Michael Burns, Executive Vice President, Fairchance Construction

Fairchance Construction is navigating a complex and diverse construction landscape, marked by an increase in intricate projects with multiple stakeholders and demanding clients. To address these challenges, the company has implemented a formal internal process, including our “Always Forward” mentality. As Executive Vice President Michael Burns explained to Invest:, “Adapting and overcoming challenges is our MO.” 

What major changes over the past year have most impacted Fairchance and how has Fairchance adapted in response?

At Fairchance Construction, adapting and overcoming challenges is our MO. This is essential given the diverse types of construction and project models today, including how projects are funded, managed, and represented. Our internal “Always Forward” mentality is crucial for our team to collectively navigate difficult client or project situations, enabling us to identify steps to move past obstacles and achieve our goals. The industry is evolving, with more complex projects involving multiple entities. Effectively managing these entities is critical for project success. While quick handshakes still lead to projects (and remain a significant part of our work), newer projects, particularly in Pittsburgh, present challenges due to the increased number of stakeholders and the complexities of managing them. Despite these difficulties, our staff and resources allow us to consistently achieve excellent results.

Could you share some of the standout projects or recent successes from the past year?

Every project undertaken by Fairchance Construction holds significant value and importance. The diversity of our portfolio stands as one of our greatest strengths, reflecting the wide range of expertise and capabilities within our team.

One of our current major initiatives is a large commercial and residential multi-use development in downtown Pittsburgh, known as City’s Edge. This project is located adjacent to the PPG Arena and exemplifies our commitment to impactful urban development. Alongside this, we remain deeply involved with the Commonwealth Charter Academy (CCA) in Monongahela, PA, and the Doddridge County Courthouse in West Virginia. Most recently, we completed a substantial 200,000-square-foot manufacturing facility for Hranec Corp in Uniontown, PA, further demonstrating our ability to deliver on complex, large-scale projects.

The range of projects we manage—from small medical offices to expansive, multi-story complexes—highlights the breadth of our experience. Giving back to the community is a core value for Fairchance Construction. We often take on smaller projects for former friends, board members, or community members, such as replacing a door or repairing a damaged building, even as we continue our work on larger developments. No project is ever considered too small; what may seem like a modest 5,000-square-foot addition holds great importance for those directly involved, just as our largest projects do. We embrace every opportunity to help, whether by supporting the community through smaller undertakings or by executing significant, large-scale developments.

How is Fairchance Construction approaching workforce development, both in attracting new talent and supporting growth among the existing employees?

Fairchance Construction is deeply committed to workforce development, with a strategic approach that addresses both the attraction of new talent and the continued growth of existing employees. Internal promotions are a priority, fostering a culture in which advancement is recognized and supported from within. The company has also successfully recruited talented young professionals—men and women alike—directly from trade schools, ensuring a steady influx of skilled individuals.

Recently, Fairchance completed a nearby project designed as a direct pipeline for trade school students to join the company. This initiative is viewed not simply as a job placement effort, but as an integral part of a broader workforce development program that emphasizes extensive training. The company’s philosophy centers on empowering and developing employees, a principle championed by leadership during performance reviews and throughout the employee experience.

Fairchance recognizes that every employee has unique aspirations. Some team members thrive in hands-on roles, such as swinging a hammer or setting steel, while others are motivated to pursue executive career advancement. The company values both career paths equally and is dedicated to guiding individuals toward achieving their personal and professional goals.

Success in workforce development is reflected in Fairchance’s ability to attract the right people. The company’s location in Fairchance has proven advantageous, as it continues to draw interest from prospective candidates—evidenced by the increasing number of resumes received without the need for active recruitment efforts.

What broader trends or innovations are most shaping your operations today?

Fairchance Construction manages a wide spectrum of projects, accommodating clients with varying priorities—from those who require full LEED certification and a strong emphasis on sustainability, to those whose primary goal is rapid building occupancy. This diversity enables us to remain at the forefront of industry trends and evolving client expectations.

Our experience has taught us the importance of focusing on immediate client requirements, as these are increasingly driving changes within the construction industry. The traditional long waiting periods are a thing of the past. Today’s clients expect a “just-in-time” approach, paralleling the “Amazon effect” observed in online shopping, where quick turnarounds have become the norm. In practice, this means clients often request immediate cost and timeline estimates for large-scale projects, such as a 200,000-square-foot facility.

To address these demands, Fairchance Construction is actively researching and integrating artificial intelligence solutions for tasks such as modeling and takeoffs. This commitment to technological advancement ensures that we can deliver the speed and efficiency our clients require. At the same time, we are careful not to lose sight of our clients’ current needs by advancing too quickly; we strive to balance innovation with practical, actionable solutions tailored to our clients’ present realities.

What are the main challenges you are seeing in today’s market?

In markets with established builders, like Pittsburgh, penetrating the market can be challenging due to the presence of larger competitors. However, we recently secured a significant project in Washington, Pennsylvania, surpassing these larger firms. This success is largely attributed to our strong ties within the real estate industry, developed over a considerable period. Our approach involves strategic investigation to understand potential clients. We delve deep into their operations, utilizing what we call our “secret sauce” – a proprietary method for identifying, engaging and strategizing based on a client’s logistical needs, market reach, product and growth rate. This leads to further conversations and opportunities. While heavy competition, budget constraints and personnel availability are significant challenges, we’ve been fortunate to manage numerous multi-million dollar projects successfully over the years. Our aim is sustained growth, avoiding overexpansion.

What are your key goals and priorities for Fairchance for the next two to three years?

Fairchance Construction’s foremost priority over the coming two years is to ensure the well-being of our employees and their families. We recognize that our people are at the heart of our continued success, and we are committed to supporting them both professionally and personally. Our business remains robust, with a steady influx of new projects. We are experiencing notable growth in both project size and geographic reach, expanding our operations across multiple states. Significant work is scheduled in Ohio and Pennsylvania, with additional opportunities emerging in South Carolina, West Virginia, and Kentucky.

This ongoing expansion, combined with our diverse portfolio and proven capabilities, enables us to provide stability and support for our team. We firmly believe that empowering our employees and investing in their development is essential—not only for achieving project milestones but also for building lasting success for our company and our clients.

Achieving success depends on continual growth—it goes beyond simply launching projects or handing over finished work to clients. Our motto, “Fe2 … Iron Sharpens Iron,” is more than a slogan; it reflects the principles that guide our actions as we uphold a legacy of success that has lasted 110 years, with many more decades and generations ahead.