About Us
Exceeding expectations, building relationships…..
ECI is a multi-generational business, founded in 1974 by John Eichberg. Our team is guided by Mr. Eichberg’s code of personal ethics and inspired by his dedication to ECI and his clients and employees. CEO John Doyle joined in 1979 and President Jay Eichberg came aboard full time in 1989. Project Executives Kevin Connelly and Dan Kolakoski joined in 2003 and 2004. Executive Coordinator Debbie Rodgers joined in 2007 and helps keep ECI running smoothly. Following Kevin’s retirement in 2018 and Mr. Eichberg’s passing in 2019, John, Dan, Jay and Debbie have teamed to guide an experienced dedicated group of project managers, assistant project managers and site superintendents.
ECI has a deep, varied portfolio of new construction and building renovations of all project types. These include condominium and apartment buildings (ranging in size from 4 units to 200 units), schools, churches, synagogues, community centers, automotive dealerships, restaurants and retail stores, commercial buildings, and office interiors. We have completed millions of square feet of commercial construction and more than 6,000 residential homes. We’ve operated by the same principals and have been headquartered in Rockville, MD since our inception.
ECI’s strategy has remained consistent across the decades: work tirelessly to exceed our clients’ expectations and deliver quality work. We build efficiently and collaboratively with the owner and the design team, always with our focus on quality. We are honest and diligent; our reputation is everything. Proof of that is demonstrated in one simple fact: During the first 47 years of our firm’s existence, completing more than 2,200 construction projects, we have never been involved in litigation with a client, and only once had to use arbitration to collect a debt. When we fall short, we take responsibility and make things right. In the construction industry, it’s rare that relationships survive through consecutive projects. There are many pitfalls that can tangle even the friendliest owner/builder/architect teams in bitter dispute. We have stayed out of trouble by doing excellent work and communicating freely with our clients to avoid dispute. We put ourselves in their shoes and treat owners and architects like we want to be treated.
Organizational Structure
ECI has a multiple-layered structure, allowing us to form teams, develop group cohesion and depth, maintain bench strength, develop talent, and provide flexibility in staffing projects at different levels at various stages in the project. In the office, we have project executives, project managers, assistant project managers. In the field, we have site superintendents and assistant site superintendents.
Project Management System
ECI uses Procore, a collaborative web-based project management software which is the project portal. This amazing tool allows us to keep information flowing continuously among all stakeholders, allows the Owner to view all aspects of the project every day, and us to document and archive all relevant project data in one place. We also use many other state of the art tools, including PlanGrid (for drawing management), PlanSwift (for take-offs), and Phoenix (for CPM Scheduling).
ECI Quality Control Strategy
We believe that the best way to achieve high quality work is to select the best subcontractors, to give them fair contracts, to provide an environment where they can succeed and appropriate time to do their work. We scrutinize shop drawings and submittals to make sure that the contractors understand the drawings and specs, we update and distribute the schedule regularly so they understand our expectations and staff up appropriately, and we help them in the field when they need it. We do not accept low-quality work with the hope that it passes un-noticed. Punch list preparation starts as soon as we break ground.
How We Achieve Excellence
In all areas of our business, we pay attention to what matters…
- We pay our subcontractors promptly; we are fair to our subcontractors and treat them as an extension of us….because they do the heaviest lifting;
- The same effort we put into building relationships with our clients, we also put into our employees, and it shows in project meetings and on the site. We bring into our family of staff the finest people with our shared ethics, temperament and consistent drive to please our customers. Our staff has tenure here that is much longer than the industry average. Notice the durations in the team list. When you hire ECI, you hire a family of committed professionals who share a common goal, live by a common ethic, and perform to a high standard that’s been ingrained for more than 45 years. More often than not, people do not leave ECI, they retire from ECI;
- We assign each project to the right project manager, and we support the project manager with a team of professionals;
- We communicate: we share information freely, we meet often, and we always issue constructive meeting minutes;
- We use state-of-the-art tools, including Procore, a web-based project management portal that brings all participants together to collaborate efficiently;
- We draft good schedules and update them regularly, projecting potential delays as far in advance as possible;
- We finish. No matter what obstacles we face, we forge ahead and we never quit. In 45 years, we’ve never wavered.
During the pre-construction phase, we focus on…
- Exceeding the client’s expectations, so this is not the last project we build for them;
- Drafting detailed, accurate budgets that can be relied upon by the developer and design team;
- Developing detailed preliminary schedules that give the developer an accurate duration assumption to report to stake-holders;
- Assisting the design team in selecting equipment, materials and systems that meet the budget;
- Assigning a project team that is perfectly suited for the project;
- Attracting the best subcontractors;
- Creating a Guaranteed Maximum Price that meets the budget, provides the client with the project they dreamed of, and limits change orders.
During the construction phase, we focus on…
- Exceeding the client’s expectations, so this is not the last project we build for them;
- Providing the highest quality construction;
- Creating a safe and orderly project site;
- Meeting the schedule;
- Limiting the punch list and creating a project with no warranty issues;
- Proper project documentation.
During the warranty phase, we focus on…
- Exceeding the client’s expectations, so this is not the last project we build for them;
- Quickly and efficiently correcting any issues that arise.
Eichberg’s Dedicated Staff
John Eichberg, 3/16/1941 – 11/14/2019
John Doyle, 45 years
Felipe Zepeda, 38 years
James Lee, 32 years, Retired
Jay Eichberg, 35 years
Brian Hollidge, 3/30/1948 – 11/28/2019
Robert Brewster, 24 years, Retired
Shannon Goodman, 27 years
Donald Rothgeb, 22 years, Retired
Hector Lopez, 24 years
Douglas D’Ascoli, 20 years, Retired
Paul Keplinger, 21 years
Kevin Connelly, 18 years, Retired
Eduardo Martinez, 17 years, Retired
Angel Contreras, 17 years, Retired
Francis Wallace, 20 years
Dan Kolakoski, 20 years
Paul Bunger, 20 years
Derrick Parker, 19 years
Deborah Rodgers, 17 years
Jim Scott, 12 years, Retired
Mark Baker, 16 years
Andrew Bolton, 13 years
Devon Connelly, 12 years
Tammy MacAnanny, 17 years
Barb York, 10 years
Kevin Wittenberger, 9 years
Joe Antonelli, 8 years
Len Gallo, 8 years
Nayan Patel, 7 years
Jarrett Jackson, 6 years
Jay Patel
Meshashe Snowden
Hesam Eslami
Alberto Sanchez
Jimmy Espinoza
Foray Babilah
Irsley Delgado-Sanchez
Daniel Solimine
Fuad Argaw
Jamie Newman
Rick Finnblade
Steven Callender
Cameron Saunders
Doug Yurechko
About Us
Exceeding expectations, building relationships…..
ECI is a multi-generational business, founded in 1974 by John Eichberg. Our team is guided by Mr. Eichberg’s code of personal ethics and inspired by his dedication to ECI and his clients and employees. CEO John Doyle joined in 1979 and President Jay Eichberg came aboard full time in 1989. Project Executives Kevin Connelly and Dan Kolakoski joined in 2003 and 2004. Executive Coordinator Debbie Rodgers joined in 2007 and helps keep ECI running smoothly. Following Kevin’s retirement in 2018 and Mr. Eichberg’s passing in 2019, John, Dan, Jay and Debbie have teamed to guide an experienced dedicated group of project managers, assistant project managers and site superintendents.
ECI has a deep, varied portfolio of new construction and building renovations of all project types. These include condominium and apartment buildings (ranging in size from 4 units to 200 units), schools, churches, synagogues, community centers, automotive dealerships, restaurants and retail stores, commercial buildings, and office interiors. We have completed millions of square feet of commercial construction and more than 6,000 residential homes. We’ve operated by the same principals and have been headquartered in Rockville, MD since our inception.
ECI’s strategy has remained consistent across the decades: work tirelessly to exceed our clients’ expectations and deliver quality work. We build efficiently and collaboratively with the owner and the design team, always with our focus on quality. We are honest and diligent; our reputation is everything. Proof of that is demonstrated in one simple fact: During the first 47 years of our firm’s existence, completing more than 2,200 construction projects, we have never been involved in litigation with a client, and only once had to use arbitration to collect a debt. When we fall short, we take responsibility and make things right. In the construction industry, it’s rare that relationships survive through consecutive projects. There are many pitfalls that can tangle even the friendliest owner/builder/architect teams in bitter dispute. We have stayed out of trouble by doing excellent work and communicating freely with our clients to avoid dispute. We put ourselves in their shoes and treat owners and architects like we want to be treated.
Organizational Structure
ECI has a multiple-layered structure, allowing us to form teams, develop group cohesion and depth, maintain bench strength, develop talent, and provide flexibility in staffing projects at different levels at various stages in the project. In the office, we have project executives, project managers, assistant project managers. In the field, we have site superintendents and assistant site superintendents.
Project Management System
ECI uses Procore, a collaborative web-based project management software which is the project portal. This amazing tool allows us to keep information flowing continuously among all stakeholders, allows the Owner to view all aspects of the project every day, and us to document and archive all relevant project data in one place. We also use many other state of the art tools, including PlanGrid (for drawing management), PlanSwift (for take-offs), and Phoenix (for CPM Scheduling).
ECI Quality Control Strategy
We believe that the best way to achieve high quality work is to select the best subcontractors, to give them fair contracts, to provide an environment where they can succeed and appropriate time to do their work. We scrutinize shop drawings and submittals to make sure that the contractors understand the drawings and specs, we update and distribute the schedule regularly so they understand our expectations and staff up appropriately, and we help them in the field when they need it. We do not accept low-quality work with the hope that it passes un-noticed. Punch list preparation starts as soon as we break ground.
How We Achieve Excellence
In all areas of our business, we pay attention to what matters…
- We pay our subcontractors promptly; we are fair to our subcontractors and treat them as an extension of us….because they do the heaviest lifting;
- The same effort we put into building relationships with our clients, we also put into our employees, and it shows in project meetings and on the site. We bring into our family of staff the finest people with our shared ethics, temperament and consistent drive to please our customers. Our staff has tenure here that is much longer than the industry average. Notice the durations in the team list. When you hire ECI, you hire a family of committed professionals who share a common goal, live by a common ethic, and perform to a high standard that’s been ingrained for more than 45 years. More often than not, people do not leave ECI, they retire from ECI;
- We assign each project to the right project manager, and we support the project manager with a team of professionals;
- We communicate: we share information freely, we meet often, and we always issue constructive meeting minutes;
- We use state-of-the-art tools, including Procore, a web-based project management portal that brings all participants together to collaborate efficiently;
- We draft good schedules and update them regularly, projecting potential delays as far in advance as possible;
- We finish. No matter what obstacles we face, we forge ahead and we never quit. In 45 years, we’ve never wavered.
During the pre-construction phase, we focus on…
- Exceeding the client’s expectations, so this is not the last project we build for them;
- Drafting detailed, accurate budgets that can be relied upon by the developer and design team;
- Developing detailed preliminary schedules that give the developer an accurate duration assumption to report to stake-holders;
- Assisting the design team in selecting equipment, materials and systems that meet the budget;
- Assigning a project team that is perfectly suited for the project;
- Attracting the best subcontractors;
- Creating a Guaranteed Maximum Price that meets the budget, provides the client with the project they dreamed of, and limits change orders.
During the construction phase, we focus on…
- Exceeding the client’s expectations, so this is not the last project we build for them;
- Providing the highest quality construction;
- Creating a safe and orderly project site;
- Meeting the schedule;
- Limiting the punch list and creating a project with no warranty issues;
- Proper project documentation.
During the warranty phase, we focus on…
- Exceeding the client’s expectations, so this is not the last project we build for them;
- Quickly and efficiently correcting any issues that arise.
Eichberg’s Dedicated Staff
John Eichberg, 3/16/1941 – 11/14/2019
John Doyle, 45 years
Felipe Zepeda, 38 years
James Lee, 32 years, Retired
Jay Eichberg, 35 years
Brian Hollidge, 3/30/1948 – 11/28/2019
Robert Brewster, 24 years, Retired
Shannon Goodman, 27 years
Donald Rothgeb, 22 years, Retired
Hector Lopez, 24 years
Douglas D’Ascoli, 20 years, Retired
Paul Keplinger, 21 years
Kevin Connelly, 18 years, Retired
Eduardo Martinez, 17 years, Retired
Angel Contreras, 17 years, Retired
Francis Wallace, 20 years
Dan Kolakoski, 20 years
Paul Bunger, 20 years
Derrick Parker, 19 years
Deborah Rodgers, 17 years
Jim Scott, 12 years, Retired
Mark Baker, 16 years
Andrew Bolton, 13 years
Devon Connelly, 12 years
Tammy MacAnanny, 17 years
Barb York, 10 years
Kevin Wittenberger, 9 years
Joe Antonelli, 8 years
Len Gallo, 8 years
Nayan Patel, 7 years
Jarrett Jackson, 6 years
Jay Patel
Meshashe Snowden
Hesam Eslami
Alberto Sanchez
Jimmy Espinoza
Foray Babilah
Irsley Delgado-Sanchez
Daniel Solimine
Fuad Argaw
Jamie Newman
Rick Finnblade
Steven Callender
Cameron Saunders
Doug Yurechko