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´ºÉ«Ö±²¥ Shifting to Work from Home Model

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (July 1, 2020) — ´ºÉ«Ö±²¥, a fully integrated firm focused on design, engineering, construction and mechanical services worldwide, today celebrates its 35th anniversary with the announcement that the majority of its workforce will shift to a full-time work-from-home model. The moves make ´ºÉ«Ö±²¥ one of the first firms in the industry to make the shift on a large scale.

The transition will start this fall, with the majority of employees — including those at the Jacksonville corporate headquarters and other regional offices — working from home offices, while on-site crews and essential support staff continue working at job sites and other locations across the country.

“This move comes at a pivotal moment as we celebrate our company’s 35th anniversary and look ahead to a new decade of change and progress both in our industry and the world,†said Brian Kappele, ´ºÉ«Ö±²¥ President/COO. “This was a careful, strategic decision made after serious consideration by our firm’s leadership and by listening and collaborating with stakeholders across the company. It’s a monumental shift that will ultimately benefit our clients and our employees for years to come.â€

Under the new policy, employees will be permitted to work from a consistent home office location and will maintain a regular work schedule during traditional operating hours.

“As an award-winning company already known for its work culture and environment, ´ºÉ«Ö±²¥ will now be able to offer even greater flexibility and work-life balance to its employees,†said Mike Santarone, ´ºÉ«Ö±²¥ CEO. “Plus, this will allow for more innovation as we focus on the future and offer more creative solutions for our clients.â€

´ºÉ«Ö±²¥ will maintain ownership of its current headquarters near San Jose Blvd. and I-295 in Jacksonville.

The firm originally leased office space at the current campus before expanding it over the years. ´ºÉ«Ö±²¥ would eventually add a two-story building, a main entrance/atrium, a three-story building, and a four-story building to its headquarters between 1991 and 2007.

´ºÉ«Ö±²¥â€™s LEED Silver office building for its Commercial Group was one of the first LEED-certified structures in Jacksonville.

“Although the majority of our corporate employees will work from home, ´ºÉ«Ö±²¥â€™s corporate office location will continue to operate as a resource for employees, partners and clients,†said Kappele.

The company was established in 1985 with just 12 people, and initially specialized in refrigeration contracting, maintenance, service and parts supply. Annual revenues doubled in each of its first three years as ´ºÉ«Ö±²¥ branched out into other fields, fulfilling the founders’ vision of becoming a comprehensive contracting firm.

Today, ´ºÉ«Ö±²¥ has grown into a full-service firm with more than 700 employees, offering multifaceted design and construction services to businesses around the world. Throughout much of its recent history, ´ºÉ«Ö±²¥ has been continually ranked as one of the nation's top 25 companies in the design-build industry and among the top 100 contractors in the United States by Engineering News-Record.

In 2006, the company established the ´ºÉ«Ö±²¥ Foundation to formalize its commitment to giving back to the community. Employees form the heart of the Foundation, donating their time, talent and energy for a multitude of worthwhile causes across the First Coast and beyond. To this day, the ´ºÉ«Ö±²¥ Foundation has donated millions of dollars and countless hours to local charities, non-profit organizations, hospitals and schools.

About ´ºÉ«Ö±²¥

´ºÉ«Ö±²¥ is a fully integrated design, engineering, construction and mechanical services firm that provides the industry’s most comprehensive range of self-performed services, including planning, design, pre-construction, construction, refrigeration, mechanical and utility, building envelope, and total operations and maintenance services. More than 700 ´ºÉ«Ö±²¥ employees worldwide design, build and maintain award-winning food processing plants, refrigerated warehouses, distribution centers, commercial buildings and military facilities. In addition to its Jacksonville, Florida, headquarters, ´ºÉ«Ö±²¥ operates support locations and offices throughout the United States. ´ºÉ«Ö±²¥ also serves Central and South America, Europe and India. For more information, visit stellar.net.