Celebrating 100 Years of integrity, innovation, and lasting relationships: valuing people, building dreams!
Celebrating a CENTURY of valuing people and building dreams!
This once-in-a-lifetime milestone is made possible by the commitment of our employee-owners and through relationships built over time with our clients and partners.
The O'Neil family founded more than a company—they built a lasting legacy of leadership and growth. Their dedication to business and people remains key to W.E. O'Neil's story and identity today.
The one who started it all. In 1925, William Edward (“W.E.”) O’Neil founded W.E. O’Neil with a sharp mind for construction, a hands-on approach, and a belief that success came from taking care of people. Born in 1888, William grew up in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood and got his start as an office boy for famed architect Daniel Burnham. From timekeeper to estimator to superintendent, he learned the business step by step, building trust and earning respect along the way.
With a crew of skilled Swedish immigrant carpenters, William launched the company’s first project: the Lincoln Park Primate House (aka “the Monkey House”). Then came Lane Tech High School, Chicago’s largest public high school, where the Great Depression brought work to a halt for three years. When construction resumed, William and his team finished the job—proof of their grit and perseverance during uncertain times.
William’s leadership wasn’t about speeches or slogans. It was about showing up. His grandson Bill remembers riding with him to jobsites on hot summer days, where William handed out cold Coca-Colas and told workers to take a break. He knew their names, asked about their families, and, most importantly, he never rushed a conversation.
He also believed in fairness, introducing the “Rule of Thirds” profit-sharing principle: one-third for the company, one-third for employees, and one-third for taxes. Simple, fair, and forward-thinking, it reflected the respect he had for the people who made each project possible.
From those first projects to the culture he instilled, William Edward O’Neil built more than just buildings—he built a company that would endure for generations.
Art O’Neil grew up immersed in the family business. After graduating from Notre Dame, he joined W.E. O’Neil and moved into his father William’s office, where the two shared a desk—chairs rolling back and forth, phones just feet apart. Art later called it “advanced management training,” learning firsthand the values of hard work, integrity, and leadership that would define his career.
By 1948, Art became CEO and led the company through decades of growth, expanding W.E. O’Neil’s reach while staying true to its core values. At his core, Art carried a strong sense of commitment to serving his employees, his customers, and the community. He believed in leading by example, mentoring those around him, and trusting his people to deliver. Under his leadership, W.E. O’Neil became known not just for its projects, but for its relationships—built on fairness and respect.
That same sense of purpose extended beyond the company walls. Art was honored by the Chicago Commission on Human Relations for his work opening up job opportunities for minorities in the skilled trades. He helped establish affirmative action committees, training programs, and outreach initiatives to create lasting change in the industry. In the 1970s, he funded a chair in business ethics and communications at Notre Dame, reinforcing his lifelong belief that integrity and fairness were the cornerstones of success.
Art’s leadership left a lasting impression. As his son Bill recalls: “My father was a tough boss. He was stern, but he was fair. He led with an iron fist, but he had a soft heart.”
As the grandson of William, Bill O’Neil carried the family legacy forward with a focus on trust, growth, and the people around him. He joined W.E. O’Neil in 1967, working his way up through roles like layout engineer, superintendent, project manager, and estimator—learning the business inside and out. By the early 1980s he became President of Chicago, growing into CEO in 1993. Bill led the company into a new era of expansion, partnering with major corporations and taking W.E. O’Neil to new markets across the country.
For Bill, the strength of the company always came from its people. “Hire people that are smarter and better than you are,” he said. “Then give them the responsibility and let them grow. Promote them, praise them, and support them.” He trusted the people around him, giving them the tools and opportunities to succeed and carry the company forward.
One of Bill’s defining moments came in 2020, when W.E. O’Neil became a 100% employee-owned company. This milestone was the result of a collaborative effort between leadership and the O’Neil family, ensuring the company’s future would belong to those who build it. “It is, and always has been, about our people—our WEO family. Putting them right up front is the right thing to do.”
Bill’s care for the team extended beyond the work itself. He made time for picnics, jobsite visits, and small reminders that every person mattered. Through decades of change, Bill preserved what made W.E. O’Neil special, while setting it up to thrive for generations to come.
As W.E. O’Neil grew throughout the 70s and 80s, the O’Neil family made a deliberate decision to share leadership, looking beyond the family to shape the company’s future. By promoting talented individuals from within, they established a strong leadership structure, elevating key team members to roles like CEO and senior leadership positions.
W.E. O’Neil was chosen for demonstrating a strong commitment to family, business growth and the greater Illinois community. Bill O’Neil accepted the award on behalf of the company.
Pat O'Neil, son of Pat O'Neil, Sr. (Bill's brother), currently works for the Chicago office as a Project Manager. His four-year-old daughter is already itching to get to the jobsite and carry on her family name. Pat recognizes in her the pride he felt as a little kid about the company.
Unable to afford college after high school, William E. O'Neil got the opportunity to work as an office/errand boy at Daniel Burnham's architectural office in downtown Chicago. Deviating from his father's career as a hoisting engineer, William carved his own path to success in the industry.
