Connolly Brothers works on the William H. Moore estate in the late 1800s in the Prides Crossing area of Beverly, Massachusetts.
Connolly Brothers Inc.
is a construction management firm serving private commercial, industrial, and institutional clients. A five-generation family business established in 1880, Connolly is headquartered in Beverly with projects located throughout New England. For more than a century, clients have turned to Connolly to handle all aspects of their construction projects, from planning and design to real estate development and construction management.
Five Generations of Leadership
We are currently in our fifth generation of family leadership. Stephen J. Connolly, IV entrusted majority ownership to his son, Jay Connolly and his son-in-law, Thaddeus Minshall in 2019. Together, they are as involved in client projects as were the original founders, Stephen J. Connolly and his three brothers.
Our Leadership Team
Stephen J Connolly IV
Advisor
Jay Connolly
President and Chief Executive Officer
Thaddeus Minshall
Vice President Real Estate/Development
Thomas A. Dionne
Vice President of Preconstruction Services & Design
Harry P. Samolchuk
Lead Designer
Michael Cullen
Chief Financial Officer
Scott Muller
Vice President of Construction Operations
Matthew Lawton
Assistant Vice President of Architecture
Our History
For 140 years, Connolly Brothers has provided best-in-class construction services to its clients in the New England region. Much has changed since Connolly was founded by brothers Steve and Greg Connolly in 1880, including the company's transition from a general contractor working with luminaries such as Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. to a construction manager. Always adapting and innovating to stay ahead of the curve, Connolly Brothers was an early adopter of the design-build construction model, a “one-stop-shop" approach that continues to grow in popularity today, providing clients with a single point of contact and responsibility for construction projects from conception through to completion.While Connolly has been quick to adapt, some things have not changed since the company's inception; Connolly Brothers remains a family business that prides itself on building not just structures but lasting relationships with its clients. Well into its second century of operation, Connolly Brothers remains committed to integrity and a clear, simple goal: delivering work of such high quality that the firm gets asked back for the client's next project.
Explore the timeline below to learn more about the ongoing evolution of one of New England's premiere construction, design, and development firms.
A New Generation
Stephen J. Connolly IV transfers majority ownership of the company to his son and son-in-law: respectively, Jay Connolly, who has worked in the family business since 2007, and Thaddeus Minshall, a veteran of the Washington, D.C. real estate industry. Early completed projects include new corporate headquarters for companies such as KROHNE, Harmonic Drive, and HighRes Biosolutions.
Early Adopter
In the 1990s and 2000s, Connolly Brothers is an early adopter of the design-build model of construction, hiring in-house designers, engineers, and architects. The company serves as construction manager on dozens of automotive dealerships as well as headquarters and facilities for numerous manufacturing, retail, and tech companies.
Stephen J. Connolly IV
Stephen J. Connolly III transfers majority ownership of the company to his son, Stephen J. Connolly IV. Steve IV moves Connolly Brothers away from residential work and toward private commercial, industrial, and institutional clients while relocating from 20 Oak St. in Beverly to 152 Conant St. During his tenure, Steve IV transitions Connolly from a general contractor to a construction manager model.
Return from the Navy
Steve Connolly IV returns from the Navy. The morning after he returns, his father wakes him up at 6:30 a.m. to say the company is busy and it's time to get to work. In the early 1970s, Connolly Brothers employs approximately 185 people.
Stephen J. Connolly III
Greg Connolly transfers majority ownership of the company to his son, Stephen J. Connolly III.
Public Construction Projects
During the 1950s and 60s Connolly Brothers completes numerous public construction projects in the region, including police and fire stations, public schools, and post office buildings.
Great Depression and World War II
During the Great Depression and World War II, Greg keeps the company afloat, and local workers employed, hoping to make it through to brighter times for his sons, Steve III and Peter Connolly.
Connolly Brothers Inc.
Stephen Connolly transfers majority ownership to Greg Connolly, who incorporates Connolly Brothers Inc. on January 5.
Frederick Law Olmsted Jr.
Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. Through the 1920s and 30s Connolly Brothers works on approximately 80 projects throughout the eastern U.S. with famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted Jr.
Silver Star and a Purple Heart
Following the conclusion of World War I, Greg Connolly receives a Silver Star and a Purple Heart.
Alderman
Thomas Connolly serves as alderman in Beverly, Mass.
Boston's North Station
Boston's North Station is built. Connolly ships trains full of gravel to the site for the project.
Thomas Connolly Joins the Family Business
Thomas Connolly joins brothers Stephen and Gregory in the family business. That year, Connolly Brothers builds a basement for Ernest Longfellow, son of the famous poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
First Major Project
With 30 men on the job, Connolly Brothers begins work on its first major project, making alterations on Hale Street in Beverly, Mass. from Ober Street to Pride's Crossing.
Founding
Connolly Brothers is founded by the brothers Steve and Greg Connolly.
Stephen J Connolly IV
Advisor
Stephen J. Connolly represents the fourth generation of family leadership at Connolly. He took over the company from his father in 1987 and successfully orchestrated the company's transformation into its present form, foreseeing the construction industry's paradigm shift away from general contracting and towards construction management. He is extremely proud of his family's reputation in the construction industry and strives daily to maintain and grow that reputation. His goal on every job, large or small, is to be invited back for the next project.
Jay Connolly
President and Chief Executive Officer
Jay Connolly is president of Connolly Brothers, Inc., a construction management firm serving commercial, industrial, and institutional clients since 1880. A five-generation family business based in Beverly, Mass. and operating in the greater New England area, the company handles all aspects of construction. Connolly has led efforts to expand the company's breadth with an increased emphasis on its design-build capacity. He credits his father, Stephen J. Connolly IV, for instilling in him a dedication to hard work and integrity. Connolly holds a degree from Boston College, and he lives with his wife, Nicole, and their two children, in Marblehead, Mass.
Thaddeus Minshall
Vice President Real Estate/Development
Thaddeus Minshall is vice president of real estate/development at Connolly Brothers Inc. Named one of the New England Real Estate Journal's “ones to watch," Minshall manages Connolly's real estate portfolio, tenant relationships, and acquisitions. Prior to joining Connolly Brothers, Minshall worked as an analyst and asset manager in Washington, D.C. with Minshall Stewart Properties, acquiring, redeveloping, and selling to major institutional investors many prominent properties in the nation's capital. Minshall is a University of Virginia graduate and served in the Marine Corps Reserve for six years. He lives with his wife, Page, and their three sons in Marblehead, Mass.
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Thomas A. Dionne
Vice President of Preconstruction Services & Design
Thomas A. Dionne joined Connolly Brothers in 1995 after working at construction firms in southern New Hampshire and in the Washington, D.C. area. After graduating from the University of New Hampshire in 1984, his degree in civil engineering and interest in architecture led him to the construction industry, where he has served in many roles, including design, estimating, and management. He uses the knowledge he has gathered over the course of his career to better understand clients' needs and to focus on providing them with quality construction services.
Harry P. Samolchuk
Lead Designer
Harry Samolchuk joined Connolly Brothers in 1982 after his graduation with a degree in architecture from Roger Williams University. He is an integral part of the Connolly team, leading design staff on the projects that the firm designs and builds. He utilizes skills garnered over the span of his career to listen attentively to clients' needs in order to help them realize their programmatic goals, to design cost-effective solutions, and to see that the design satisfies their needs.
Michael Cullen
Chief Financial Officer
Mike Cullen is chief financial officer for Connolly Brothers Inc. He leads the accounting and administrative team with more than 30 years of accounting and operations experience in construction and facilities services. Sharing the family business values that have seen Connolly into its fifth generation, Cullen marries the company's accounting policies and practices with the realities of field operations. His extensive career includes 20 years at the Zampell Companies, where he served as vice president. He holds a Bachelor of Science from Merrimack College and enjoys golfing and spending time outdoors with his wife and three kids in Newburyport, Mass.
Scott Muller
Vice President of Construction Operations
Scott Muller is vice president of construction operations at Connolly Brothers Inc., where he leverages 30 years of experience on behalf of business clients, including HighRes Biosolutions, Vicor Corporation, and the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) award-winning Great Marsh Brewing Co. Muller has worked at Connolly in steadily-promoted capacity since 2011. Earlier, he worked at John Moriarty & Associates for 17 years as field engineer, superintendent, and project manager. He holds a bachelor's degree in building construction technology from Wentworth Institute of Technology and lives in the Merrimack Valley, where he and his wife have raised their three sons.
Matthew Lawton
Assistant Vice President of Architecture
Matthew Lawton is assistant vice president for architecture at Connolly Brothers, where he engages with clients on highly functional and aesthetically pleasing design-build projects, from conception through to completion. An experienced licensed architect, Lawton emphasizes budget-friendly, detail-driven design, clear and consistent client communication, and careful coordination with construction teams. Lawton has worked with Connolly since 2014 and previously worked for six years at AG Architects, PC in New Hampshire. He holds a master's degree in architecture and a bachelor's degree from Norwich University, and he has taught design courses at Kaplan University and the Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology.
