In the News

Construction Firm to Enter New York's $10 Billion Academic Market

New York, NY– Shawmut Design and Construction recently appointed Les Hiscoe to Vice President overseeing the Company's development in the Tri-State Region which includes New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. In his new role, Les is tasked with growing the Company's regional business by $100 million through managing Shawmut's entrance into the area's academic, cultural, healthcare, and historic markets.

"Les is a valuable member of our senior leadership team, successfully managing our high-end retail operation nationwide for the past six years," said William Hughes, President. "He has done a great job of landing marquis clients including Apple Inc., Tiffany & Co., Louis Vuitton, Tom Ford, and Chanel to name a few. I'm confident his experience will translate into success for Shawmut within the region's academic and cultural marketplace." 

Despite the nation's construction industry facing double-digit declines in 2009, Shawmut remained true to its strategy and market focus, enabling it to position itself for expansion in 2011. Closing out the year with a projected $560 million in revenue, Shawmut is on track to hit revenue goals of $625 million in 2011, through a targeted geographic expansion in sectors where the company has found success.

Capitalizing on Shawmut's extensive resume with Yale University, Brown University, Harvard and MIT, Les will focus on creating relationships with some of the more than 200 top-tier academic and cultural institutions in the region. "My goal is to take our experience and expertise in the academic field all across New England and translate it into successful relationships in the Tri-State area, with a specific focus on New York," said Hiscoe. "We've seen incremental growth in our academic, cultural, healthcare, and historic markets in other states," said Les Hiscoe, Vice President. "In 2010, we realized $275 million from these sectors and through a combination of signed contracts and projected new business, we are on track to significantly increase that figure in 2011."

Based out of the Company's retail headquarters in New York, Les previously oversaw the Retail & Gaming group. There, he managed the construction of high-end specialty and luxury retail projects nationwide that includes clients such as Ermenegildo Zegna, Tiffany & Co., Gucci, Apple Inc., Chopard, De Beers, Burberry, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Dior, Hublot, and CityCenter Las Vegas.

Les is a recent graduate of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce's Executive Leadership Institute at MIT's Sloan School of Management. He is also a graduate of the University of New Hampshire, where he received a B.S. in Civil Engineering and is a Registered Professional Engineer. He is a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of VMSD magazine and is on the Board of Directors for Rebuilding Together, NYC. Les is also a frequent speaker at industry conferences and events. He resides in Manhattan with his wife and son.