On March 30, 2022, Pinkard Construction celebrated its 60th year in business. Tony Burke, Pinkard’s current president, and Jim Pinkard, Pinkard’s former CEO, are reflecting on the company’s history and its future as this milestone year comes to a close.
In 1962, James W. Pinkard (known to his employees as Jay or JWP) founded his company Pinkard Construction, believing that working hard for your clients and striving for excellence was the right way to do business. As he put it, “The harder you work, the luckier you get.”
in 2022, his son, Jim Pinkard, announced his retirement after many years of service. He looked back at all that has been accomplished and all there is yet to do. He is proud of how Pinkard Construction has always innovated to keep a competitive edge. At the company’s founding, self-performance was a key differentiator. Now, the company excels at utilizing building techniques that streamline the building process. Jim is also incredibly proud of the way his employees have driven innovation.
“Pinkard Construction was the first to utilize flying deck forms which were originally made using steel beams before aluma joist systems were available,” he said. “Senior and affordable housing projects were typically completed with mid to high-rise construction. That became a niche that remains a significant contributor to our annual revenue.”
Jim Pinkard became president in 1985, then became CEO from 2017 onward. He sees great things for Pinkard’s future, “My dad liked to say, ‘Do something right, and someone may hear about it. Do something wrong, and everyone will know tomorrow.’ That example continues to remind us to this day who we are and how we conduct business.”
Tony Burke, Prinkard’s current president, is now contemplating Pinkard’s future. Burke says that the company’s leadership is armed with the wisdom and perspective gained by adapting and growing with this always-evolving construction and development market.
“We march forward with new generation of ownership, new leaders, and new branding,” says Burke. “These decisive changes represent a continuation of fundamental business practices but with a fresh new look and approach to the challenges and opportunities presented in the world of construction today.”
Burke knows that the need for construction professionals is at an all-time high. A key priority for Burke is investing in Pinkard employees’ ongoing development and creating an environment that retains talent. He feels that a company culture with opportunities for growth, stability, and work/life balance will pay dividends in recruitment too.
“We aim to create an environment of belonging in our office and at our job sites. This industry is a great place to make a living and should be inclusive and representative of our community at large,” explains Burke. “We strive daily to perform with our core values in mind, knowing that these qualities are the foundations of transparency and tenacity.”
Burke feels that this emphasis on the health and stability of Pinkard’s workforce is the right thing to do, but also allows Pinkard to offer an unparalleled client experience. His teams have the capacity to be collaborative, provide good stewardship to their clients, produce exceptional quality, and add overall financial value to their projects.
“Offering our employees the best tools possible not only helps them but offers our clients a greater degree of collaboration, clarity, and control over their project,” says Burke. “We want to provide our clients with a superior construction experience, in addition to the best value”
Burke is optimistic when he thinks about the next 60 years of Pinkard. “Going into our 61st year, we are eager to share our excitement and enthusiasm with our friends, clients, and peers and we are grateful for the partnership and support of the Colorado construction community.”
