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L.H. Hoffman founded Hoffman Construction Company in Portland in 1922, and its history has been interwoven with the growth and change that the Northwest has seen over the last century. In the early years, the heyday of the roaring 1920s, the company was instrumental in helping shape downtown Portland by building now-historic landmarks such as the Meyer & Frank Department Store, the Portland Art Museum, and the Heathman Hotel.

Hoffman expanded to Seattle in 1929, helping to ease the housing crunch with the Spring Street Apartments, a project on First Hill that set a new standard for apartment living.

Over time, it has weathered the ups and downs of the American economic landscape by taking on projects beyond the city limits and out of its comfort zone. Public projects like the Oregon State Library in Salem and heavy infrastructure projects like the Bonneville Dam got Hoffman through the Great Depression.

Post-World War II, it pivoted into government work such as building housing in eastern Washington for the City of Pasco. Its willingness to be creative with the sectors it has chosen to build reflects its determination to strengthen its expertise and succeed.

In the 1960s, Portland鈥檚 skyline grew taller and more exciting with Hoffman鈥檚 help. The Wells Fargo Tower, Oregon Convention Center and Memorial Coliseum are enduring landmarks that helped define Portland鈥檚 character and drew people to the city.

Company Expansion and Evolution
At the same time, Hoffman expanded into new project types, including large water treatment and storage resources, healthcare facilities and high-tech work. Accuracy, economy, and speed remained Hoffman鈥檚 calling cards, but innovations 鈥� from tower cranes and concrete pumps to computer scheduling programs 鈥� altered the tools of the trade.

By the end of the 1980s, Hoffman鈥檚 expertise with the complex systems and aggressive schedules of high-tech construction was in high demand. It has built and continues to build millions of square feet of manufacturing space for the world鈥檚 leading high-tech companies, driving innovation and helping to feed the global supply of much-needed semiconductors.

鈥淎s the projects we took on grew in complexity and scale, our jobsite culture evolved alongside it, and Hoffman has been at the forefront of improving our industry,鈥� said Dave Drinkward, president and CEO.

Commitment to the community, clients and the industry begins with Hoffman鈥檚 employees and trade partners. In 2020, it rolled out a new jobsite campaign focused on mental health called Tough Enough to Talk to normalize transparent conversations about mental health issues, exceptionally high in the construction industry.

Hoffman strives to ensure that it offers a culture of psychological safety and inclusion where its employees and subcontractors know they will be welcome and supported. To bolster this effort, the Green Dot and RISE Up programs continue to be implemented on many jobsites to combat bullying and racism. Hoffman鈥檚 first role with Green Dot was to help look at the program and figure out how this gets implemented on a day-to-day basis on a real construction site. The three years of Green Dot implementation have been a process of continuous refinement, improvement and reward.

Within the industry, Hoffman continues to amplify its focus on increasing diversity in construction in the Northwest and has made diversity an integral part of every project. For many decades, Hoffman has been exemplary in meeting or exceeding institutional goals for subcontracting on public and private projects, encouraging and supporting many small businesses to grow into large companies, and increasing their scope capacity to become general contractors. 鈥淥ur mentoring approach and partnership with smaller firms is a track record we are proud of and one we will grow as we look to the future,鈥� Drinkward said.

Hoffman, which now employs more than 1,200 people, is proud to have worked with its clients to shape Portland鈥檚 skyline. From its early work on the Heathman Hotel and the Oregon Convention Center to OHSU, the Japanese Garden and Hayward Field, it has always taken on a wide array of new challenges.

Currently, it is working with the Port of Portland and its joint venture partners on the Terminal Core Renovation at Portland International Airport. Hoffman has been proud to partner with the Port to complete more than a dozen projects at PDX over the last 26 years that have helped shape it into one of the traveling public鈥檚 favorite airports in the U.S. From the soaring steel and glass canopy that spans the airport entrance to the current terminal core redevelopment project, Hoffman has touched nearly every inch of PDX over the years.

Taking on the Biggest Challenges
鈥淲e pride ourselves on taking on challenges in partnership with our clients, seeking to find construction solutions and ways to help our clients be successful in their endeavors,鈥� Drinkward said. 鈥淭aking on the big, fast and scary has only been possible because we have fully engaged team members committed to getting the job done.鈥�

Hoffman鈥檚 dedication to innovation and collaboration permeates deep into its culture. This ranges from using 3D modeling tools originally made to design airplanes on the groundbreaking construction of MoPOP to renovating the Space Needle safely 500 feet above the ground.

The throughline of all Hoffman鈥檚 projects is its ability to boldly take on the challenge its clients face when building their most important structures. Portland Japanese Garden, for example, presented the challenge of framing an approach that, while honoring Japanese culture, maintained the aesthetics and traditions of traditional Japanese design and construction.

Employee Ownership
Hoffman鈥檚 unique employee ownership model is the driving force behind its success. Being an employee-owned company allows it to apply a view into the future to plan what is best for the long term. Most companies have employees, clients and shareholders to whom they are accountable. Hoffman鈥檚 employees and shareholders are the same, creating an exceptional dynamic that results in better outcomes for its clients and the community.

Commitment to Community
Hoffman is an active supporter of programs, organizations and institutions that make our communities better. Giving back is an integral part of their corporate culture. In fact, they were previously named as Outstanding Philanthropic Corporation of the Year by the Oregon chapter of the National Society of Fundraising Executives. They have provided support for nearly 100 organizations and programs supporting a broad range of community organizations working to improve healthcare, workforce development, education, housing, food insecurity, the arts, and a lot more. Beyond giving money, Hoffman employees contribute their time and energy to serving on local Boards, fundraising events, and mentoring.