John Deeny founded Deeny Construction in 1938. His father, Patrick, brought John to the city sewer department where he took and passed the 150-question sewer license test. A city employee recommended John for a job on Beacon Hill the next day. Upon arriving at work, it immediately became clear that John didn't know how to bid. As luck would have it, two other men arrived to bid the job. John hid in the bushes and listened to the men discuss how they would do the work. John bid $35 and won the job.

The fledgling company almost became extinct during World War II, when Todd Shipyards hired John as a master welder. He worked there for four years, seven days a week, often two shifts. Somehow, he managed to find time to operate his little company in the remaining hours of the day.

By 1948, John had expanded and moved from the family garage to a tiny office and shop with a quarter-acre of mud for an equipment storage yard. He did anything to make a buck, such as steam-cleaning building exteriors and renting mobile cranes. He was proud that he never missed payroll, no matter what it took he once bought a set of tires on credit and sold them for cash the next day to make payroll.

In 1952, Deeny Construction took on the excavation and backfill for the underground ammunition storage buildings at the Bangor Naval Base. It was more than John could handle. After promising to pay his creditors in full with interest, he mortgaged his new home. He never lost his sense of humor, referring to a small tree that he had brought home from the job as his "rare $35,000 Bangor pine."

During the next few years, the company's loyal crew installed underground utilities for every new Seattle school, working 12 hours a day, often seven days a week.

John's son Terry started his career by sweeping the company's shop floor when he was 9 years old. He joined the firm full time in 1962. Four years later, the company was incorporated and Terry became a stockholder. John retired in 1968 and the business prospered during the next decade. In 1978, the company moved into a new office and shop at its current location.

The economic collapse of 1980 caused the company to downsize and completely reorganize. One result was the creation of a small asphalt paving company by Terry and an old friend. Eventually, the economy improved and both companies flourished.

In 1988, Terry's son Jon joined the firm and has since taken over as president. Terry is now serving as president of the Associated General Contractors of America and plans to retire next year.