.O. Box 481, Sebastopol 95473; 707-829-8064; pacificlandscapes.com; about 70 employees

Owners Darryl Orr and Dave Penry, each with four decades of landscape industry experience, started the company in 2000.

With certifications and training in water conservation and natural horticulture, Mr. Orr was a driving force in the company's offering organic landscape management.

Mr. Penry has been active in water-conservation policy and education, including involvement with the Sonoma County Water Agency Landscape Water Advisory Group and assistance in starting the Water Management Technology program at College of Marin. He also has been outspoken on the the national stage about the need for immigration reform to ensure a legal workforce.Kelly Solomon, Rob Solomon and Lebo Newman

[caption id="attachment_100741" align="alignleft" width="332"] Kelly Soloman, Rob Solomon, Lebo Newman[/caption]

Coast LM, 103 Camino Oruga, Napa 94558; 800-578-8810, coastlm.com; about 60 employees

Chief Executive Officer Kelly Solomon and Rob Solomon, operations director and president, teamed with Reno-based landscape contractor and business broker Lebo Newman and his wife, Merrill, in late 2005 to start CoNorast, which serves Napa, Solano, Marin and Sonoma counties.

Mr. Solomon started UpValley Landscape in 2001, and Ms. Solomon joined as a partner and chief financial officer in 2002. The Newmans were owners of Redwood Landscaping, a large Santa Rosa-based company sold to LandCare in 1998.

The company also has locations in Cotati, the East Bay, Roseville and Sacramento.

It won a 2013 award from the East Bay chapter of the Commercial Landscape Contractors Association in the Small Commercial Maintenance category for the Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream headquarters in Berkeley and a "Trophy Award" from the state organization in the Large Commercial Maintenance category for Stag's Leap Winery.Electrical contractorsLeslie MurphyW. Bradley Electric, 90 Hill Rd., Novato 94945; 415-898-1400; wbeinc.com; '13 electrical contracting revenues: $73.0 million; 230 full-time employees

Leslie Murphy, 52, is chief executive officer of the electrical contracting company her father, William Bradley, started in 1977. In 2012 the company was named one of the top five woman-owned companies in the U.S.

The company now has six divisions: WBE Electric, WBE Telcom, WBE Network Systems, WBE Security Control Systems, WBE Audio Visual and WBE Traffic Signals & Highway Technology.

Security Control went worldwide in 2013 through a partnership with First City Care of London and Singapore. WBE Audio Visual also in 2013 announced an installation partnership for LifeSize HD Video Communications Solutions with that division of computer device maker Logitech.

WBE added a San Francisco office in 2012 and has an office in Silicon Valley. Silicon Valley Business Journal in 2012 named the company among the top five woman-owned business in the area. WBE this year was named one of North Bay Business Journal's Best Places to Work for the seventh time.

Major recent projects have been $8.5 million in electrical work for the Marin Emergency Operations Facility, a $78 million San Rafael project to consolidate county of Marin's public safety and emergency services departments in a former datacenter. Another recent project was $1.6 million for BioMarin Pharmaceutical's Novato plant.James BrownMike Brown Electric Co., 561 Mercantile Dr., Ste. A, Cotati 94931; 707-792-8100; mbelectric.com; '13 electrical contracting revenues: $22.0 million; 80 full-time employees

President James Brown, 52, is the oldest son of Mike Brown, who started the electrical contracting company in 1975.

The company has commercial construction, industrial construction and traffic signal divisions.Mike ChiappariNorthern Electric, 3190 Regional Pkwy., Santa Rosa 95403; 707-571-2265; northernelectric.com; '13 electrical contracting revenues: $15.0 million

Chief Executive Officer and owner Mike Chiappari started the company in 1980 with William Calvert. Mr. Chiappari's son, Jim, 51, is project engineer and head superintendent.Larry DashiellSummit Technology Group, 2450 Bluebell Dr., Ste. C, Santa Rosa 95403; 707-542-4773; summit-e.com; '13 revenues: $12.0 million; 75 full-time employees

Chief Executive Officer Larry Dashiell took over operations of the company in 1986 at age 21 on the sudden death of his father, Richard, who started it in 1968. In 1997 he helped start the Redwood Empire chapter of Independent Electrical Contractors trade group.

In 2006 the company restructured into four divisions: Summit Electric, Summit Electrical Service, Summit Electronic Systems and Summit Solar. This was part of a diversification into telecommunications and photovoltaic system installations as well as electrical contracting.

Key recent projects were Fountaingrove Lodge in Santa Rosa and White Cottage Winery in Angwin.Jolene Corcoran, Ray Lunardi and Ron LunardiJoe Lunardi Electric, 5334 Sebastopol Rd., Santa Rosa 95407; 707-545-4755; lunardielectric.com; '13 electrical contracting revenues: $11.2 million; 51 full-time employees

Jolene Corcoran, 61, is president of the company her father, Joe Lunardi, established five decades ago and retired from in 1994. Ms. Corcoran writes bid estimates and manages personnel. Ray Lunardi, 54, handles project management and estimating, and his twin brother, Ron, oversees operations.

Key recent projects Lunardi has been involved with are Green Music Center future phases at Sonoma State University in Rohnert Park, College of Marin's math and science building in Kentfield and Kendall-Jackson's Carneros Hills Winery near Sonoma.Ruben PerezNapa Electric, 2240 Brown St., Napa 94558; 707-252-6611; napaelectric.com; '13 electrical contracting revenues: $10.0 million; 40 full-time employees

Ruben Perez, 62, is owner and general manager of Napa Electric, started in 1939 by Art and Dorothy Tockey. Mr. Perez started as an apprentice there in 1972, moving into sales and management in 1995. Nine years later, he acquired full ownership.Ed GugelR. McClure Electric, 706 Portal St., Ste. D, Cotati 94931; 707-792-2101; rmcclure.com; '12 electrical contracting revenues: $6.0 million; 30 full-time employees

Ed Gugel is president of the electrical contracting company started in 1978.

Recent projects include $2.6 million on the expansion of Kaiser Permanente's San Rafael Emergency Department, $785,000 for solar-energy system for Lakeport School District and $683,000 of work on the Neil Cummings Elementary School modernization in Corte Madera.Floyd Wiggins, Julie Wiggins and Dean WigginsWiggins Electric, 1370 Airport Blvd., Santa Rosa 95403; 707-545-7869; '12 revenues: $4.8 million; 30 employees

Julie and Floyd Wiggins started the company in 1973, and Dean Wiggins joined ownership in 1997.

That was about the same time the Wigginses started JF Lighting & Design next to the main office.Ray Reyff Sr. and Ray Reyff Jr.Reyff Electric Co., P.O. Box 1196, Rohnert Park 94927; 707-585-2481; reyffelectric.com; '11 electrical contracting revenues: $8.2 million; about 40 full-time employees

Ray Reyff Sr. is president of the electrical contracting company he started in 1980 and now operates the second location, located in Fairfield to cover Solano and Napa counties.

Ray Reyff Jr. now owns and operates the Rohnert Park office, which serves Sonoma and Marin counties.Barbara RagsdaleKnights' Electric, 11410 Old Redwood Hwy., Windsor 95492; 707-433-6931; knightselectric.com; '12 electrical contracting: $6.5 million; about 40 full-time employees

Barbara Ragsdale became president and chief executive officer in 2007, replacing her father, Bob Knight. Starting at the company by picking up materials after school, she went to work on the financial side after high school graduation. She was chief financial officer since Knights' Electric was incorporated in 1982.

In 2009 she became the second female president of North Coast Builders Exchange.HVAC contractorsPaul IrwinBell Products, 722 Soscol Ave., Napa 94559; 707-255-1811; bellproducts.com; about 120 employees

Paul Irwin, 57, is president of the company Joe Bell started in 1945. Mr. Irwin started with Bell as an estimator in 1982. The other owner is Stan Holtz.Bill RogersJohnson Controls, 2226 Northpoint Pkwy., Santa Rosa 95407; 707-546-3042; johnsoncontrols.com; about 50 in HVAC and in North Bay

Bill Rogers is a service and installation manager responsible for the North Bay office, located in Santa Rosa, and has worked with the company since 1978.

Johnson Controls has 170,000 employees in more than 150 countries, specializing in optimizing energy and operational efficiencies of buildings, automotive batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles, and interior systems for automobiles.

The Global WorkPlace Solutions group, which is focused on building efficiency, has more than 17,000 employees. Last month, Johnson Controls said it wants to sell its facilities-management group, which accounted for $4.3 billion in annual sales, or about 10 percent of company revenues.James LandaSimpson Sheet Metal, 2833 Dowd Dr., Ste. C, Santa Rosa 95407; 707-576-1500; simpsonsheetmetal.com; 50 employees

In 2004 owner Jim Landa, 60, joined Simpson, which started in 1977. He came from 10 years as president of Empire Waste Management and a career in finance with Waste Management in Oakland and Chronicle Publishing in San Francisco.Paul BighamBigham's One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning, 1400 Petaluma Hill Rd., Santa Rosa 95404; 707-545-1800; onehourheatandac.com; employees: 44 in the North Bay and 40 of those in HVAC, 82 companywide

Paul Bigham started Bigham's Heating & Sheet Metal in 1991 and incorporated as Bigham Services in 1997. The company has expanded to serve the Bay Area.

The company added the One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning franchise for servicing.Les PetersonPeterson Mechanical, 21819 Eighth St. E., Sonoma 95476; 707-938-8481; petersonmechanical.com; employees: 35 in HVAC and 90 companywide

Les Peterson, 64, is president and chief executive officer of the company started in 1915 by Ed Peterson, his granduncle. These days business is split 48 percent plumbing and 45 percent heating, ventilation and air-conditioning, with the rest in HVAC service work.Joe HenryHenry Mechanical, 7656 Bell Rd., Windsor 95492; 707-838-3311; henrymechanical.com; 33 employees

Joe Henry purchased ownership of the 20-year-old company in 2005 from founder and his father, Doug Henry.Gregg PerryIndoor Environmental Services, 1601 Airport Blvd., Santa Rosa 95403; 707-571-7480; ies-hvac.com; employees: 32 in HVAC, 40 in the North Bay, 142 companywide

Sacramento-based IES expanded to Santa Rosa in 2002 and expanded there in 2007, when Gregg Perry joined the company as division manager. In May of this year, he became general manager, overseeing Sacramento, Santa Rosa, Pleasanton and Reno offices.Bruce WrightABM Building & Energy Solutions, 6650 Goodyear Rd., Benicia 94510; 707-746-5693; abm.com; employees: 21 in HVAC, 39 in the North Bay

Starting in sales for Airco Commercial Services in 1994, Bruce Wright was general manager for Bay Area operations from 2005 and vice president of that area since mid-2008, overseeing Benicia, San Jose and South San Francisco offices.

In August of this year, New York-based ABM Building & Energy Solutions, a business unit of ABM Facility Solutions Group with $4.8 billion in annual sales and 110,000 employees in more than 350 global offices, acquired Airco of an undisclosed sum. Airco has been a franchisee of ABM's Linc Service since Airco started in the late 1980s. Mr. Wright is now vice president of greater Bay Area operations.Jon Gundersen and Tom SosineUnited Mechanical Inc., 520 Mercantile Dr., Ste. A, Cotati 94931; 707-796-7400; umi1.com; employees: about 20 in HVAC in the North Bay, 375 companywide

Jon Gundersen and Tom Sosine are owners of San Jose-based United Mechanical.Scott JamesDowning Heating & Air Conditioning, 3070 Kerner Blvd., Ste. K, San Rafael 94901; 415-485-1011; downinghvac.com; employees: 11 in HVAC and 13 companywide

Downing Heating & Air Conditioning has been operating in Marin County since 1984.Solar contractorsJohn SchaefferRGS Energy, 2955 Kerner Blvd., San Rafael 94901; 888-567-6527; rgsenergy.com; '13 solar revenue: $101.3 million total; employees: 20 North Bay, 500 total

John Schaeffer, 63, vice president of special projects at publicly traded RGS Energy (Nasdaq: RSOL). He started Real Goods Trading Company in 1978 and remains on the board of directors. Colorado-based Giam combined North Bay operations of Marin Solar and Real Goods in 2009.

When RGS acquired Alteris Renewables in January 2012, Mr. Schaeffer became president of the residential side of the company and stayed in that role until year-end. RGS Energy is the commercial and utility division. Last summer, RGS acquired New York-based Mercury Solar Systems and Denver-based Syndicated Solar. On Sept. 30 of this year, RGS said it was exiting large commercial solar projects to focus on residential and commercial installations, typically smaller than 200 kilowatts.

Among offices nationwide, RGS has a branch in San Rafael and a branch and store on the 12-acre Solar Living Institute in Hopland. Since 2002 Mr. Schaeffer has been farming Biodynamic-certified olive trees and grapes as well as a lavender labyrinth at his family's SunHawk Farms near Hopland.Bill StewartSolarCraft, 285-D Bel Marin Keys Blvd., Novato 94949; 415-382-7717; solarcraft.com; '13 solar revenue: $8 million; 45 employees

Bill Stewart, 62, is owner and president of SolarCraft, which Dennis Nuttman and he started in 1984. He is a member of the North Bay Leadership Council and was on the boards of the Marin Economic Forum and California Solar Energy Industries Association.Nate GulbransenWestcoast Solar Energy, 5800 Redwood Dr., Ste. D, Rohnert Park 94928; 707-664-6450; westcoastsolarenergy.com; '13 revenue: $4.75 million; 18 employees

Chief Operations Officer Jeremy Greer started Westcoast Solar Energy in December 2007 and incorporated the company with President Nate Gulbransen in July 2011.

Also in 2011, Mr. Gulbransen teamed with Londo Franci, the second generation of Sebastopol-based Franci Construction, to form Homestar Building Performance to complete energy-efficiency analysis and upgrade projects.Warren BrownOne Sun, P.O. Box 532, Graton 95444; 707-824-1951; onesuninc.com; four employees

After 30 years operating his namesake electrical contracting business, Warren Brown in 2001 began focusing exclusively on design and installation of solar-electric systems for businesses and municipal facilities in Northern California through his company Solar by Design, later renamed One Sun.

Mr. Brown was instrumental in forming North Coast Builders Exchange’s Green Building Committee and setting up a high-tech green-building education center in Santa Rosa and overseeing training in such materials and methods for the exchange’s about 1,800 members. His local advocacy for renewable energy includes advising on local green-building ordinances.

One Sun Inc. specializes in the design and installation of commercial, industrial, municipal and agricultural grid-tied solar photovoltaic systems. The company is a licensed general and electrical contractor and offers the combination of solar technology expertise, comprehensive construction capability and business management experience.Aran MooreSun First! Solar Energy Systems, 3060 Kerner Blvd., Ste. W, San Rafael 94901; 415-458-5870; sunfirstsolar.com; '13 solar revenues: $3.82 million; 18 employees

Aran Moore started Marin Solar in Sausalito in 1984. He formed Sun First! in 2009 after Real Goods Solar acquired Marin Solar two years earlier.John ParrySolar Works, 400 Morris St., Sebastopol 95472; 707-829-8282; solarworksca.com; 15 employees

Owner and Chief Executive Officer John Parry built Solar Works from a one-person solar hot water installer in 1986.

He also has been an adviser for the California State License Board's solar installer license examination.Rody JonasPure Power Solutions, One Front St., Healdsburg 95448; 707-433-6556; purepowersolutions.com; '13 revenue: $1.8 million in the North Bay, $2.0 million companywide; 15 employees

Former aerospace contractor Rody Jonas co-founded solar system installer Pure Power Solutions in 1993.Jeff Mathias and Mike PaneSynergy Solar & Electrical Systems, 708 N. Gravenstein Hwy., Ste. 134, Sebastopol 95472; 707-823-8003; synsolar.com; '13 solar revenues: $1.1 million; five employees

Jeff Mathias started at the company as a journeyman electrician and solar project manager in 2006. Mike Pane joined West County Solar, the predecessor of Synergy, in 2003 as an apprentice and became a journeyman electrician. In January 2007 they purchased the assets and changed the name.

The company was accredited by New York-based North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners in early 2012. Synergy installs photovoltaic demand and backup energy systems as well as electric-vehicle charging stations, in addition to conventional electrical contracting.John TomaszewskiSPG Solar, 1039 N. McDowell Blvd., Ste. B, Petaluma 94954; 707-781-1000; spgsolar.com

John Tomaszewski was appointed chief executive officer in March of this year, replacing Don May, who had joined in 2012. Mr. Tomaszewski came to SPG in October 2012 as senior vice president of operations and customer service. He had nearly two decades of operations and supply chain strategy with almost two decades working with original equipment manufacturers and Tier 1--3 suppliers (direct suppliers to OEMs, suppliers to tier 1 and suppliers to tier 2, respectively).

Dan Thompson started the company in 2001 as an installer of residential systems in Marin County. Now the company is tackling large projects nationwide and innovating installation systems, such as panel arrays that can float on irrigation ponds and the recently released single-axis sun-tracking system. SPG expanded from Novato to Petaluma in early 2013.

Solar Power World ranked SPG No. 93 out of 400 nationwide, with 100.58 megawatts installed since SPG's birth, and 5.5 megawatts installed last year. SPG is novel among installers in developing its own sun-tracking solar array mounts.