ICONS & INNOVATORS
RICHARD “DICK” GHILOTTI Ghilotti Construction Company text by Kathryn Loosli Pritchett/ photography by Trevor Henley
T
hree generations of Ghilottis have paved the way for construction projects throughout Northern California. Ghilotti Construction Company owner Richard “Dick” Ghilotti shares how an immigrant stonemason and his sons and grandson created a successful engineering and site construction business from the ground up. Ghilotti’s grandfather James worked as a stonemason in Italy near the Swiss Alps. When Ghilotti visited the area where his grandfather originally lived, he understood how he’d developed his trade. “The town was above the tree line so everything was built from stone—streets, houses, fences—no wonder he became a stonemason,” says Ghilotti. Relatives encouraged Ghilotti’s grandfather to come to San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake because there were plenty of jobs rebuilding the city. He eventually settled in San Rafael where he branched out into pouring concrete to build foundations, driveways, and sidewalks. His four sons worked in the construction business until they were drafted to serve in World War II. They returned to work in the business but wanted to expand into grading and paving, and Ghilotti Brothers Construction was formed.
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