Former Turner Execs Form New Outfit

Several former executives and staffers from Turner Construction in New York have announced they are forming Hunter Roberts Construction Group, a new contractor that will open for business this spring and have offices in the World Financial Center in Manhattan.

Robert Fee, who was president and CEO of Turner Construction before he retired in 2003, is chairman of the new company. James McKenna, who in 2003 had become head of New York operations for Turner, recently left that post to become president of Hunter Roberts.

McKenna said the new outfit will handle work in the tri-state area for all building types, as well as interiors. "We're going to be a major construction firm, including construction management, program management, and general contracting services," he said. "Right now we're building the foundation. We're building all the control tools and all of the procedures to streamline and create efficiency."

The company will go after business in sectors such as corporate facilities, healthcare, education, general commercial, and residential. It will not pursue heavy infrastructure jobs.

Hunter Roberts is opening shop with about 20 people. McKenna said several are from Turner but would not specify a number. He added that Fee's brief respite from the industry included the operation of retail stores on Long Island.