Sellen Construction Co.

Specialty: Medical, commercial office, research, technology, arts, tenant improvements, education
Management: Bob Barrett, CEO; Bob McClesky, president and COO; Andrew Aiken, CFO
Year founded: 1944
Headquarters: Seattle
2006 revenues: $350 million
Projected 2007 revenues: $500 million
Current projects: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation headquarters, Seattle; performing arts center, Bellevue; renovation of Balmer Hall and two new buildings connected by an atrium, University of Washington

Image courtesy of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation [enlarge]

Sellen Construction is building the new headquarters for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation near the Seattle Center.

Last November, Sellen President Bob McClesky told the DJC that escalation in commodities prices has been especially challenging for the company.

Now he’s more concerned about competition.

“There’s a lot of projects out there,” he said. “It’s economics 101 — a lot of projects, same amount of contractors.”

Labor issues

The labor shortage is a continuing issue. Sellen is an aggressive recruiter of new employees, McCleskey said. The company has also stepped up its marketing to subcontractors to make sure it has the largest pool of talented people it can get.

“We’re in a strong position because we have a group of tradesmen who have been with us for years,” McCleskey said.

He said he is also concerned, as are many construction companies, that there will be strikes this summer, with as many as 14 unions renegotiating their contracts this May or June.

“At the same time, we’re involved in major negotiations with the carpenters,” McCleskey said. “We hope we can come to something that will work for everybody.”