Private | |
Industry | Construction, Mining Welding |
Founded | 1884 (Kiewit Brothers) |
Headquarters |
Kiewit Plaza Omaha, Nebraska, U.S. |
Key people
|
Bruce Grewcock (President/CEO) |
Revenue | $12,338.0 million USD (2012) |
$581.0 million USD (2011) | |
Website | www.kiewit.com |
Kiewit Corporation is an employee-ownedFortune 500 contractor based in Omaha, Nebraska. Privately held, it is one of the largest contractors in the world. Recent projects have included several bridge retrofittings in the San Francisco Bay Area, Interstate H-3 project in Hawaii, and building the world's largest geodesic dome at Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha. Along with significant mining and off-shore operations, the company also contracts small grading (dirt moving) projects for residential or commercial development.
The company was founded in 1884 by Peter Kiewit, a bricklayer of Dutch descent. The founder's son, also named Peter Kiewit, headed the firm from 1924 until his death in 1979. During his life it became one of the largest construction companies in the world. He was also very active in the Omaha area. In 1963, he bought the Omaha World-Herald to keep it locally owned. Under the terms of his will, the employees bought the paper in 1979. Walter Scott, Jr., was first elected to the Peter Kiewit Sons' Incorporated board in 1964. In 1979, he was elected president. When Peter Kiewit died later that same year, Scott was selected to succeed him as chairman. Starting in 1985 (Kiewit built MFS in the early 1990s; Level 3 was built in the 1997 to 1999 circa), Kiewit also constructed a nationwide fiber optic network. This network was later spun off as Level 3 Communications, which became the formal successor corporation to the original Peter Kiewit Sons'.
Kiewit Corporation is subdivided into regional companies and divisions and further subdivided into geographical districts. The company is employee-owned, and long-term employees are often compensated with shares of the corporation. Most divisions operate under union contracts for non-managerial labor. Most corporate decisions are made by field office executives; however, most administration is centralized at the corporate office in Omaha.