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Higley Construction

About Higley Construction

Higley is one of the most experienced and respected regional construction firms.

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Leadership
Leadership Of

Higley Construction

Higley's leadership team brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the company, driving its success with a focus on integrity, collaboration, and client satisfaction. Together, they lead the company with a commitment to excellence, ensuring that every project meets the highest standards of quality and service.

Meet Our Leaders

Gareth Vaughan

Chairman & CEO

Gareth provides Higley Construction with strategic leadership establishing Higley's structure, direction, and plan to achieve our vision. Gareth assures adherence to our core values, stewarding the organization for the next generation of leadership, and ensuring the financial stability of the company.

Gareth promotes a collaborative work environment with open communication. He is extensively involved in the community with organizations such as MetroHealth Foundation (Chair), Burning River Foundation, Construction Diversity Initiative - A GCP Program (Past Chair), Commission on Economic Inclusion, City Year Cleveland (Past Chair), Providence House (Past Chair), and Prevent Blindness Ohio Affiliate.

David Pastir

President & COO

Dave provides overall oversight, leadership, and management of Safety, Preconstruction Services, Operations, and Human Resources. Dave serves on the Board of Directors for the Achievement Centers for Children and Grace House of Akron as well as sits on the Facilities & Grounds Committee for The Ronald McDonald House.

Dan Sehlhorst

Executive Vice President

Dan oversees operations in our regional offices and plays a pivotal role in Higley's expansion into new markets by leading Business Development and providing guidance for the Regional Offices. Dan is also an active community member who serves on the Board of Directors for the American Red Cross as Chair of the Mission Committee.

Kurt Heinicke

Senior Vice President

With 46 years of experience in construction, Kurt assists in planning, strategizing and management of Higley Construction's operations as well as oversees major projects.​ He collaborates in developing and implementing AMHigley’s vision while ensuring our core values are effectively communicated and embraced across the company.​

Mark Vega

Senior Vice President, Operations

Mark oversees the Operations Department, which includes Project Management, Field Operations, Project Controls, Customer Service Group (CSG), Construction Management, and Design-Build projects. He oversees Directors of Operations and Project Executives to ensure projects are set up correctly, managed efficiently, and aligned with company processes.

Jason Pastor

Jason Pastor

Vice President of Preconstruction

Jason develops our preconstruction team approach while overseeing his in-house team of 8 preconstruction professionals. With a focus on team collaboration and risk mitigation, his team establishes baseline project costs and provides continuous estimating support throughout a project’s design phases.  Integrating the construction team from the beginning of the preconstruction process ensures seamless client support.

Thomas Lippert

Vice President of Safety & Quality

In a 22-year highly decorated career with the United States Army, Tom rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and was deployed to Iraq four times. Today, he ensures that every person who enters our job sites understands that safety is our number one priority. Higley Construction defines safety as the result of a multi-faceted effort to maintain a healthy and safe work environment. Tom also champions Higley’s quality control program. Tom is also a member of the American Society of Safety Professionals.

Karen Gorsuch

Vice President of Human Resources

Karen leads our Human Resource department, ensuring the implementation of Higley Construction's talent strategy and mission. She collaborates with leadership on goals and tactics related to staffing, recruiting, and retention, as well as ensures that each employee reflects our core values.

Michael Zielinski

Vice President of Finance and Administration

Michael is responsible for the planning and execution of our corporate financials, budgeting, and strategic planning. He establishes overall priorities and objectives for the finance, administration, and technology teams in alignment with the company’s overall goals. Michael's oversight of our finance and accounting areas ensures construction initiatives maximize financial sustainability.

Andrew Hudak

Regional Vice President, Ohio

Andrew is responsible for the operational and financial success of construction operations throughout Ohio. He began his career in construction as a co-op with Higley Construction and has served in the capacity of Project Manager, Project Executive, and Market Leader for Hospitality & Entertainment. Andrew is an active member of the Northeast Ohio community and currently serves as a Board Member for the Construction Employer Association (CEA), and Chair of the CEA Future Executives Committee.

Ryan Doyle

Ryan Doyle

Regional Vice President, Michigan

Ryan provides overall direction and leadership to our Detroit office. He oversees day-to-day operational activities as well as business development and growth of the Michigan region. Ryan is a Licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Michigan and is actively involved in various organizations throughout southeast Michigan and Detroit including Board Member for City Year Detroit, Leaders for Kids Board Member, and active volunteer with the Kirk Gibson Foundation.   

Joe Kapitan

Senior Director of Operations and Healthcare, Ohio

Joe oversees the Ohio region project teams, preconstruction, project controls, safety, and CSG departments to manage project risk and ensure projects are meeting their commitments and have appropriate resources.

Joe also leads Higley Construction's healthcare work across all five offices. As a subject matter expert with deep owner-side experience, he focuses on staff-building and mentoring, business development efforts, and operational excellence on active healthcare construction projects. Joe is a registered architect.

Mike Larson-Edwards

Mike Larson-Edwards

Regional Director, Pennsylvania

Mike provides overall direction and leadership to our Pittsburgh office. He oversees day-to-day operational activities as well as business development and growth of the western Pennsylvania region.

Lee Cottrell

Director of Design-Build Services

Lee provides Higley’s Design-Build clients with timeliness, quality, and client satisfaction. With over 30 years of industry experience, Lee acts as an extension of your team while maintaining that your investment is in good hands. 

Ted Dobbs

Director of Operations, Michigan

Ted provides comprehensive oversight of preconstruction and construction operations for Higley Construction's Michigan office. He works closely with each project team to ensure the Michigan office operates by Higley’s core values, processes, and procedures while providing an unparalleled service to fulfill each client’s mission. Ted brings over 25 years of diverse construction industry experience as an Estimator, Project Engineer, Superintendent, Project Manager, and Project Executive which provides him a unique lens to understand and provide guidance and support to all aspects of any project. Ted is LEED AP certified, a proud graduate of Michigan State University and remains involved in the M.S.U. Construction Management Program.

Gavin Smith

Director of Project Management, Ohio

Gavin focuses on developing and implementing project management processes and procedures and supporting the professional development of our Project Managers and Project Engineers. 

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If you have a question, comment, or would like additional information, please feel free to contact us by phone, fill out the form below, or email one of our regional offices directly.

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Insights

Stay up to date with the latest news, insights, and related articles from Higley. Explore industry trends, company updates, and thought leadership to stay informed about the world of construction and project management.

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News

Decades of Higley: The 1960s

Throughout the country, the 1960’s marked a decade of change. Higley Construction was no stranger to this, as we experienced changes of our own. . After 40 years of acting… Read More
Higley Construction
Uncategorized

Decades of Higley: The 1950's

The post-war growth for the country meant Higley Construction reached even greater heights. This is the decade that Albert Higley Jr. graduated from Denison University, went into the army and… Read More
Announcements

Celebrating 100 Years of Higley: Building Community, Shaping the Future

In 1925, Albert M. Higley had a simple yet ambitious vision: build a company where relationships mattered as much as results, where doing the right thing wasn’t just a tagline… Read More
Announcements

Decades of Higley: The 1940’s

With the outbreak of World War II and the economy recovered from the last decade, the 1940’s brought about a wave of change for the nation. Higley Construction was able… Read More
Announcements

CEA Highlights the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Our Rock & Roll Hall of Fame project is in full swing and the CEA team stopped by to get a closer look at the work our team has been… Read More
News

Decades of Higley: The 1930’s

In a decade defined by both hardship and progress, The Albert M. Higley Company was able to adapt to the changing country. While able to continue working throughout the Great… Read More
Higley
News

Decades of Higley: The 1920's

During the last week of April in 1925, Albert Higley took $2,000 and began his own construction company in Cleveland Ohio. The Albert M. Higley Company was fully incorporated on… Read More
Achievements

Higley Construction Moves Into the Next 100 Years

For the last century The Albert M. Higley Co. has earned a reputation as a leading construction firm in the region.  Earlier this month, we unveiled our new identity as… Read More
Healthcare
Healthcare Market

Higley Builders Blog: Critical Components For Shaping Healthcare Construction

This month, Joe Kapitan, AIA, NCARB,CHC, explores the key considerations driving healthcare construction, from patient-centered design principles to trends shaping the future of these vital spaces. As someone who has been… Read More
Announcements

Leadership Transition: Dave Pastir Named President & COO Of Higley

At Higley, growth has always been central to our story—whether it’s expanding our revenue, team, offices, or our ability to provide exceptional service to our clients. As we look to… Read More
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