DPR Construction

“I grew up in China and came to the United States by myself to get my master’s degree at Purdue in Construction Management and Technology. At first, I thought I would finish my degree, go back to China, and find a job at an international company. But once I started interning and working, everything kind of happened one step after another. I decided to make the most of it and very soon realized I wanted to stay and build my life here. My dad was in the industry, so he was the one who first introduced me to construction. He thought estimating would be good for me. After I came to the U.S., I tried a lot of different roles, learned what motivated me, and found my own path. I started as a project engineer at DPR in Nashville. Then I had the opportunity to move into preconstruction, and it just clicked. Turns out my dad was partially right. I do like estimating, but it’s the communication part of preconstruction—reviewing drawings, finding scope gaps, building budgets, and talking with trade partners—that I love. What I’ve learned the most is that construction is not just one thing. There are so many directions you can go, and so many ways to grow. My family has influenced me a lot. My grandma always said, ‘Knowledge is money; you cannot use money to buy knowledge,’ and that has stayed with me. My mom encouraged me to explore different interests so I could understand what I really liked. And my dad always told me to try new things, even if they felt uncomfortable at first. I think that mindset helped me more than anything. Moving to another country by myself without any family was a big bold step, but it taught me to adapt quickly, stay open to new environments, and build relationships with people from different backgrounds. It also taught me to work hard and keep learning. That is one reason I love this industry. Construction needs different experiences, different perspectives, and people who are willing to grow and learn. There is so much opportunity here, and I hope more people can see that there is a place for them in this industry too.” Jessica (Jiaxi) Wang is a preconstruction engineer at DPR in Nashville and a co-leader of DPR’s A.R.I.S.E. AAPI employee resource group. She finds motivation through challenges and likes to learn from experiences whether that’s building connections with teammates and trade partners, trying activities like paddle boarding or beer brewing with coworkers, or spending time swimming, painting and hiking outside of work. Jessica is a #pillarofconstruction. *Our Pillars of Construction series celebrates the experiences and perspectives of DPR employees, reflecting on how our histories and culture shape us.

The History of DPR Construction 🏗️ In 1989, Doug Woods was at a management conference when his boss told him he would never rise to lead the firm he'd spent 15 years building for. So he called two coworkers. Peter Nosler. Ronald Davidowski. And the three of them decided to quit and start something of their own. In July 1990, armed with $750,000 of pooled savings, Doug, Peter, and Ron launched DPR Construction in Redwood City, California. The name came from the first letters of their first names. D. P. R. No national contracts. No big brand. No billion dollar backlog. Just three veterans who believed construction could be done differently in an industry resistant to change. They made the company employee-owned from day one, tied compensation to performance, and eliminated job titles from business cards entirely. In 1992, they sat down with Stanford professor and management thinker Jim Collins, and walked out with four core values that still run the company today. Integrity. Enjoyment. Uniqueness. Ever Forward. And a mission statement that said exactly what they meant. To be a Truly Great Construction Company by the Year 2000. They hit $1 billion in revenue in 1998. Two years ahead of schedule. They built cleanrooms for Rockwell International, hospitals, biotech manufacturing plants, data centers for Facebook and eBay, and LEED certified offices that became national firsts. In 2025, DPR generated over $14 billion in revenue. Today the company employs over 11,000 people and ranks No. 7 on ENR's Top 400 Contractors list. All of it traces back to one conversation where a boss told Doug Woods he would never lead. He just went and built something they couldn't take from him. Follow for more of the biggest construction stories in America ✅ #Construction #CaliforniaConstruction #GeneralContractor #ConstructionHistory

As demand for advanced tech projects continues to grow, prefab is becoming an increasingly important part of building at the speed and scale that data center projects require.   In an article for Bisnow, our very own Ray Boff shares how we are applying prefabrication at scale to help customers navigate growing demand and build smarter for the future: https://lnkd.in/evZnPMtZ

DPR's Vantage teams from around the world recently gathered in Virginia for Vantage Data Centers' second annual Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Summit.   Alongside industry partners, the teams shared perspectives, experiences and strategies focused on advancing safety across our work. Together, they are working toward a future where a zero-incident workplace is not just a goal, but an expectation each and every day on our projects.   We value our partnership with Vantage and appreciate them bringing teams together in a way that reinforces what matters most, our craft, our people and how we show up every day.   A special thanks to guests Leif Babin of Echelon Front, Patrick Nelson of Loyalty Point Leadership, who spoke about the power of Extreme Ownership and what it truly means to lead. At DPR, We Exist to Build Great Things, and being in great company means staying aligned on what matters most. Through partnership, integration and a relentless focus on safety, we build trust, protect people and deliver with confidence together. #VantageDataCenters #SafetySummit

We’re excited to announce the opening of our new office in the Philadelphia suburb of Radnor, PA, expanding our presence in the Delaware Valley region! As a self-performing general contractor, DPR brings technical expertise, early design collaboration, prefabrication, and data-driven insights to deliver predictable results on some of the most complex projects. From healthcare and R&D labs to advanced technology and higher education facilities, we’re partnering with customers and design teams to deliver with certainty and collaboration. But growth is about more than new offices—it’s about people. That means creating pathways for the next generation of builders, partnering with organizations like Girls Inc. and helping drive a sustainable future for the trades. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gWPk4F3D #DPRConstruction #Philadelphia #DelawareValley

A table set for one, in honor of many. This combination POW/MIA and “Fallen Comrade” table represents fallen, missing, imprisoned and unaccounted-for service members across generations. DPR honors their sacrifice and legacy this Memorial Day. #MemorialDay2026

Our summer interns are starting over the next few weeks, and we’re excited to welcome them to the team and learn alongside them! We asked a few what they’re most excited to learn in their roles. Swipe through to see what they had to say. Interested in joining us next summer or coming on board full time? Visit our website to learn more: https://lnkd.in/gjfzbufd #ConstructionInterns #SummerInternship

Congratulations to our Project Athena team on a major milestone: we’ve topped out the steel on this 300,000-sq.-ft. research and development buildout! This moment is worth celebrating—not just for the progress you can see, but for the collaboration and problem-solving it represents. What makes Project Athena unique is the approach: we’re building a new steel structure entirely within a newly constructed core-and-shell warehouse. Because the existing structure wasn’t designed for the heavy system loads required by this facility, DPR, Prologis and our project design partners aligned on an innovative solution—a purpose-built structure inside the existing footprint. When complete, this facility will be transformed into a state-of-the-art research & development facility, including MEP utility areas, an on-site electrical facility, and exterior yard improvements. We’re proud of the progress this team and our partners have made, and we’re excited to move into the next phase.

To our incredible clinical partners, we extend our heartfelt gratitude for Nurses Week and every day beyond. It is an honor to work alongside healthcare heroes as we shape the future of healthcare together. From all of us at DPR, thank you for your dedication, compassion, and commitment to the communities you serve. #NationalNursesWeek #NursesWeek2026

In Engineering News-Record’s latest look at the life sciences sector, our core market leader Dennis Kirkpatrick shares why today’s environment is creating a more selective market, with owners prioritizing speed-to-market, manufacturing capacity and long-term flexibility over speculative growth.   As demand shifts toward large-scale biopharma manufacturing and complex mega-projects, success depends on early collaboration, strategic planning and partners who understand how to navigate uncertainty while keeping critical projects moving forward.   Read more on ENR: https://lnkd.in/gk5UMWHu #LifeSciences #ENR