When Gordon Lansford became the first non-Dunn family member to serve as CEO of Kansas City, Mo.-based JE Dunn in 2013, he promised to create a more inclusive, engaged construction company while continuing a transition that began under previous President and CEO Steve Dunn to move the company more toward employee ownership. Lansford’s made progress on that goal, with JE Dunn now 20% owned by its employees and 80% by the Dunn family.
This is the first year that ENR’s Midwest Top Contractors survey included work from the states of Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota and Nebraska. That expansion provides a more accurate picture of the 93-year-old general contractor’s regional work than in years past—and adds $935.6 million to its total regional revenue. Adding Kansas to the mix added $522 million alone, lifting the firm’s total Midwest revenue to $1.3 billion and catapulting the firm to fifth place on this year’s Midwest Top Contractors list from No. 22 in 2016.