Kiewit Corporation is an employee-owned Fortune 500 contractor based in Omaha, Nebraska. Privately held, it is one of the largest construction and engineering organizations in North America. Recent projects have included several bridge retrofittings in the San Francisco Bay Area, Interstate H-3 project in Hawaii, rebuilding the spillway at Oroville Dam, 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 projects for residential or commercial development.
History
The company was founded in 1884 as Kiewit Brothers Masonry Contractors by Peter and Andrew Kiewit, who were of Dutch descent. Their father, John Kiewit, emigrated from The Hague in 1857, where he learned the trade of brickmaking. John Kiewit established a brickyard in Omaha, Nebraska where his sons worked and learned the skills for their masonry business. Early projects included the seven-story Lincoln Hotel in Lincoln as stone masons and the Bekins warehouse as general contractor. The original brothers dissolved their partnership in 1904 and the founding Peter Kiewit would continue as a sole proprietorship. In 1912, two of his sons, Ralph and George Kiewit would join their father as partners in the firm. When the founding Peter Kiewit died in 1914, his son Ralph led the company. George and Ralph Kiewit would later leave the company. The founder's youngest son, also named Peter Kiewit, joined the firm in 1919. He led the firm from 1924 until his death in 1979. This is the Peter Kiewit known for building one of the largest construction companies in the world. He was also very active in the Omaha area, including leadership of the Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben. Notable projects in the 1920s by the firm, now known by Peter Kiewit Sons, included the Livestock Exchange Building, the Burlington railroad depot, the Nebraska State Capitol Tower, Joslyn Art Museum, and Union Station. In 1931, Peter Kiewit incorporated the company as Peter Kiewit Sons’ Co. The firm would begin building transportation projects during the Great Depression. Walter Scott, was also a key figure in the growth of Kiewit. Scott was initially hired to work on the tower project at the Nebraska State Capitol and spent the remainder of his career at Kiewit becoming chief engineer. His son would not only work for Kiewit, but also rise to the position of CEO.
Leadership
Rick Lanoha is the current chief executive officer of Kiewit Corporation. His predecessors include Peter Kiewit, Bob Wilson, Walter Scott Jr. Ken Stinson and Bruce E. Grewcock. Prior to Grewcock’s retirement, on January 1st 2020, Lanoha had served as president and chief operating officer since 2016 and was elected to Kiewit’s board of directors in 2009 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.
Expansions
In 1963, Peter Kiewit bought the Omaha World-Herald to keep it locally owned. Under the terms of his will, the employees bought the paper in 1979. Starting in 1985, 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'.
