Although the nation’s economy continues to expand moderately, many economists caution that another recession could be two to three years away. ENR MidAtlantic’s construction industry typically counts on federal projects to stimulate the market, but Donald J. Trump’s election has added uncertainty into that equation. “I’m not sure the incoming administration is just going to build buildings for the hell of it,” says Tom Heinold, CEO of Pioneer Cladding & Glazing Systems LLC, whose regional office is in Elkridge, Md. “They might improve roads and infrastructure … but I’m not so sure how he’s going to swing as far as [buildings] go.”
Nevertheless, Heinold says his business plan is based more on models that are predicting growth into 2018. “I’m not going to run scared and shrink the business because of it,” he says. Pioneer is the No. 10-ranked firm in ENR MidAtlantic’s 2016 Top Specialty Contractors survey; the firm posted revenue of $47.81 million in 2015.