Construction Leader Spotlight

Adam Hirsch

Chief Executive Officer, Hirsch Construction Corp.

When you talk about trust in retail construction, Adam Hirsch is one of the first names that comes to mind.

Adam leads Hirsch Construction Corp., the Massachusetts builder behind more than 2,000 projects for over 200 brands in 135 cities. Think Gucci, Cartier, Tiffany & Co. and Louis Vuitton. And 95% of the company's work comes from repeat clients. That number says a lot.

Last year we featured Dan Scibisz, Hirsch's COO, and people still bring that piece up with me. Dan told the story from the job site. Adam tells it from the CEO seat, where the big questions are about people, growth, and the long game.

I've had the pleasure of working alongside the Hirsch team on many builds over the years. Adam's steady, people-first leadership shows up in every one of them.

Hope you enjoy getting to know Adam as much as I have.

Adam Hirsch, CEO of Hirsch Construction Corp., leads the second generation of a company built on one principle: care.

Built on Care

Hirsch Construction started in 1983 with a carpenter named Steve Hirsch. He built out retail stores in strip malls across western Massachusetts. His first project under the Hirsch name was a women's clothing store in Nantucket. The client loved it so much they hired him again in New York City.

Steve set one guiding principle for the business: we care.

Today, Steve's sons lead the company. Adam, an economics graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, became president in 2010 and CEO in 2020. His brother Jesse is now president and leads the Houston office. And Adam carries his father's principle forward. "Care" is still one of Hirsch's core values. For Adam, it starts with his own people.

"People need to know you have their back."

Construction is demanding work. Long hours. Tight schedules. Stressful moments. So Adam focuses on building an environment where people feel supported, appreciated, and comfortable speaking up. And where they can grow.

It works. Some of Hirsch's team members have been there for decades, and Adam is proud of that.

"I want people to feel like they're part of something here, not just coming to work every day."

Adam addresses guests at Hirsch's 40th Anniversary celebration, honoring the people behind the projects.

Evolve Without Losing Who You Are

Four decades is a long run in any industry. Ask Adam what keeps Hirsch growing, and his answer is short.

"We've been willing to evolve without losing who we are."

The foundation has stayed the same: reputation, people, and doing what you say you'll do. Almost everything else has changed. Hirsch expanded coast to coast, took on more complex projects, invested in technology, and welcomed new people and new ideas. Today the company runs offices in Massachusetts, New York, and Houston.

The leadership team found a name for that mindset in the Japanese concept of Kaizen: continuous improvement.

"We're incredibly proud of our history, but we never want to be satisfied with where we are."

The question they keep asking is simple. How can we do this better?

"After 40 years, I think that mindset is as important as anything we've built."

Adam on a storefront walk along Newbury Street in Boston.

Trust Is the Whole Job

For Adam, lasting client relationships come down to one word.

"Trust. I think it's really that simple."

The best partnerships treat the builder as a true partner. That means communicating early. Being transparent when an issue comes up. Doing what you say you'll do. And sometimes having the difficult conversation, because honesty serves the project best.

Issues will come up. "That's construction," Adam says. What clients remember is how you respond.

That is where the 95% repeat rate comes from. Clients come back because they know Hirsch will care about their project and their brand "as much on project number 20 as we did on project number one."

Adam on site at Thom Browne, Copley Place in Boston. Long partnerships are built one project, and one handshake, at a time.

Looking Ahead

Adam keeps an eye on the next generation, too. Since 2023, he has served on the board of PAVE Global, the retail design industry's educational foundation. PAVE connects design students and educators with the professionals who will mentor and hire them.

It fits everything Adam stands for. Care for your people. Keep improving. Earn trust on every project.

Adam raises a toast to four decades of Hirsch at the company's 40th Anniversary celebration.

Adam reminds us that the strongest legacies keep evolving. And in retail construction, care is what brings clients back, project after project.

Until next time,

Michele

KRCrossing Consulting