Kiewit history

In 1889, Kiewit Brothers was awarded its largest masonry contract, the 7-story Lincoln Hotel.

The brothers ventured into general contracting in 1900 with construction of the Bekins Warehouse.

In 1912, two of his sons, Ralph and George Kiewit, joined their father as partners in the firm.

The senior Pieter Kiewit passed away in 1914, and his two sons, Ralph and George Kiewit, renamed the company, Peter Kiewit Sons.

Peter graduated from Omaha Central High School in 1918, and then attended Dartmouth.

The founder's youngest son, Peter Kiewit Jr., joined the firm in 1919.

By 1920, the youngest of the Kiewit children, also named Peter, left Dartmouth College in his freshman year and joined the company as a foreman.

In 1924, the company reached the 40-year mark and landed its first million-dollar contract — the 10-story Livestock Exchange Building in the South Omaha meat-packing district.

His brother Ralph commented, “Pete had a fantastic capability to organize the details.” Around 1930, many of Peter’s family members began leaving the business, and it appeared that the Kiewit legacy — nearly 50 years in the making — was coming to an end.

When Ralph Kiewit moved to California in 1931, Peter dissolved the family firm and reorganized as Peter Kiewit Sons’, Co.

Starting in 1939, war construction started to build, and Kiewit successfully bid on a $ 7.5 million government contract to build 760 barracks and related facilities in Fort Lewis, Washington.

Kiewit – with a presence in Canada dating back to 1941 – begins work on a $1.2 billion contract to complete the Hibernia Gravity Base Structure at St John’s, Newfoundland.

His process of building better men and women through company training sessions formally began in 1944 with the first annual meeting of Peter Kiewit Sons’. Peter said, “Better trained men will perform more and work better and will do so in a safer manner.

Peter already owned the X-Bar-X ranch when, in 1949, he purchased his second ranch — Pawnee Springs Ranch — near North Platte, Nebraska.

In 1950 the United States Corps of Army Engineers approached Kiewit for assistance in a joint venture to construct bomber and housing installations in Greenland.

In 1951, Kiewit’s safety program begins when full-time safety managers are assigned to all major projects.

In 1952 Kiewit was awarded a $1.2 billion Atomic Energy Commission contract to build a uranium plant in Portsmouth, Ohio.

Because of his commitment to his community, Peter Kiewit served on the Ak-Sar-Ben board of governors for 16 years, beginning in 1954.

In 1958 the United States Army awarded Kiewit a $5 million contract to build Alaska's first nuclear facility.

He served on the Omaha Development Council and the Omaha Industrial Foundation, and in 1959 was crowned King Ak-Sar-Ben LXV. He was noted as “the most influential Omahan of his time, the ultimate mover and shaker.”

The United States Air Force awarded the company a $68 million contract in 1961 for the construction of Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missile launch bases near Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota.

In 1962 Peter Kiewit, who normally shied away from publicity, surprised many observers by purchasing the World Publishing Co., publisher of the Omaha World-Herald, Omaha's daily newspaper.

One of his first sizeable public donations went to Creighton University in 1965 for the construction of Kiewit Hall, a women’s dormitory.

In 1969, Peter turned the presidency over to Bob Wilson, and Peter remained as chairman.

In the 1970’s, Kiewit became one of Canada’s leading contractors through its participation in the building of the dam and powerhouse facilities on the La Grande and East Rivers in Northern Quebec, as part of the massive James Bay hydro-electric project.

In 1971 the company was awarded a $50 million contract by the United States Army to begin preliminary work on building facilities at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana for the Safeguard anti-ballistic missile program.

In 1975, the Nebraska Society of Washington, D.C. awarded Peter Kiewit with the Distinguished Nebraskan Award.

In 1976, the Jesuit community at Creighton University awarded Peter the Manresa Medal for inspiration and enduring achievement.

For only the second time in its then 100-year history, Creighton University bestowed the honor of Honorary Founder — on Peter Kiewit, in 1978.

In November 1979, Peter Kiewit, then 79 years old passed away from complications following the removal of a tumor on his left lung.

By 1983, however, high interest rates had begun to severely limit the number of large public building projects.

Kiewit – in the offshore market since 1984 – invests $100 million to build a new, state-of-the-art fabrication yard in Ingleside, Texas.

Kiewit initially owned 80 percent of Continental, but fully acquired the company in 1985 after purchasing Murdock's stake.

After enlarging the breadth of its investments, the company was reorganized in 1986 to better reflect the more diverse nature of its businesses.

Kiewit found a buyer for Continental Can in 1991, and the company returned to a more concentrated pursuit of its specialty--construction.

By 1993 the average construction contract was for $5.3 million, with a typical year bringing in 200 to 300 contracts.

Bruce Grewcock, chief operating officer since 2000, becomes CEO of Peter Kiewit Sons’, Inc.

Bruce Grewcock, Kiewit’s president and CEO, has steered the company to excellence since 2004.

Kiewit begins work on the Sea-to-Sky Highway, from Vancouver to Whistler, British Columbia, in preparation for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

In 2012, Grewcock was chosen as chairman of the board.

Rick Lanoha, president and chief operating officer since 2016, becomes CEO of Peter Kiewit Sons’, Inc.