Top North Bay contractors of 2012

Listed in the ranking order on Business Journal lists:Commercial General Contractors published on March 19Commercial Landscape Contractors on Sept. 10 (see page 2)Electrical Contractors on Feb. 13 (see page 3)HVAC Contractors on Sept. 10 (see page 4)Solar Companies with contracting licenses on June 18 (see page 5)most-recent Plumbing Contractors list (see page 6)Commercial general contractorsRichard GhilottiGhilotti Construction Co., 246 Ghilotti Ave., Santa Rosa 95407; 707-585-1221; ghilotti.com; 275 employees; '11 revenues: North Bay $63.0 million, companywide $140.0 million

President and Chief Executive Officer Dick Ghilotti, 65, co-founded the general engineering contracting company in 1992. The company has established offices in Marin and Napa counties and the East Bay and acquired North Bay Construction in 2010.Mike GhilottiGhilotti Bros., 525 Jacoby St., San Rafael 94901; 415-454-7011; ghilottibros.com; 83 employees; '11 revenue: North Bay $51.1 million, companywide $90.0 million

Mike Ghilotti, 50, became president in 2000 of the general engineering contracting company his grandfather James Ghilotti started in 1914.Jon FoadRudolph and Sletten, 1504 Eureka Rd., Ste. 200, Roseville 95661; 916-781-8001; rsconstruction.com; 67 employees; '11 revenues: North Bay $9.0 million, companywide $550.0 million

Jon Foad has been with the Redwood City-based company since the late 1980s and became vice president of operations for the Sacramento region in 2007.Roger NelsonMidstate Construction, 1180 Holm Rd., Petaluma 94954; 707-762-3200; midstateconstruction.com; 65 employees; '11 revenues: $90.0 million

Roger Nelson, 66, has been owner and president of 77-year-old Midstate for 35 years. A major North Bay project finished in the past 12 months is the $40 million expansion of The Meritage Resort & Spa in south Napa.Kelly KolanderO.C. Jones & Sons, 930 Shiloh Rd., Bldg. 46, Windsor 95492; 510-526-3424; ocjones.com; 65 employees; '11 revenues: North Bay $49.2 million, companywide $124.0 million

Kelly Kolander is president and chief executive officer of the Berkeley-based general engineering contractor founded in 1924. Recent major North Bay projects have been the widening of Highway 101 from Santa Rosa to Windsor and of Interstate 80 in Fairfield.Jim MurphyJim Murphy & Associates, 464 Kenwood Ct., Ste. B, Santa Rosa 95407; 707-576-7337; j-m-a.com; 46 employees; '11 revenues: North Bay $4.0 million, companywide $25.0 million

President Jim Murphy, 70, started the company in 1968. It specializes in design-build, hospitality, private-school, custom-home and wine-related projects.Mark DavisWright Contracting, P.O. Box 1270, Santa Rosa 95402; 707-528-1172; wrightcontracting.com; 45 employees; '11 revenue: North Bay $38.4 million, companywide $61.9 million

Mark Davis was promoted to president from vice president and operations manager in 2009. He has been working at Wright Contracting for 28 years. Paul V. Wright started the company in 1953.Maurice Helmer and Douglas HelmerHelmer & Sons, P.O. Box 868, Angwin 94508; 707-965-2425; helmers.net; '10 revenues: $12.4 million

President Maurice Helmer leads the company as well as directs its sitework division. Co-founder Douglas Helmer runs the building division. The Helmer family started the company in 1975. Jeff LuchettiJeff Luchetti Construction; 70 Stony Point Rd., Ste. D, Santa Rosa 95401; 707-527-5788; jlcbuild.com; 39 employees; '11 revenues: $52.0 million

Jeff Luchetti, 55, started JLC in 1998. Since then, the company has diversified. JLBuilders builds custom homes, and JLModular constructs permanent and movable buildings for schools, hospitals and correctional facilities.Glen GhilottiTeam Ghilotti, 2531 S. Petaluma Blvd., Petaluma 94952; 707-763-8700; teamghilotti.com; 35 employees; '11 revenues: North Bay $8.0 million, companywide $4.0 million

President Glen Ghilotti, 54, 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.

Commercial landscape contractorsDennis DoughertyCagwin & Dorward, P.O. Box 1600, Novato 94948; 415-892-7710; cagwin.com; 169 employees

Dennis Dougherty is president, CEO and CFO of the company ornamental horticulturalist Tom Cagwin and economist David Dorward started in 1955.Darryl Orr and David PenryPacific Landscapes, P.O. Box 481, Sebastopol 95473; 707-829-8064; pacificlandscapes.com

Owners Darryl Orr and Dave Penry, each with four decades of landscape industry experience, started the company in 2000.Rob Solomon, Lebo Newman and Kelly SolomonCoast LM, 103 Camino Oruga, Napa 94558; 800-578-8810, coastlm.com

Chief Executive Officer Kelly Solomon and Rob Solomon teamed up with Reno-based landscape contractor and business broker Lebo Newman in late 2005 to start Coast, which serves Napa, Solano, Marin and Sonoma counties.John and Denise FitzgeraldLandesign Construction and Maintenance, P.O. Box 2326, Santa Rosa 95405; 707-578-2657; landesign-inc.com; 65 employees

President John Fitzgerald and Denise Fitzgerald, vice president and director of marketing, started Landesign in 1990. The company recently started a new division, One Putt Greens, to install artificial turf to meet increasingly stringent water standards in Marin, Sonoma and Mendocino counties.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 in January 2004 and has expanded it to serve clients in Sonoma, Marin, Solano, Napa and Contra Costa counties.Ed NessingerNessco Construction, 244 Colgan Ave., Santa Rosa 95404; 707-541-0107; nesscoconstruction.com; 50 employees

President Ed Nessinger, 48, started Nessco in 1994. He also is co-owner of Santa Rosa-based commercial general contractor R.E. West Builders.Peter AndreucciBartlett Tree Experts, 60 Hoag Ave., San Rafael 94901; 415-472-4300; bartlett.com; 40 employees

Peter Andreucci is 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.Greg Shooter and Marianne ShooterThe Shooter Co., 79 Galli Dr., Ste. E, Novato 94949; 415-883-7223; theshootercompany.com; 34 employees

The Shooter family started this landscaping and class B building contracting company in 1970.Jay TripathiGardenworks, P.O. Box 326, Healdsburg 95448; 707-857-2050; gardenworks-inc.com

President Jay Tripathi and Vice President Peter Estournes are owners of Gardenworks, started by Mr. Tripathi in 1977.Kevin Pearson and John FiferJensen Landscape Services, 960 Lakeville St., Petaluma 94954; 707-765-5776; jensencorp.com; 26 employees

Kevin Pearson is vice president and John Fifer is manager of business development for San Jose-based Jensen, which acquired Huppe Landscape Co. in 2009. Chris Huppe started opening North Bay branch offices in 1987.

Electrical contractorsLeslie MurphyW. Bradley Electric, 90 Hill Rd., Novato 94945; 415-898-1400; wbeinc.com; '11 electrical contracting revenues: $55.0 million; employees: 180 full time, 23 part time

Leslie Murphy, 50, is chief executive officer of the electrical contracting company her father, William Bradley, started in 1977. 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. The company has opened offices in Silicon Valley and San Francisco.James BrownMike Brown Electric Co., 561 Mercantile Dr., Ste. A, Cotati 94931; 707-792-8100; mbelectric.com; '11 electrical contracting revenues: $18.0 million; 85 full-time employees

President James Brown, 50, was the oldest son of Mike Brown, who started the company in 1975.Jim ChiappariNorthern Electric, 3190 Regional Pkwy., Santa Rosa 95403; 707-571-2265; northernelectric.com; '11 electrical contracting revenues: $15.0 million

Project engineer and head superintendent Jim Chiappari, 49, is son of owner and Chief Executive Officer Mike Chiappari, who started the company in 1980 with William Calvert.Jolene Corcoran, Ray Lunardi and Ron LunardiLunardi Electric, 5334 Sebastopol Rd., Santa Rosa 95407; 707-545-4755; lunardielectric.com; '11 electrical contracting revenues: $10.8 million; employees: 55 full time, three part time

Jolene Corcoran, 59, 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, 52, handles project management and estimating, and his twin brother, Ron, oversees operations.Larry Dashiell and Keith HitmanSummit Technology Group, 2450 Bluebell Dr., Ste. C, Santa Rosa 95403; 707-542-4773; summit-e.com; '11 revenues: $9.0 million electrical, $1.6 million solar; 50 employees

Chief Executive Officer Larry Dashiell took over operations of the company in 1986 from his father, who started it in 1968. The company has diversified into telecommunications and photovoltaic system installations as well as electrical contracting. President Keith Hitman started as a purchasing and warehouse manager in 2007 and was promoted in May 2011.Ray Reyff Sr.Reyff Electric Co., P.O. Box 1196, Rohnert Park 94927; 707-585-2481; '11 electrical contracting revenues: $8.2 million; employees: 40 full time, one part time

Ray Reyff Sr. is president of the electrical contracting company he started in 1980.Ruben PerezNapa Electric, 2240 Brown St., Napa 94558; 707-252-6611; napaelectric.com; '11 electrical contracting revenues: $8.0 million; 40 full-time employees

Ruben Perez, 60, is owner and general manager of Napa Electric, started in 1939 by Dorothy Tockey. He 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; '11 electrical contracting revenues: $7.0 million; 30 full-time employees

Ed Gugel is president of the electrical contracting company started in 1978.Barbara RagsdaleKnights' Electric, 11410 Old Redwood Hwy., Windsor 95492; 707-433-6931; knightselectric.com; '11 electrical contracting: $6.7 million; 40 full-time employees

Barbara Ragsdale became president and chief executive officer in 2007, replacing her father, Bob Knight. She had been chief financial officer since Knights' Electric was incorporated in 1982.Dan CarlosBOS Electric, 1241 Andersen Dr., Ste. C, San Rafael 94901; 415-457-5190; bos-electric.com; '10 electrical contracting revenues: $6.7 revenues

Dan Carlos became president of Being of Service Inc. in 2007, starting as an electrician in 1991 and becoming an owner and vice president in 1995. Julian Johnson III started the company in 1985.

HVAC contractorsPaul IrwinBell Products, 722 Soscol Ave., Napa 94559; 707-255-1811; bellproducts.com; 118 employees

Paul Irwin, 55, is president of the company Joe Bell started in 1945. Mr. Irwin started with Bell as an estimator in 1982.Ted Treat and Jason GeorgeACCO Engineered Systems, 737 Southpoint Blvd., Ste. G, Petaluma 94954; 707-776-2748; accoes.com

Glendale-based ACCO is one of the five-largest HVAC contractors in the U.S. Ted Treat is Petaluma construction manager. Jason George, 46, has been Vacaville construction manager since April 2006.James LandaSimpson Sheet Metal, 2833 Dowd Dr., Ste. C, Santa Rosa 95407; 707-576-1500; simpsonsheetmetal.com; 62 employees

In 2004 owner Jim Landa, 48, 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.Les PetersonPeterson Mechanical, 21819 Eighth St. E., Sonoma 95476; 707-938-8481; petersonmechanical.com; employees: 56 in HVAC, 96 total

Les Peterson, 62, is president and chief executive officer of the company started in 1915 by Ed Peterson, his granduncle. These days business is split 45 percent each between plumbing and heating, ventilation and air-conditioning, with the rest in HVAC service work.

The company also was ranked No. 1 on the most recent Business Journal list of top North Bay plumbing contractors, published in 2010.Joe HenryHenry Mechanical, 7656 Bell Rd., Windsor 95492; 707-838-3311; henrymechanical.com; 25 employees

Joe Henry purchased ownership of the 20-year-old company in 2005 from his father and founder, Doug Henry.Paul BighamBigham's One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning, 1400 Petaluma Hill Rd., Santa Rosa 95404; 707-545-1800; onehourheatandac.com; employees: 24 in HVAC, 41 North Bay and 55 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.Bruce WrightAirco Commerical -- North Bay, 6650 Goodyear Rd., Benicia 94510; 707-746-5693; airco-commercial.com; employees: 18 in North Bay HVAC, 23 North Bay and 102 companywide

Bruce Wright has been general manager since 2005 and vice president since mid-2008. He has been in sales for the company since 1994.Tom SosineUnited Mechanical Inc., 520 Mercantile Dr., Ste. A, Cotati 94931; 707-796-7400; umi1.com; employees: eight in the North Bay and 200 companywide

Tom Sosine is an owner of San Jose-based United Mechanical.Etta AllenAllen Heating and Sheet Metal, 31 Industrial Way, Greenbrae 94904; 415-924-2425; allenheating.com; employees: seven in the North Bay and 11 companywide

The company started in 1962. Etta Allen has been president since 1974.

Solar contractorsJohn SchaefferReal Goods Solar, 27 Simms St., San Rafael 94901; 888-567-6527; realgoodssolar.com; '11 solar revenue: $12.0 million North Bay, $110 million total; employees: 53 North Bay, 392 total

John Schaeffer, 62, is president of residential solar for publicly traded Real Goods Solar (Nasdaq: RSOL). He started Real Goods Trading Company in 1978. Colorado-based Giam combined North Bay operations of Marin Solar and Real Goods in 2009.Bill StewartSolarCraft, 285-D Bel Marin Keys Blvd., Novato 94949; 415-382-7717; solarcraft.com; '11 solar revenue: $8.1 million; 35 employees

Bill Stewart, 60, 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 a director of the Marin Economic Forum and California Solar Energy Industries Association.Rick TurleyAloha Solar, 212 Second St., Petaluma 94952; 707-789-9537; aloha-solar.com; '11 solar revenues: $5,200,000; employees: 10 North Bay, 13 total

Rick Turley is president. With Bill Turley Jr. he co-founded the company, formerly known as Advanced Alternative Energy Solutions, in 2002.John ParrySolar Works, 400 Morris St., Sebastopol 95472; 707-829-8282; solarworksca.com; 2010 solar revenues: $4 million

Owner and Chief Executive Officer John Parry started the company in 1986.Nate GulbransenWestcoast Solar Energy, 5800 Redwood Dr., Ste. D, Rohnert Park 94928; 707-664-6450; westcoastsolarenergy.com; '11 solar revenue: $2,85 million North Bay, $3,45 million companywide; 14 employees

Chief Operations Officer Jeremy Greer started Westcoast Solar Energy in December 2007 and incorporated with President Nate Gulbransen in July 2011.Aran MooreSun First! Solar Energy Systems, 3060 Kerner Blvd., Ste. W, San Rafael 94901; 415-458-5870; sunfirstsolar.com; '10 solar revenues: $3 million

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.Jeff Mathias and Mike PaneSynergy Solar & Electrical Systems, 708 N. Gravenstein Hwy., Ste. 134, Sebastopol 95472; 707-823-8003; synsolar.com; '11 solar revenues: $1 million; six 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.Hardy KuenzlGaia Energy Systems, 716 College Ave., Ste. E, Santa Rosa 95404; 707-538-8554; GaiaEnergySystems.com; '11 revenues:  $264,004 solar, $3.43 million total; employees: three in solar, 19 total

President Hardy Kuenzl in 1981 immigrated from Germany, where he had lived off the grid and had designed photovoltaic systems. He later earned an electrical contracting license. In 1994 he started Gaia Energy Systems in Willits. Kate Collins became a partner in 2003 after their marriage, and she has been using her business background in company administration.Doug MaySPG Solar, 20 Leveroni Ct., Novato 94949; 415-883-7657, spgsolar.com

Doug May was appointed chief executive officer in August. He has nine years of experience in solar industry cost-trimming and innovating, most recently as president and CEO of Unirac. He has three decades of experience in high technology and renewable energy.

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.

Plumbing contractorsDaniel GagneBenjamin Franklin Plumbing, 22 Digital Dr., Ste. 1, Novato 94949; 415-830-9935; benfranklinplumbing.com

Daniel Gagne is president of Gagne Brothers Enterprises, Inc., which has operated the Ben Franklin Plumbing franchise for San Francisco and Marin and Sonoma counties since 1996. Ranked No. 130 on Entrepreneur magazine's Franchise 500 list, Ben Franklin Plumbing is owned by Florida-based Clockwork Home Services.Art DexterLeDuc & Dexter Plumbing, 2833 Dowd Drive, Ste. A, Santa Rosa 95407, 707-575-1500; leducanddexterplumbing.com

"Ardy" Dexter and Tom LeDuc started the company in 1983, and the company expanded into hydronics in 2004 and "green plumbing" in 2007--2008. Earlier this year, Mr. LeDuc retired as president and chief executive officer and partnered with photovoltaic system installer Warren Brown of One Sun. Mr. Dexter previously was vice president and chief operating officer.Joe Locati Jr.InCom Mechanical, 975 Transport Way, Ste. 5, Petaluma 94954; 707-586-0511; incommechanical.com

Joe Locati Jr. is president of InCom Mechanical, which specializes in plumbing and fire-protection systems. Its license was first issued in 1987.Roger MaplesMapleService Plumbing, Heating & Air, 327 O’Hair Court, Santa Rosa 95407; 707-585-9979; maplesplumb.com

Roger Maples oversees Santa Rosa operations of the Maples family plumbing, heating and cooling business and the service sister company Mapleservice, started in 1997. He became a journeyman plumber in 1978 and general partner in 1987.Jasper SmithCity Front Plumbing, 50 Tiburon St., Ste. 25, San Rafael 94901; 415-454-6737; cityfrontplumbing.com

Jasper Smith started the company in 1983 and added Brian Cullen as a partner in 1999.Steve SilvaSteve Silva Plumbing Inc., 901 Enterprise Way, Ste. A, Napa 94559; 707-252-3941; stevesilvaplumbing.com

Steve Silva started in Napa Valley plumbing in 1983 and incorporated two years later.Sean MacaulayAmerican Leak Detection, 1201 Anderson Dr., Ste. N, San Rafael 94901; 415-883-1690; americanleakdetection.com

Peter Sean Macaulay is president of Norfin Inc., a family business that has the franchisee for the North Bay and Peninsula franchise from Palm Spring-based American Leak Detection. Brothers and owners Sean and Christian Macaulay were recognized as top regional revenue producers in 2008 and 2009.Paul and Saunda KitchenMr. Rooter of Sonoma County, 1025 N. Dutton Ave., Santa Rosa 95401; 707-525-5670; mrrooter.com

Saunda Kitchen is president and owner, together with her husband, Paul, of Associated Plumbing Technologies Inc., the Sonoma County franchise of Texas-based Mr. Rooter Corp. They started the business 14 years ago.

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