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Past Presidents: Where are They Now? Dean Olivieri
By Jennifer Danquist Kilgore, Director of Business Development & Marketing/Project Manager Assistant, Marco Contractors, Inc.
When it comes to the RCA, we would not be here without our Past Presidents, who have guided this association, built it up, and watched it continue to grow. For this we are all grateful. In an effort to recognize these "founding fathers," remember our beginnings, and review our history, each edition features a RCA past president and gives some insight into their time at the helm as well as talks about what they're doing now.
Dean Olivieri joined his family owned business, Fred Olivieri Construction Company, after he graduated from Bowling Green University with a B.S. degree in construction technology. Alfred A. and Virginia C. Olivieri founded Fred Olivieri Construction Company in 1959. The company's first big break came in the form of gas station construction, building more than 125 gas stations from 1960 to 1970. "Fred Olivieri Construction is a company that serves the needs of commercial, industrial, and institutional clientele," Olivieri said. "We strive to combine the best characteristics of a family-owned and -managed company with the business discipline and technology typical of larger regional corporations."
Fred Olivieri Construction was well established in the local commercial construction market, building restaurant chains, but did not have any retail experience when Olivieri started in 1980. Olivieri created a retail division in 1987, adding to the company's already established commercial and industrial divisions. He was elected President of the company in 1992 and has been
largely responsible for its steady growth.
"Our retail and restaurant divisions are qualified to do business in 30 states, while our commercial and industrial divisions operate primarily in the local area of Ohio," Olivieri commented.
Olivieri was elected president of the RCA in 2001.
"One of my favorite things about the RCA is how we share information with other members. Believe it or not, our Board meetings (at the time) used to last two days. We were not too efficient, but boy did we have some heated discussions," Olivieri laughed. Over the years he has developed some of his closest business friends through his association with the RCA. "My first RCA Board meeting was at a dude ranch in Colorado. This Ohio boy was not too good on a horse, but we had a lot of fun." Past President Barry Shames, CEO of Shames Construction Company, Ltd., and Olivieri joined the RCA board in the same year and continue a good friendship. Just this year they shared trips to
Hawaii with their wives and an Alaska fishing trip. Another dear RCA buddy is Past President Tom Eckinger, President of Eckinger Construction Company. "Tom and I met for the first time in Colorado at the dude ranch meeting, even though we were both from Canton, OH. Tom is a pilot, so I've gotten to travel in style with many
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