Members of the leadership team include (seated, left to right): Leo Dendy, Andrea Cieri, Sean Murray, Jan McClintic, Kurt Fenchel and Richard Cunningham. Standing (left to right) are John Schneider, Joe Careri, Ryan Murray and Kevin Kelly.

Orion Interiors, Inc. is doing a $5 million, 400-dormitory-room project for the Honors Living-Learning Community at Rutgers University-Newark.

In just 12 years, Orion Interiors, Inc. has gone from a startup drywall subcontractor with a team of five employees and annual revenues of $1 million to a team of about 250 employees and anticipated 2019 revenues approaching $40 million.

“When I started, it was me and four carpenters, so we had a lot of room for growth,” says Ryan Murray, President of Orion. “I started out working for my older brother, who had a nonunion construction firm. He suggested I branch out and create a union drywall subcontracting firm. In 2007, when I was 25, it seemed like a good idea. Today, we are in the middle of doing our biggest project to date.”

Beginning his construction journey at the age of 14, Ryan worked summers with his uncle. He went to work for his brother, Brendan Murray, before setting out on his own. With Brendan as a mentor, he learned how to estimate projects and generate business.

Ryan attributes Orion’s success to collaboration and a top-notch leadership team. On the agenda for 2019: continued growth and a new service line, Orion Facilities. The new division works with clients to protect their infrastructure by providing preventive maintenance and repairs.

“We are a full-service union carpentry contractor specializing in fast-track retail carpentry,” Ryan says. “We do framing, drywall, acoustical ceilings and occasional installation of millwork. Our new venture started a few months ago when we saw an unfulfilled need in the market.”

Orion Facilities’ Vice President Kevin Kelly says the new division will work with companies to protect and repair their vital infrastructure—from pumps and assorted machinery to broken concrete. For example, if cracked concrete is creating a trip hazard or could be dangerous to forklifts driving over it, Orion’s team can go in and repair it overnight or on a weekend to prevent downtime and lost revenues. They also repair cooling towers, staircases and platforms.

“We will go in and make quick, permanent repairs,” Kevin says.

Ryan says the new division grew organically because the company had the infrastructure in place to add these kinds of services with its existing quality control and processes.

On the Cutting Edge

The firm’s flagship carpentry division is proud of the work in its pipeline. The team is currently in the midst of a $5 million project for Rutgers University-Newark working on 400 dormitory rooms for its Honors Living-Learning Community, Ryan says. Orion is performing the work as a subcontractor for Hollister Construction Services, where Brendan now works.

“The Rutgers project is our biggest project to date, so I’m essentially still working for my brother,” Ryan jokes.

Orion is also working with Hollister to provide carpentry expertise for a new 13-story residential construction project, Bedford Green House. The supportive housing building is operated by Project Renewal, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending homelessness through social innovations. It is the tallest project for Orion, Ryan says.

“Those are two projects that stand out for us,” Ryan says. “But Orion also worked on the American Girl Store at 75 Rockefeller Plaza. We’ve also done many locations for Victoria’s Secret and Zara, as well as four locations for Seasons 52.”

He says Orion is working on flagship stores for American Dream in East Rutherford, New Jersey, doing the Legoland Discovery Center, Sea Life aquarium and several other projects there. The firm also completed four projects at Hudson Yards New York.

The Dream Team

As the company grows, Ryan believes that further developing the team’s leadership will only contribute more to the company’s success.

“We’re a fairly large contractor with 200 to 250 employees in the field. Our internal team is very important, and everyone has a crucial role. We are able to run efficiently because of our procedures and because everyone depends on each other,” Ryan says. He adds, “Plus, my mom, Andrea Cieri, is here keeping everyone on task.”

The team kicks off each day with a morning meeting. The company culture is one of collaboration, Ryan says.

“There’s history here; it’s very family-oriented. My brother is the CFO. One project manager has been my friend since elementary school. My wife’s uncle works in pre-construction. I’ve got college friends on the team; it’s just a very close-knit operation,” he says. “My company is a relationships company.”

In addition to Ryan and Kevin Kelly, the leadership team includes: Sean Murray, chief finance officer; Richard Cunningham, New York project manager; Kurt Fenchel, Vice President of project management; John Schneider, pre-construction manager; Jan Michael McClintic, assistant project manager; Joseph Careri, director of construction; Leo Dendy, project administrator; Ramon Garcia, director of field operations for New York; and Mark Villaneuva, director of field operations for New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

“Our office chemistry is wonderful and morale is high. We try to make it enjoyable coming into the office every day,” Ryan says. “We’re doing a weight-loss challenge this spring with two teams, and it is a great way to encourage one another.” Orion contributes to charities through its relationships with general contractors like The Hollister Foundation and with the local United Way.

“Ultimately, we are a solutions company,” Ryan concludes. “We like to partner with general contractors and be that helpful piece of the pie to get jobs done, and done right.”