Former W.E. O'Neil Construction CEO and board chairman William “Bill” O'Neil died earlier this month at 83, the company announced on its website.
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O’Neil was the grandson of the company's founder, William Edward O'Neil, joining the firm in 1967 and working his way up the ladder through roles such as layout engineer, superintendent, project manager and estimator.
He became CEO in 1985 and led the company to expand, partnering with major corporations and taking the company to new markets across the country.
“Bill was a thoughtful leader who empowered the people around him to take on as much responsibility as they could handle,” said Mike Faron, former Chicago president and chairman, in the post. “He was always concerned about our clients, employees, the O’Neil family, quality, and the company reputation.”
During O’Neil's career, W.E. O’Neil became a 100% employee-owned company, a collaborative effort between leadership and the O’Neil family.
“It is, and always has been, about our people — our W.E O’Neil family,” O’Neil said after the change, which was made in 2020. “Putting them right up front is the right thing to do.”
Outside his professional life, O'Neil was a “devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend,” the company said. In recent years, O'Neil was passionate about the outdoors and the arts, with a love for music and photographing wildlife.
A celebration of life will be held in the future. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in his memory to the Center for the Arts in Jackson, Wyoming, Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah, and St. Mary’s Food Bank in Phoenix, Arizona.
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