Breslin Builders

By Brian Sodoma

Friday, Oct. 30, 2009 | 6 a.m.

A contractor’s life is a difficult one these days, as private sector projects are tough to come by, and public sector work has taken on a fierce bidding war environment. But even with today’s downturn, Breslin Builders is finding a way to keep its work environment positive.

Breslin has been able to maintain its 401(K) contribution throughout the past year and has not pulled back on employee benefits overall. The contractor pays 100 percent of health benefits for employees plus one family member. The work environment at Breslin has a family feel, with every employee doing a variety of jobs — everything from answering phones and filing, to more specific skill set-related tasks, said Kathie Reinmiller, who has worked for the contractor for 23 years and is now a shareholder and Breslin’s controller.

“That’s why I love working here. For the longest time, we didn’t even have titles. If there was work to do, you did it. It all paid the same,” she said.

Reinmiller, who has been in the valley’s construction industry for 37 years, said she had consulted with local subcontractors and construction attorneys to inquire about Jack Breslin’s reputation before taking a job with the company.

“I think a lot of our culture comes from the reputation Jack Breslin has built,” she added. “We’re so imbedded into each other’s lives, I forget we’re not family.”

Breslin has built its share of high-profile projects in the valley, most notably may be downtown’s Soho and Newport Lofts for Cherry Development. The contractor also has built the Bali Hai Golf Club, numerous RoadRunner Saloons and Timbers Bar & Grills, the Sedona Restaurant & Lounge, and Hogs and Heifers Saloon and the Triple George Grill, two of downtown’s dining and drinking hot spots, as well as many other valley projects.

The family atmosphere in the office at Breslin tends to extend to its clients, said Reinmiller. The contractor has worked for its share of first-time developers through the years and recognizes there is a certain amount of hand-holding when working with those who are new to the development world.

Breslin himself also has created opportunities for his employees, training framers, when the company had a framing division, to become superintendents. Some employees even went on to start their own companies. Breslin still has lunch with many of them from time to time, said Reinmiller.

“The culture here is really defined by everyone doing their best. This (our work) is our reputation out there. We know to do things to the best of our ability,” she said.

And Breslin certainly has done just that.