Pittsburgh, PA – (per the Pittsburgh Business Times Article by Jennifer Curry posted on May 13, 2016)

MartinisWhen Antonio Martini was working as a concrete subcontractor in the 1950s, he was lined up to do a project in Squirrel Hill. But when the general contractor on the project went bankrupt, Antonio wasn’t paid. So, he decided it might be best to become a general contractor himself, and A. Martini & Co. was born in 1951.

Or at least that’s the urban legend, according to Antonio’s grandson Anthony Martini, who now runs the business with his brother Angelo Jr. and father Angelo Sr.

Three generations have helped run the company, which started out doing retail strip centers and later evolved into work for the Kroger grocery store chain.

But after Kroger left the region in the early ’80s, management decided it was time to switch gears.

Today, the company does a wide range of work for several notable clients, including Google, Indiana Regional Medical Center, Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh.

“It’s a very eclectic portfolio of work,” Anthony Martini said.

How the small family-owned business gets all this work is “pretty easy,” he added.

“In the construction industry, you are only as good as your last job,” he said. “By trying to do the right thing, do it well, satisfy your clients, it doesn’t take long for word to get out.”

As for who will take over the business in the future, Anthony said both he and his brother each have three children ranging from high school age to 26.

“Between the six of them, there will likely be [a successor], but they are a little young to start planning out who will take over the business,” Anthony said. “We’re starting to prep them, but we’ll see who is interested in doing it.”

Closer Look

General contractor/construction manager

Based: Verona

Top officer: Angelo Martini Sr., CEO

Year original business established: 1951

Number of employees: 18, with 70 to 80 people in the field at any given time

Website: amartinigc.com

Family Tree

First Generation: Antonio Martini

Second Generation: Angelo Martini Sr. and Clementine Pittore (Antonio’s children)

Third Generation: Anthony Martini, Angelo Martini Jr. (Angelo’s children)